Bahrain: Sentences of up to life imprisonment for 14 defendants in four separate cases for joining terrorist groups

The head of the Terrorism Crimes Prosecution Office stated that the Grand Criminal Court issued verdicts in four separate cases, convicting fourteen defendants of crimes related to joining terrorist groups and acting on their behalf by committing hostile and terrorist acts against the Kingdom of Bahrain and harming its interests. The court sentenced eight defendants to life imprisonment and six others to fifteen years in prison, while fining some of them amounts reaching 100,000 dinars, along with the confiscation of funds and seized items.

According to the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the details of the facts stem from information that confirmed the accuracy of investigations conducted by the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensics. These findings indicated that the defendants had joined terrorist groups working to execute terrorist plots targeting the Kingdom of Bahrain, with the aim of disrupting public order and endangering the nation’s security, integrity, and economy. This was achieved through acts intended to harm individuals and spread terror among them, as well as to prevent and obstruct state institutions and public authorities from carrying out their duties.

Investigations also revealed that the defendants were tasked with carrying out sporadic terrorist missions within the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as transferring, receiving, and delivering funds designated to support and finance terrorist elements affiliated with those groups.

BNA reported that the Public Prosecution launched its investigations immediately upon receiving the reports. It interrogated the defendants who were apprehended within the country, heard witness testimonies, and appointed technical experts to examine the seized electronic devices. The examination results confirmed the accuracy of the investigative findings. The investigations concluded that the roles played by the defendants, in the context of their membership in these terrorist groups, formed a fundamental pillar in executing part of the terrorist acts witnessed by the Kingdom of Bahrain, thereby endangering the country’s security and stability.

In light of the investigation outcomes, the Public Prosecution ordered the referral of the defendants to the Grand Criminal Court, which heard the cases over several sessions, ensuring all legal guarantees, including their right to defense, were respected. This process culminated in the issuance of the aforementioned verdicts. In this context, the Public Prosecution reaffirmed its commitment to exercising the powers granted to it by law to firmly confront all terrorist crimes and prosecute their perpetrators, taking deterrent legal measures against anyone proven to be involved, in order to safeguard the security and stability of the Kingdom of Bahrain and protect its interests.