Manama: Bahrain’s foreign ministry said that the court’s ruling in the case of Ali Salman, the secretary-general of Al Wefaq Society, was based on charges related to speeches that incited violence and hatred, it was not in any way politically motivated.
On Monday, the Court of Appeals toughened a sentence against Salman after it included a charge dropped last year by a lower court.
Under the new ruling, he will have to spend a total of nine years in jail after he was also convicted of the more serious charge of “promoting the overthrow of the political system through the use of force and threats.”
In June last year, the Higher Criminal Court dropped the regime overthrow charge and sentenced him to four years after he was convicted on the charges of “publicly inciting hatred, an act which disturbed public peace, inciting non-compliance with the law and insulting public institutions.”
The sentence was challenged by both Salman and the public prosecutor, and was sent to the Court of Appeals for review.
The ruling on Monday prompted the US State Department to issue a statement that expressed “deep concern.”
“We believe that no one should be prosecuted or imprisoned for engaging in freedom of expression or assembly,” the statement said.
“We understand now that an appeal may be available in this case and we urge the government of Bahrain to abide by its international obligations to respect and protect freedom of expression, to reject these charges against Salman and to release him.”
However, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa rejected the statement.
“US State Dept’s statement on Salman’s court verdict is more like NGO [nongovernment organisation] commentary than official diplomatic language,” Shaikh Khalid tweeted both in Arabic and English to his 286,000 followers on Twitter.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Wednesday evening, in which it “stressed that the sentence handed down to Salman on May 30 was based on convictions of inciting violence and hatred.”
“The defendant was found guilty of giving hate speeches and inciting violence against Bahraini police publicly,” the statement said.
“The charges were not all related to any political views he may hold. The right to freedom of expression is clearly enshrined in Bahrain’s constitution and guaranteed by the Bahraini law.”
The ministry added that “the defendant’s sentencing followed a full, independent and transparent trial, attended by numerous observers, including representatives from foreign embassies and NGOs.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs urges all parties to respect the integrity and independence of the judiciary. It also confirms that the defendant has the right to appeal the sentence in accordance with due process as guaranteed by the criminal justice laws in the Kingdom.”
