Manama : The Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Terrorism Crimes Prosecution stated that the High Criminal Court, in its session held today, convicted a defendant and sentenced him to 10 years in prison and fined him BD 2,000 for endorsing the heinous Iranian terrorist attacks against the Kingdom of Bahrain. The court also ordered the phone used in the crime to be confiscated.
The Public Prosecution had received a report from the Cybercrime Directorate at the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security regarding the monitoring of images, videos and comments posted on an account on a social media platform that included urging and encouraging of the heinous Iranian attacks targeting the Kingdom of Bahrain. Investigations identified the defendant as the operator of the account.
Accordingly, the Public Prosecution immediately commenced its investigation upon receiving the report, interrogated the defendant, heard witness statements, and assigned technical experts to examine the seized electronic devices. The investigation and the results of the technical examination established that the defendant had committed the offence attributed to him. The Public Prosecution subsequently referred the defendant in custody to the High Criminal Court, which heard the case over a series of trial sessions in which all prescribed legal safeguards, foremost among them the right to defence, were observed, before issuing its judgment convicting and sentencing him.
The statement affirmed that freedom of opinion and expression is guaranteed within the framework of the law, and that those exercising it are required to comply with legal requirements that safeguard society and the interests of the country. He added that the Public Prosecution would continue to take firm action, within the scope of its jurisdiction, against any acts that could undermine the country’s security and stability.
The statement stressed that publishing or circulating materials that contain support for, endorsement of, or encouragement of terrorist acts constitutes a crime punishable by law, given its implications for national security. It called on citizens and residents to act responsibly in what they publish or circulate and to comply with the relevant legal provisions and requirements, in order to safeguard the Kingdom’s security and stability.
