Bahraini physiotherapist jailed in defamation case

The Minor Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a renowned Bahraini psychotherapist to one year in jail after she was found guilty of defamation and falsifying information in connection with a viral video about the sale of prescription drugs at a public girls’ school last year. The woman was also convicted of misusing telecommunication service.

Capital Governorate Prosecution Chief Prosecutor Nawaf Al Awadhi yesterday announced that the woman was also fined BD200. He explained that the Public Prosecution has conducted “extensive” investigations into the matter, heard the testimonies of the parties involved and reviewed the report of Education Ministry on the incident, before referring them to the court.  

As reported earlier this year, the physiotherapist posted a video on Instagram last March, claiming that two schoolgirls enrolled at the Hamad Town Intermediate Girls’ School were selling Lyrica pills, a painkiller which is used to treat epilepsy, anxiety and other disorders, inside the school.  

Education Ministry commented that the incident involving the two Bahraini students happened in January and that both girls were suspended for a year for possessing and using the drugs following a probe. The Public Prosecution also said that none of the schoolgirls were caught with prescription pills in their possession, accusing the woman of falsifying information and breaking her code of ethics without seeking help from authorities.