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KSA and Bahrain Judicial Systems: Blatant Dual Standards

KSA and Bahrain Judicial Systems: Blatant Dual Standards
folder_openBahrain access_time9 years ago
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Nour Rida

"Bahraini judicial system is unjust and a total failure." These words sum up what one of the most important human rights organizations think of the Gulf judicial system.

KSA and Bahrain Judicial Systems: Blatant Dual Standards

HRW described this system as unjust as it had issued verdicts against peaceful protesters. Yet, this is nothing when compared to a gulf judicial system that issues a verdict against a juvenile on charges of protesting an Internal Security patrol at the time it sets a blind eye to those fighting with terrorist groups!

Dozens of reports and testimonies issued by rights organizations - similar to the HRW report- confirm the judiciaries in Gulf countries are involved in political act and conduct unjust trials. For instance, protesters in Bahrain are sentenced to lifetime imprisonment, subjected to physical torture and abuse during investigations, and are forced to give false testimonies only because they demanded to take part in their country's rule.

Meanwhile, verdicts are either reduced or annulled against Internal Security personnel who had deliberately killed protesters or tortured others to death.
The judiciary system in Saudi Arabia is not any better. Verdicts are issued accordingly with what the judiciary "deems as suitable". Most cases, and in absence of comprehensive penal law, are referred to personal assessments within the court.

In an interview with al-Ahed news, a prominent source in the field of human rights said that the judiciary system is not transparent especially that the details of trials are not published.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that the path of trials is determined upon the ‘judge' or ‘type of hearing', where the judge has the right to take any decision he views appropriate based on the ‘court's desire' and the ‘convicted person'. He also uncovered that most judges in Saudi Arabia are bias towards the royal family, or its ideology.

The dual standards of the Al-Saud judiciary in dealing with all citizens in general has been clearly demonstrated through the death sentence issued against Ali Nemer (17-years-old) for being guilty of "corrupting earth" and protesting the presence of a security patrol in the Qatif, North of Saudi Arabia.

In the meantime, the same judicial authority set a blind eye to another young Saudi man (17-years-old) who came back from Syria after taking part in the fighting alongside the terrorist armed groups. It is worth mentioning that the young man named Mousfir appeared in a video segment declaring in presence of media outlets that he is returning back to his homeland.

In this context, head of the Bahrain forum for human rights, Youssef Rabee', saw that "the judicial institution in the gulf countries, especially in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, is not apart from the political rule issued by the supreme authorities. The Gulf judiciary, according to Rabee', is ‘a tool used by the regime to punish the opposition which has been demanding their constitutional or social rights."

Suad al-Shammari, secretary-general of the group Saudi Liberalism, just like Rabee', assures that the gulf judiciary is in the hands of the ruling families.

In an exclusive interview with al-Ahed news, al-Shammari said "it is normal that when the protesters demonstrate to demand their rights or demand regime change, the regime will in return turn against them and issue inhumane and unjust verdicts."
 
On the other hand, al-Shammari elaborated that the "gulf regimes falsely convince the security forces that their duty lies in confronting and oppressing the protests under the pretext that such are ‘foreign revolutions' that have to be well-handled through harsh response."

"Alleging that the protesters threaten national security, the system treats them viciously, and issues military verdicts against them in courts that enjoy no justice." She added.

Once more, Rabee reiterated that the authorities in his country Bahrain, just like in all other gulf countries, provide a cover to the security forces which encourages them to go far in punishing the protesters and force them to give false testimonies under the pressure of severe torture.

Rabee' and Souad alike, noted that reports issued by prominent human rights NGOs, such as that of Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch affect the public opinion as these NGOs condemn the violence and inhumanity perpetrated by Bahrain, KSA and gulf countries.

Yet, they both accentuated that such condemnation is not enough, and has not brought change to the political approach of these countries due to economic and military interests to both ends, that are more controlling and powerful than human rights and the interests of people.


Source: al-Ahed news

 

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