Bahrain's King Approves Legislation for Civilian Trials in Military Courts

Bahrain's king has approved a law passed by advisory councils for the trial of civilians in military courts amid widespread arrests of opposition group members. The state news agency reported on Monday, April 2, that Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the king of Bahrain, has endorsed a new amendment to the country's constitution. According to the Associated Press, the Bahraini Advisory Council with 40 elected members and the House of Representatives with 40 appointed members, which are the two parts of the parliament, had previously approved this constitutional change. Political activists and critics of the Bahraini government have warned that this change effectively means the imposition of an undeclared martial law in the country. Loyalists to the ruling Sunni family in Bahrain deem this change necessary for what they describe as a fight against terrorism. Amnesty International has described this action as "an attempt to silence dissenters and those with differing opinions." The human rights group added in a statement on Monday: "This is part of a broader campaign by the Bahraini government that uses the courts to suppress all forms of dissent at the cost of sacrificing human rights standards." Since the widespread political protests in 2011, Bahrain has always experienced a degree of political unrest, but in recent weeks, with the extensive arrests of opposition members, these protests and unrest have increased again. Meanwhile, according to Reuters, Bahrain's Court of Appeals on Monday overturned a 9-year prison sentence that was issued last year for the leader of the main opposition party in Bahrain, reducing it to four years in prison. Local media and the defendant's lawyer reported that the Appeals Court acquitted Sheikh Ali Salman of the charge of attempting to violently change the regime. However, it upheld the initial court ruling regarding another of his charges, namely inciting hatred and insulting the Minister of Interior. One lawyer, who wished to remain anonymous, told Reuters on Monday: "The Appeals Court in Bahrain has overturned last year's 9-year prison sentence and has now reverted to the initial court ruling of four years in prison." Sheikh Ali Salman's defense lawyers argued during the recent trial that the prosecution had separated parts of his 2015 speech from its actual context and presented it to the court. Bahraini news agencies reported that the Appeals Court's ruling is final. Since the onset of the so-called "Arab Spring" protests in 2011, Bahrain has been in a state of unrest, with the ruling government violently suppressing protests with the help of forces dispatched by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Last year, the Bahraini government intensified its crackdown on dissent, banning the activities of the "Al-Wefaq" movement and revoking the citizenship of the country's highest-ranking Shia cleric. Bahrain and its closest ally, Saudi Arabia, believe that a significant portion of the opposition forces and armed Shia groups that have carried out deadly operations against Bahrain's law enforcement and security forces are supported by the Iranian government. In this context, Bahrain reported the arrest of 25 individuals in connection with Iran, stating that it killed "three armed individuals fleeing to Iran" and arrested members of a "terrorist group linked to Iran." Three Bahrainis were convicted of "attempting to destabilize the country with the help of Iran."