Salam DHR launches a report titled “The Case of Khums” the trial of the religious rights of Shiite citizens in Bahrain

Salam for Democracy and Human Rights released today a special report entitled “The Case of Khums” the trial of the religious rights of Shiite citizens in Bahrain. The report presents a legal analysis of the facts and the trial of Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassem and others for exercising their right to administer the religious affairs of the Shiite citizens of Bahrain. The report includes the legal and judicial review of the trial and the contents of the official documents.

The report includes 86 pages, including the following sections: Introduction, Khums in Bahrain constitution and legal framework, Ayatollah Shaikh Isa Qasim, the claim of the case, the concept of legal adaptation of the criminal case, legal adaptation of Khums case, the response to the case, the political background of the case, legal analysis of some of the documents of the case, commentary on the public prosecutors submission.

The report reveals the extent of the judge’s complicity with the prosecution’s adaptation of the charges, which shows that there are illegal process and blatant opposition to the constitution principles.

“The trial of the Khums is a crime committed by the authorities in Bahrain, and the report is an analytical study of the facts in which the constitutional, legal and judicial violations took place. This trial is invalid because it touches on the specificities of the doctrine of the Shiite citizens,” said lawyer Ibrahim Sarhan, Salam DHR legal Advisory.

“This is the first time that a case like this has been referred to the court and a very high ranking religious authority is being tried for Shiites just due to exercising their religious right which guaranteed by the constitution as well as international law. The report monitors the legal violations and documenting sectarian persecution in Bahrain” said Syed Abbas Shubar, Head of Religious Rights in Salam DHR.

Read the report