Bahrain Mirror: Human rights activist Zeinab Khamis said via her Instagram account that a Bahraini court issued yesterday (Thursday, February 28, 2019) life sentence against Bahraini refugee Ali Al-Shuwaikh, revoked his citizenship and fined him 500 BD. Al-Shuwaikh was arrested by the Bahraini authorities after Netherlands forcibly deported him after his refugee request was rejected. The Dutch authorities insisted on handing him to Bahrain despite appeals not to take this step.

Terror Crime Chief Prosecutor Ahmed Al-Hammadi said that the Fourth High Criminal Court issued a life sentence against a Bahraini convicted of abetting fugitives accused of joining terrorist group. Investigations uncovered that the defendant concealed several fugitives who were members of an armed terrorist group that killed a policeman and facilitated the escape of inmates in the Jaw reformatory's jailbreak.

Dutch authorities forcibly extradited in October 2018 Ali Al-Shuwaikh to the Bahraini authorities. He arrived in Bahrain's airport on (October 20, 2018) night and he was immediately arrested by the intelligence.

Two days following his deportation, the Vice President of Salam for Democracy and Human Rights, Yousif Al-Muhafdah, said documented information confirmed that Al-Shuwaikh, who was deported by the Netherlands to Bahrain, is being held at the headquarters of the notorious Criminal Investigation Department in Bahrain.

"According to documented information and communications we made, Al-Shuwaikh is currently detained at the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters in Bahrain, a notorious HQ, where hundreds of dissidents have been subjected to severe torture, so we are deeply concerned about the safety of Bahraini citizen Ali Al-Shuwaikh," Al-Muhafda added.

The harsh verdict against Al-Shuwaikh sheds light on the risks faced by Bahraini activists who are being chased by authorities inside and outside Bahrain.

Arabic Version