Royal pardon for 169 prisoners in Bahrain

Bahrain’s King Hamad issued a royal decree, pardoning 169 prisoners, who have served part of their jail terms for various reasons, without including prisoners of conscience and political prisoners.
The pardon was announced on the occasion of Bahrain’s National Day commemorating the establishment of the modern Bahraini state as an Arab and Muslim country, founded by Ahmed Al Fateh in 1783, the anniversary of its full membership in the UN.
Observers called on the King of Bahrain to include prisoners of conscience, political prisoners, Shia clerics and citizens who were arrested for sectarian reasons and were sentenced with testimonies extracted under torture.