Bahrain To Monitor 11 Years Boy

Local Editor

An 11-year-old boy accused of taking part in anti-government protests in Bahrain may remain at home but must be monitored by Bahraini authorities, a court has ruled.

Ali Hasan's case has been closely watched because he was one of the youngest children taken into custody in the unrest in the strategic Gulf island nation, which serves as the base for the US Navy's 5th Fleet.
The boy was arrested on May 14 but was eventually released from detention in a juvenile care center on June 11. He will remain free but a social worker will visit him twice during a year, at six-month intervals.

Even with the court's decision, Hasan's legal status remains unclear. His lawyer said against charges her client have not formally been dropped.
"The decision today condemns him indirectly," she said after the court's ruling. "I am not happy with the decision. This boy is innocent and did not commit a crime."

Bahraini regime officials accuse the minor of blocking a street outside the capital Manama with garbage containers and wood plank, and claim Hassan has pleaded guilty.
According to Amnesty International, Hassan was moved "between several police stations for a period of about four hours and interrogated ... that during that time he was alone, he became hungry and tired and eventually confessed to accusations against him."

The 11-year-old later withdrew his confession and said he accepted the charges "because police promised to release him if he did," the human rights group added.
Amnesty has denounced the child's trial and called on Bahraini authorities to drop all charges against him.

Since February 2011, Bahrain has been experiencing popular protests across the country, especially the capital of Manama, almost on a daily basis. Brutal crackdowns by Saudi-backed regime forces and widespread arrests have failed to stop the popular revolution in the Persian Gulf kingdom.
The protesters are calling for an end to the violent suppression of demonstrators demanding the downfall of the ruling al-Khalifa family.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org