Press releases
Bahrain: execution of three men is 'dark day for human rights' in the country
In response to the execution today of three men - Ali Abdulshaheed al-Sankis, Sami Mirza Mshaima’ and Abbas Jamil Taher Mhammad al-Samea - accused of killing three police officers in Bahrain, Amnesty International’s Campaigns Deputy Director Samah Hadid, said:
“This is a dark day for human rights in Bahrain. These executions – the first to be carried out since 2010 - are a deeply regressive step for a country whose authorities’ have repeatedly trumpeted their commitment to human rights.“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and the fact that this execution was carried out after an unfair trial and despite claims from the men that they were tortured in custody makes this news even more shocking."Instead of stepping up executions, the Bahraini authorities should establish an immediate moratorium on executions and work on abolishing the death penalty once and for all.”
On 9 January, Bahrain’s Court of Cassation upheld death sentences for the three men. It also upheld life sentences against seven others and the revocation of the nationality of eight of them. All ten men were convicted following an unfair trial in relation to the March 2014 killing of the three policemen.