The seven are charged with the murder of public officials on
duty, according to BNA.
Witnesses deposed before the tribunal and video allegedly
showing the attackers in cars hitting the policemen was played, the agency
said.
According to the authorities, four policemen were killed
after being struck by cars during protests, which began on Feb. 14 and were
quelled by the authorities in mid-March.
The next hearing will be on April 19 when the defense will
present its witnesses. The accused could face the death penalty if convicted.
The state news agency also said that more than a hundred
civil servants have been summarily fired for participating in the
anti-government protests.
BNA said that 111 employees of the Education Ministry had
been punished for participating in the street marches and strikes last month.
The employees will also be prosecuted for "flagrant violation" of the
country's civil service law, the agency said, adding that last month's
Teachers' Union strike was politically motivated and aimed at "crippling
schools."
The opposition said Sunday that the authorities have
detained a former bodybuilding champion as part of the crackdown on protesters.
Tareq Al-Fursani, a gold medalist in several Asian championships, was arrested
at his home in a village east of Manama late Saturday, a member of the
country's largest opposition group, Wefaq, told Reuters.
"The authorities did not allow him to call his family,
which is the same for all the previous cases," said Wefaq's Mattar Ibrahim
Mattar. "The violation against human rights is continuing in Bahrain and
they are ignoring calls for a political solution."
Mattar said the number of registered detainees was currently
around 500 but estimated up to 650 people may be in custody. Those included a
human rights lawyer and at least two doctors detained Saturday.
