Bahrain Mirror: The High Criminal Court in Bahrain adjourned on Monday (February 12, 2018) the trial of 171 defendants, accused of involvement in an open sit-in outside the home of the spiritual leader of the Shiite majority in Bahrain, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, in what has become known as the "Diraz Raid."

The Court decided to postpone the case until March 12.

At the last hearing (January 21, 2018), the court released 140 defendants on bail of 200 dinars, while keeping others on the case.

According to a member of the defense panel, those who were released were charged with "assembling" at the house of Sheikh Qassim.

At the last session, 151 defendants attended, while 20 others refused to attend. The courtroom was not so accommodated. The defendants were placed in another courtroom and divided into 11 groups. They were brought in batches with their lawyers who demanded their release with any guarantee.

At the latest session, 151 defendants attended, while 20 others refused to attend, and since the courtroom did not accommodate that number of people, the defendants were placed in another courtroom and divided into 11 groups. They were brought in batches with their lawyers who demanded their release for any guarantee the Court deems appropriate.

Detainees in the case told their families in telephone conversations that they had been forced to sign [confessions to] charges of "assaulting security personnel", "destroying public property" and "possession of firearms," noting that they would be the basis for their trial.

On May 23, 2017, the authorities arrested about 300 citizens outside the home of the spiritual leader of the Bahraini Shiite majority, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, during the raid on the Diraz sit-in, which left five Bahrainis killed and dozens of others injured, according to international organizations.

Arabic Version