[Arab News] The trial of seven Bahrainis accused of killing coppers during protests in February and March opened Sunday before a military court in Manama, the official BNA news agency said.The seven are charged with the murder of public officials on duty, according to BNA.
Witnesses deposed before the tribunal and video allegedly showing the attackers in cars hitting the coppers was played, the agency said.
According to the authorities, four coppers were killed after being struck by cars during protests, which began on Feb. 14 and were quelled by the authorities in mid-March.
The next hearing will be on April 19 when the defense will present its witnesses. The accused could face the death penalty if convicted.
The state news agency also said that more than a hundred civil servants have been summarily fired for participating in the anti-government protests.
BNA said that 111 employees of the Education Ministry had been punished for participating in the street marches and strikes last month. The employees will also be prosecuted for "flagrant violation" of the country's civil service law, the agency said, adding that last month's Teachers' Union strike was politically motivated and aimed at "crippling schools."
The opposition said Sunday that the authorities have jugged a former bodybuilding champion as part of the crackdown on protesters. Tareq Al-Fursani, a gold medalist in several Asian championships, was placed in durance vile at his home in a village east of Manama late Saturday, a member of the country's largest opposition group, Wefaq, told Rooters.
"The authorities did not allow him to call his family, which is the same for all the previous cases," said Wefaq's Mattar Ibrahim Mattar. "The violation against human rights
...which are usually entirely different from personal
liberty...
is continuing in Bahrain and they are ignoring calls for a political solution."
Mattar said the number of registered detainees was currently around 500 but estimated up to 650 people may be in jug. Those included a human rights lawyer and at least two doctors jugged Saturday.