News / Persian Gulf

Bahrain to try 11 activists over alleged attempt to kill policeman

Wednesday, 21 September 2016 5:27 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 21 September 2016 6:21 PM ]

Bahraini protesters clash with police in Sadad, Bahrain, on September 29, 2012. (Photo by AP)

Bahrain’s authorities will put on trial 11 anti-regime activists for their involvement in an alleged plot to kill a police officer, prosecutors say.

Bahrain’s prosecution said on Wednesday that 11 activists were arrested after gunmen fired at a police officer in the island of Sitra, south of the capital Manama, in May.

The prosecutors said the activists, who will stand trial on October 25, have admitted to belonging members of a "terrorist" group and have attempted to kill a policeman among other charges.

The development comes as human rights organizations have cast doubt on the independence of the Bahraini courts and challenge the sentences issued against the political detainees as the members of the judiciary are appointed by royal decrees and because the courts issue sentences based on confessions made under torture.

Since February 14, 2011, thousands of anti-regime protesters have held numerous demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis, calling on the Al Khalifah family to relinquish power.

In March that year, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to the country to assist the Bahraini government in its crackdown on peaceful protests.

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured or arrested in the crackdown on anti-regime activists.

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