20 arrested as Bahrain approves military trial of civilians

DUBAI — Bahrain police have arrested 20 people in a crackdown on Shiite villages, as legislators approved a constitutional amendment that could see civilians tried in military courts in the kingdom.

The lower house of parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of a constitutional amendment which drops a clause restricting military trials to offences committed by members of the army, police or other security branches. 

Under the amendment to Article 105, which also needs approval in Bahrain’s appointed upper house, civilians charged with “damaging public interest” or with terrorism — broadly defined — could now face trial in a military court. 

Between February 9 and February 19, police arrested 20 residents in what the government described as a crackdown on “terror cells”.

Those arrested face charges including “plotting acts of terrorism” and aiding and abetting fugitives. Eight of them are also charged with having “received military training on arms and the use of explosives in Iran and Iraq”. 

Authorities in the kingdom have accused Shiite-dominated Iran of meddling in the domestic affairs of Arab countries in the Gulf. Iran has consistently denied the charge.

Demonstrations intensified following last week’s anniversary of the launch of the Manama protests.

On Tuesday night, residents of Nuwaidrat village, south of Manama, took to the streets to protest the death of Abdullah Al Ajouz, 22, during a police raid the previous day to arrest him, witnesses told AFP.

The main opposition Al Wefaq lost an appeal this month against a court order dissolving the group, which was found guilty of inciting violence, encouraging protests and “harbouring terrorism”.

Al Wefaq’s leader Sheikh Ali Salman has been behind bars since 2014 after being convicted of inciting hatred.

The country’s Shiite spiritual leader, Sheikh Issa Qassem, was stripped of his citizenship last year for “serving foreign interests”, another allusion to Shiite Iran.