Amnesty concerned over continuation of executions in Bahrain

The London-based non-governmental organization, in its annual report published on Thursday, announced that last year’s executions of three Shia Muslim activists over their alleged role in killing policemen during an anti-regime demonstration were carried out in violation of international law.

The London-based non-governmental organization, in its annual report published on Thursday, announced that last year’s executions of three Shia Muslim activists over their alleged role in killing policemen during an anti-regime demonstration were carried out in violation of international law.

“Their lawyers did not have access to all the available evidence against them, which prevented them from adequately defending their clients. Nor were they allowed to cross-examine prosecution witnesses. 

The court found Abbas al-Samea and Sami Mushaima guilty following coerced ‘confessions.’ This is in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” Amnesty International pointed out. 

On January 15, 2017, Bahrain executed 27-year-old Samea, Mushaima, 42, and Ali al-Singace, 21, by firing squad. The killings came a week after the Court of Cassation upheld death sentences against the trio finding them guilty of killing three policemen, including an Emirati officer, in the northern village of al-Daih back in March 2014.

Condemnations poured in from across the world, even from Bahrain’s allies, against the executions.