Written statement submitted by Amnesty International, a non-governmental organization in special consultative status
Resumption of executions
Amnesty International is alarmed by the resumption of executions in Bahrain after a nearly seven-year hiatus, and condemns the execution of Ali Abdulshaheed al-Sankis, Sami Mirza Mshaima and Abbas Jamil Taher on 15 January 2017. They were sentenced to death after an unfair trial in relation to the killing of three policemen.
Mohamed Ramadhan Issa Ali Hussain and Hussain Ali Moosa Hussain Mohamed are now at imminent risk of execution; both were sentenced to death after an unfair trial in relation to the killing of a policeman.
Excessive use of force and clampdown on peaceful assembly
The 15 January executions sparked protests in over 20 villages across Bahrain, with hundreds of people taking part. While some of the protests have been peaceful, others have been violent.
Amnesty International is concerned about the Bahraini authorities’ use of excessive force in response to these protests. Security forces have used tear gas and shotguns firing birdshot against protesters and, in some cases, less-lethal riot control ammunition and live ammunition. Scores of protesters have been injured and many have been arrested.
Read the full statement here