15 years for 57 defendants in Jaw prison rioting

Manama, Jan. 25 (BNA): The Fourth Criminal Court has sentenced 57 defendants to 15 years in jail for their involvement in the incidents at the Jaw prison. The defendants were also sentenced to pay a total of BD508, 187 for the damages they caused at the premise, Muhanna Al Shaygi, the head of Southern Governorate Public Prosecution, has said. According to the case documents, the Public Prosecution on March 10 received information from the Directorate of Rehabilitation that prisoners engaged in acts of chaos, rioting and rebellion inside their wards. The prisoners refused to obey the orders and instructions and chased away the guards of the wards and buildings. They also blocked the doors with pieces of furniture, prompting the authorities to warn them several times to end their rebellion and rioting and comply with the regulations. However, they refused and continued to damage the items inside, including the air conditioners and the surveillance cameras. They started fires in some areas, climbed on the roof and hurled stones and solid items at the policemen, and damaged two watchtowers. Public Security servicemen were forced to enter the buildings and regain control of the situation. Several servicemen and prisoners were injured as a result. The Public Prosecution launched an investigation and some of its members went to the jail where they assessed the situation, heard the testimonies of the officers and inmates and questioned suspects. The Public Prosecution heard the testimonies of 126 witnesses working with the public security and with the prison administration. All the injured were referred to the forensic doctor. Al Shaygi added that some of the suspects claimed during the questioning that they had been mistreated. The Public Prosecution said that the Ombudsman’s Office conveyed similar complaints. All the allegations were referred to the Special Investigation Unit, the authority legally authorized to look into them, he said. Al Shaygi said the charges leveled against the suspects were the use of force and violence against public employees – Public Order servicemen – to prevent them from carrying out their duties, starting a fire at a public facility that endangered people’s lives and put their possessions at risk, damaging buildings in order to cause chaos and make them unfit to host inmates and thus putting their health and security at risk. Number of readings : 628 Last updated : 05 : 51 PM - 25/01/2016