Further information on UA: 122/11 Index: MDE 11/002/2012 Bahrain Date: 10 January 2012

URGENT ACTION

BAHRAIN DEATH SENTENCES quashed

Two Bahraini men's death sentences imposed by a military court were quashed on 9 January . T he cases have been sent to a civilian court of a ppeal.

‘Ali ‘Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis and ‘Abdulaziz ‘Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain’s death sentences were quashed by the Court of Cassation in Bahrain on 9 January. They were sentenced to death on 28 April 2011 by a military court, the National Safety Court of First Instance, though they are civilians, after having been found guilty of killing two policemen during the March 2011 anti-government protests. They appealed, and the military National Safety Court of Appeal upheld their sentences on 22 May. The Court of Cassation has referred the case to the High Criminal Court of Appeal for an appeal. The date of the appeal has not yet been fixed.

The two defendants alleged they were tortured in detention and their “confessions” were used against them in court. Confessions obtained under torture should not be used as evidence in legal proceedings in line with Bahrain’s obligations under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, and considers civilians should not be tried before military courts.

Thank you to all who sent appeals. Appeals sent to the authorities following the four previous Urgent Actions may have contributed to this decision. No further action from the UA network is required. We will continue to monitor t he situation and if new death sentences are imposed on the men we will react accordingly.

This is the fifth update of UA 122/11. Further information: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE11/064/2011/en

Name: ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis and ‘Abdulaziz ‘Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain

Gender m/f: Male