Arab lawyer acquitted of sectarian insult charge, fined BD100 for assault

An Arab legal adviser was yesterday acquitted by the First Minor Criminal Court of the charges of insulting a sect. However, the man, who was involved in a brawl at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) meeting, was convicted of assault and was fined BD300.

The court also fined three chamber members BD100 each over the charge of assaulting the adviser. As reported earlier by Tribune, the legal adviser was involved in a brawl that took place at the general assembly of BCCI held on April 25 this year. The brawl broke out between the defendant and several chamber members after he allegedly made some sectarian remarks. Footage of the fight rapidly went viral online in Bahrain and regional countries, including GCC states and Egypt.

In the video, the man was seen while angrily interrupting a chamber member and demanding him to “keep quiet and respect the meeting”. A verbal dispute quickly erupted between both men and certain remarks made by the defendant caused an uproar among the attendees, who considered it as sectarian remarks, according to prosecutors.

The defendant was soon surrounded by several businessmen who were attending the assembly and a fistfight erupted between them in no time. Other members and security guards managed to separate the angry crowd, while they continued exchanging insults.