Treason: Verdict on February 24

The High Criminal Court yesterday set February 24 to announce its verdict in the case involving a former general secretary of a local society, accused of inciting the overthrow of the government, following an inflammatory speech he delivered publicly. 

In the court hearing, public prosecutor Ahmed Qureshi sought maximum punishment for Ibrahim Sharif for his crime. Sharif was nabbed in connection with a speech he gave in July during an event.  

He was released from jail in June after serving just over four years of a five-year prison sentence. 

He was one of 21 men convicted in 2011 in connection with a plot to overthrow the government with the help from abroad. 

Prosecutor Qureshi said before the court while making the case against Sharif:  “Nobody can argue on the importance of security and safety in Bahrain to ensure a good living. And this needs sincere efforts, that must be combined with good morales and basic human principles as well as preservation of customs and norms. 

“Our role, and your role as a court maintaining justice is to purify the society, and then localise the values. And we are all working towards achieving this goal.” 

“Suspect Ibrahim Sharif’s acts targeted to destroy our values and our country’s capabilities, and this was established by the clear evidences provided by the Public Prosecution. He was just freed from jail, and it was thought that he had learned the lesson and he would be an example for the other people. But he immediately engaged in activities aimed at promoting to topple the regime with the use of force,” he added

Judges at the High Criminal Court allowed Sharif also to speak, and he stated that he respected the Constitution and the National Action Charter.