Bahrain Military Trials Conducts Lawmaker’s Without Him

Local Editor

Bahrain's controversial military tribunal tried a jailed member of the national parliament in his absence Tuesday.

Bahraini authorities offered no explanation for why Mattar Ibrahim Mattar, who has been in custody since May 2, wasn't in court. Bahrain's state news agency reported only that Mattar had "failed to show up."
A family member said Mattar's defense attorney, Ahmad Jasim, pleaded with the court for a delay because his client wasn't present but was rebuffed.
The military judge said he would announce the verdict July 5.

Mattar's was one of seven cases that were rushed through the tribunal Tuesday. According to the official news agency, the state prosecutor called for the "most severe sentence" against Mattar, saying he had "compelling evidence that Mattar had incited hatred of the ruling system, deliberately spread fabricated news, protested illegally and organized marches."

But Jasim said the entire procedure against Mattar was illegal. He noted that at the time Mattar was accused of breaking the law, he was a member of parliament, entitled to immunity.
Jasim also said that Mattar had been interrogated in the absence of legal counsel despite his repeated pleas. Family members said Mattar had been severely tortured while detained.

Mattar's wife, Amal, whom police called in for six hours of questioning Sunday, was told at first that Mattar wouldn't be tried Tuesday. She was allowed into the courtroom only when his lawyer arrived.
Jawad Fairooz, another of the 18 Shiite members of the 40-member parliament - along with Mattar - who quit in late February, was arrested at the same time as Mattar. He has also been denied the right to a full defense and is due to hear his verdict July 5. He has been charged with "inciting hatred for the regime, spreading lies and malicious rumors, and organizing demonstrations."

Besides the many trials - four dozen doctors and nurses are on trial on allegations that range from supporting the protests to killing patients - the government has fired hundreds of medics, teachers and other professionals, taken over the national news media and severely restricted access to the country to foreign reporters.
When primary and secondary schools closed for the summer, some teachers and principals were dismissed, according to family members.
Mean while Bahrainis have staged anti-government demonstrations to express their support for jailed opposition activists.

Protesters demonstrated in several villages on Tuesday night and called for the ouster of the Al Khalifa dynasty.
In some villages people turned off their lights at a set time at night.
"We chose the symbol of darkness because we feel as long as they are in jail and not speaking for us in dialogue, there is an injustice," said one resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Another demonstration is planned for Wednesday to show solidarity with the jailed activists and to call for their release.
On Wednesday, the verdicts will be announced for 21 well-known opposition leaders and rights activists facing charges of plotting a coup earlier this year.