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PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHMK #0077 0391211
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 081211Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7580
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RHBVAKS/COMUSNAVCENT PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000077
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018
TAGS: PGOV ASEC PHUM BA
SUBJECT: TRIAL OF DECEMBER RIOTERS
REF: MANAMA 51 AND PREVIOUS
Classified By: Ambassador Adam Ereli for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1.(U) Summary: The trial of 15 men charged in connection with the December 2007 riots began with a brief hearing amid
procedural wrangling and confusion, then quickly adjourned until February 24. A delay of the hearing from 10:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m. prompted defendants' families to protest and defense attorneys to boycott the first hearing. Rallies around
Bahrain in support of the defendants have attracted only spotty support. End summary.
2.(U) Manama's High Criminal Court scheduled for February 3 the opening of the trial of 15 men charged in connection
with last December's riots (reftels). The charges include the attempted murder of a policeman and the theft of his
submachine gun. Several activists, including Muhammed Al-Maskati of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, sought
and received GOB permission to observe the proceedings.
3.(SBU) On February 3 Judge Muhammed bin Ali Al-Khalifa announced that the first hearing would be delayed from 10 a.m.
that day to 3:00 p.m. Defense lawyer Hafidh Hafidh told reporters that he and the other defense attorneys would boycott
the 3:00 p.m. session because, in their opinion, it was "illegal" for a judge to hear a criminal case outside normal
business hours. (Bahraini government workers knock off at 2:00 p.m.)
4.(SBU) Family of the defendants were also angered by the delay, and staged an impromptu protest rally outside the
courthouse, demanding an opportunity to meet with their detained relatives. According to an embassy contact at the
prosecutor's office, the families were permitted to visit with the detainees for fifteen minutes.
5.(U) At 3:00 p.m. judge Al-Khalifa opened the hearing without the defense attorneys. Court officials admitted family of
the accused, local media, and several observers to the courtroom. Judge Al-Khalifa quickly verified that all the
defendants were present and had retained legal representation, then ordered the trial adjourned until February 24. He
cautioned the defendants that if their attorneys did not attend the February 24 hearing, the court would appoint new
defense lawyers for them. ------------------------------- Protests in Shi'a Neighborhoods
-------------------------------
6.(SBU) Since late January, the al-Haq movement and other supporters of the 15 defendants have attempted to stage
rallies in several Shi'a villages. Most have been peaceful, but failed to attract more than a few dozen supporters. The
exceptions were in Jid Hafs and Sanabis, where on the evenings of January 28 and 29 several dozen youths lapsed into the
familiar pattern, burning tires and trash dumpsters, then throwing rocks at police when they used tear gas to disperse
them. There were no injuries reported. ------- Comment -------
7.(C) Comment: The trial will be watched closely in the Shi'a community, but Shi'a attitudes toward the defendants are
mixed. Many have expressed sadness over December's violence and several contacts have told us that, while they share the
rioters' grievances, they cannot condone the brutal attack on the police officer. One prominent columnist, Sawsan
Al-Sha'er, pointed out in Al Watan newspaper that the detainees' supporters are now using English rather than Arabic
placards at their rallies. Al-Sha'er argued that the activists have given up on rallying more local support and are
hoping instead for international attention. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy
Manama's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX********************************************* ******** ERELI