9 lose appeal in man torture case

Manama : The High Appeal Court yesterday upheld the sentences issued against nine male appellants implicated in torturing a man behind a Shi’ite cleric’s house.

The defendants are said to have attacked the victim after accusing him of being a police informer. The convicted were part of an illegal gathering outside the home of Shi’ite cleric Isa Qassim, and they were tasked to monitor those who were participating in it.

“Anti-government chants filled the air and he (the victim) suddenly took his phone and start recording and taking pictures,” the first defendant told prosecutors during questioning.

“I asked him why he was doing that, and we lured him to a place behind Isa Qassim’s house, where I called my friends (his co-defendants).

We beat him with woods to obtain confessions from him because only people belonging to Diraz Youth Movement were supposed to take pictures and record videos of the gathering.”

The defendants stole the victim’s mobile phone and left him near Diraz Post Office. Later, some pedestrians saw him and took him to a hospital. The defendants were arrested following police investigations.

The first defendant was handed down ten years’ imprisonment, while 10 defendants received five years in prison each. All the defendants  challenged the initial verdict except one.