MANAMA: Bahrain’s king issued a decree granting royal pardons to 178 prisoners, including convicts and suspects, late on Saturday night.
This was announced by Minister of Interior Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa who said in a statement that King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa pardoned hundreds of convicts and suspects arrested on security-related crimes.
“Those released should learn a lesson from their past mistakes and start a new life,” Sheikh Rashid said. The men were released after the completion of some formalities. “You are now obliged to cooperate for the security of this country,” Bahrain News Agency quoted Sheikh Rashed telling the prisoners.
Abduljalil Al-Singace, one of the men charged with inciting hatred, said: “We welcome this decision which comes after collective pressure from international authorities.”
He explained that those released included top opposition figures Hassan Mushaima and Mohammed Al-Maqdad. The men were charged with funding a terrorist group, planning to overthrow the regime and inciting hatred. However, Al-Singace said men detained in Karzakkan village for hurling petrol bombs at a policeman, which led to his death, were not released. He also said suspects arrested in a similar incident last month when a Pakistani man died were also not covered under the royal pardon.
Families of the detained men and local human rights group welcomed the noble gesture by the leadership. “This is certainly good news which shows that there is political freedom in the Kingdom. These steps of dialogue and peace can bring real reforms for the citizens,” said Abdullah Al-Derazi, secretary general of the Bahrain Human Rights Society.
Jalila Sayed, a lawyer for the defendants, said this was not the first time Bahrain had pardoned opposition figures.
“We have this kind of play from time to time, except this time the magnitude is bigger, there are more people involved and the accusations are more serious,” Sayed said.
Nabeel Rajab, head of the Bahrain Human Rights Centre, said the pardon followed unprecedented international pressure on Bahrain, whose government had underestimated the degree of popular opposition to Mushaima’s arrest. “This will help ease the tension for the coming weeks.”
Earlier this month, the king pardoned jailed opposition activist Maitham Bader Al-Sheikh, who was arrested in December 2007, because of his ill health.
