Three family members of eminent Bahraini rights activist convicted on false charges

Bahrain’s Court of Cassation rejected the appeal of three close relatives of exiled rights activist and upheld the three-year jail term pronounced by the trial court on false charges aimed at victimizing political opponents.

Alwadaei’s mother-in-law, Hajer Mansoor Hassan, brother-in-law Sayer Nizar Alwadaei, and cousin Mahmood Marzooq Mansoor would have to undergo three-year behind the bars.
Back in October 2017, a Bahraini court sentenced the three family members of exiled activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who is the head and founder of the London-based rights group Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), on the false charge of planting a bomb in January 2017. An appeals court upheld the sentence in December the same year.
Earlier this year, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention deemed the ruling an “unlawful” act of reprisal over family connections.
The BIRD condemned the decision in the strongest term and urges the Bahraini authorities to ensure their immediate and unconditional release.”
A family attorney also confirmed the ruling, which is the final appeal.
“This is what you expect from a corrupt injustice system. I will not rest until my family is free. Their continued imprisonment is a shameful reminder of the UK’s weak position when dealing with human rights abuses committed by an ally country,” Alwadaei said.
Last month, Bahrain’s criminal investigation department said the three had been sentenced for “terrorist crimes,” rejecting criticism by the UN group that the three were held due to their kinship with Alwadaei.