MANAMA: Blame it on the hot weather. Lawyers on the island are refusing to wear the traditional black robe to court. The Bahrain Bar Society has encouraged lawyers to wear the robes despite criticism. “The weather here is a big problem which stops us lawyers from wearing the robes. We are not against wearing them but with the normal humid conditions here, we tend to lose focus on our cases,” a lawyer explained.
Jameela Ali Salman, chairwoman of society, said attorneys in the island, like in other Arab countries, should wear the robes. “The move aims to distinguish trainee lawyers from experienced ones,” she said. The Society held its annual meeting recently at which lawyers pointed out that wearing robes was nowhere officially stipulated.
Not all lawyers, however, are opposing the move. A good number of them are in support as well. In December 2008, Col. Yousif Flasil, director of the Military Court, announced that it was mandatory for lawyers to wear the robes or else they would not be allowed to enter the court. But five months after the decision, some lawyers are now sending faxes rather than attending the sessions in person. Some lawyers say the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs has not provided them with lockers where they can store their robes.
