Politicized judiciary and false justice in #Bahrain e.g. Resolving @alwefaq

This morning Bahrain Administration Court passed a verdict resolving Alwefaq main opposition group (gained 64% of votes in 2010 parliamentary elections) which was in an expedited urgent request from the Ministry of Justice.

Bahrain’s constitution states that it shall guarantee the independence of the judiciary. Despite this provision, the Bahraini judiciary has systematically been subject to inappropriate governmental influence. Attorneys and family members involved in politically motivated cases highlight the government’s intervention in court proceedings to influence the results or to obstruct rulings from being carried out. There are continuous corruption allegations against the judicial system and its members, and its independence is questioned. The judges for the courts, for example, are appointed and removed by royal decree. The current Chief Justice of Bahrain and president of the Court of Cassation, Khalifa bin Rashid Al Khalifa, is a cousin of King Hamad and the prime minister.

Recently, opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman’s jail sentence from four to nine years on charges of inciting violence and unrest. Bahrain’s public prosecutor claimed that the stiffer sentence related to “crimes of promoting change to the political system by force”. The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, condemned the sentencing stating “The sentencing seems to confirm a worrying trend of political repression further shrinking the space for any form of dissent in Bahrain.”