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C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000077 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2018 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC PHUM BA
SUBJECT: TRIAL OF DECEMBER RIOTERS 
 
REF: MANAMA 51 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Adam Ereli for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1.(U) Summary: The trial of 15 men charged in connection with the December 2007 riots began with a brief hearing amid procedural wrangling and confusion, then quickly adjourned until February 24. A delay of the hearing from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. prompted defendants' families to protest and defense attorneys to boycott the first hearing. Rallies around Bahrain in support of the defendants have attracted only spotty support. End summary.

2.(U) Manama's High Criminal Court scheduled for February 3 the opening of the trial of 15 men charged in connection with last December's riots (reftels). The charges include the attempted murder of a policeman and the theft of his submachine gun. Several activists, including Muhammed Al-Maskati of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, sought and received GOB permission to observe the proceedings.

3.(SBU) On February 3 Judge Muhammed bin Ali Al-Khalifa announced that the first hearing would be delayed from 10 a.m. that day to 3:00 p.m. Defense lawyer Hafidh Hafidh told reporters that he and the other defense attorneys would boycott the 3:00 p.m. session because, in their opinion, it was "illegal" for a judge to hear a criminal case outside normal business hours. (Bahraini government workers knock off at 2:00 p.m.)

4.(SBU) Family of the defendants were also angered by the delay, and staged an impromptu protest rally outside the courthouse, demanding an opportunity to meet with their detained relatives. According to an embassy contact at the prosecutor's office, the families were permitted to visit with the detainees for fifteen minutes.

5.(U) At 3:00 p.m. judge Al-Khalifa opened the hearing without the defense attorneys. Court officials admitted family of the accused, local media, and several observers to the courtroom. Judge Al-Khalifa quickly verified that all the defendants were present and had retained legal representation, then ordered the trial adjourned until February 24. He cautioned the defendants that if their attorneys did not attend the February 24 hearing, the court would appoint new defense lawyers for them. ------------------------------- Protests in Shi'a Neighborhoods -------------------------------

6.(SBU) Since late January, the al-Haq movement and other supporters of the 15 defendants have attempted to stage rallies in several Shi'a villages. Most have been peaceful, but failed to attract more than a few dozen supporters. The exceptions were in Jid Hafs and Sanabis, where on the evenings of January 28 and 29 several dozen youths lapsed into the familiar pattern, burning tires and trash dumpsters, then throwing rocks at police when they used tear gas to disperse them. There were no injuries reported. ------- Comment -------

7.(C) Comment: The trial will be watched closely in the Shi'a community, but Shi'a attitudes toward the defendants are mixed. Many have expressed sadness over December's violence and several contacts have told us that, while they share the rioters' grievances, they cannot condone the brutal attack on the police officer. One prominent columnist, Sawsan Al-Sha'er, pointed out in Al Watan newspaper that the detainees' supporters are now using English rather than Arabic placards at their rallies. Al-Sha'er argued that the activists have given up on rallying more local support and are hoping instead for international attention. ********************************************* ******** Visit Embassy Manama's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX********************************************* ******** ERELI