Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): The testimony of the head of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry Samir Nass at the Public Prosecution on June 17, 2019 was not for the people (the Shia) who were degraded, insulted and publicly humiliated by sectarian slurs made by his personal legal adviser, and not for the masses of the people (both Sunnis and Shiites) who united in their condemnation and disdain for this blatant and vile attack by a disrespectful foreigner. The people expressed on social media their categorical rejection of this disgraceful behavior and demanded that he be held accountable. His testimony was rather in favor of his adviser and aimed at deviating the course of the case completely.

The testimony of Samir Nass was not for people at all, not even for the sake of polishing his own image, which was exposed by his adviser. No stranger would dare utter such insults against a component of this country so openly, unless there is an environment that nourishes this kind of distasteful sectarian attitude. It is not possible for a foreign employee to stir this level of sectarian tensions in a public council all by himself. He is most likely hiding behind the tongue of his superiors who cannot make such comments publicly, or this is just based on what he usually hears from them in their private meetings.

After what happened at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry meeting on April 25, 2019, Bahrain's Sunni and Shiite citizens alike hoped that Samir Nass would prove otherwise and would announce that what his unrepentant foreign adviser said neither represents him nor his work environment, or perhaps Nass would make a formal apology to the Shiites in Bahrain and all Bahrainis, considering that the perpetrator is his personal adviser. People hoped that Nass would take a decisive and firm stand against him. However, this did not happen. He only regretted the Chamber's "unfavorable individual incidents" without even bothering to name his adviser or openly condemning his actions.

The testimony of Samir Nass at the Public Prosecutor's Office confirms that this adviser is protected by his master's authority, and that his master will not hesitate to do anything in order to acquit his personal hand, and to go as far as flipping the table and targeting the other party who has been attacked and insulted in that incident.

Nass doesn't see that the slurs shouted by his adviser deserve punishment. He turned this case of sectarian insults directed by his advisor at an entire sect into a side issue between him and one of his opponents in the Chamber. He even demanded punishing his opponent rather than holding his adviser accountable.

It is obvious that his testimony at the Public Prosecutor's Office is only a planned ploy to save his "employee" and target his opponent in one hit. We are aware that this will happen in the end. The law in our country is the tool by which all insults and violations are managed. He who owns the law has the right to play it.

Arabic Version