Was it worth it? Young people distanced from their families, studies and jobs for two whole years?
The sentence is rather harsh. A few months would have been more appropriate and would have just as effectively demonstrated the government’s intention not to let riots like these go unpunished. And, had the sentence been shorter, I (like many others I think) would not have supported a call to the King to show some leniency and release them.. but now, I do hope that the King will step in and shorten the sentence to 6 months or so.
Comments
Two years for their troubles
Nobody put a gun to their head and forced them to break stuff, especially at the airport. Although I probably think that they will not serve their 2 year jail term, this is a message from the government that nobody is above the law. Unfortunately, the same law was not applied to the MPs who had a gathering of their own and decided to torch the Danish flag, inciting hatred and religious intolerance.
Two years for their troubles
The thing is…they were found not guilty of the damage. They were only found guilty of an ‘illegal protest’. Two years is too harsh for this.
Tariq Khonji
Two years for their troubles
This is a good sentence, and I hope the King does not pardon these individuals. These people have caused a Tremendous damage to Bahrain, and thus this punishment is justified. There are pictures of these people inciting violence at the airport, and many witnesses too. So, please, don’t give me the whole “they weren’t proven guilty” crap! It’s about time we start punishing criminals as a lesson for all others who want to follow in their lead.
Ahmed
Two years for their troubles
Mahmood, it’s painfully obvious. In and out like a revolving door.
The Joker
Two years for their troubles
If I read this correctly, and I think that I did, it should go like this:
1. Felony arrest for using violence and destroying property = 1 year in the pokey.
2. No arrest at all for any kind of peaceful demonstration.
3. Barring entry, access, normal business at an airport or other business = MISDEMEANER = 30 days in the hole.
4. Judges oftimes suck here (Oklahoma City) also, are totally crooked assholes, and that is what apellate courts are for. Does Bahrain have apellate courts?
5. What is this “King” shit? Does Bahrain have a king? If so, then the king is the chief executive and has power to pardon. He should do that. (I agree on this point.)
Thank you.
—Dan
Two years for their troubles
Exactly, they have only been found guilty of “illegal gathering” whatever that means.
Its ridicilous, 2 years for illegal gathering when we’ve seen rapists sentenced for 5 years only
Two years for their troubles
If Hook can get seven years in the UK for expressing his views then the rioters in the airport deserve two. They were also calling for peoples deaths.
I think they will probably get one year on appeal but the problem in Bahrain has been that religious thugs have been allowed to go on the rampage with no consequences.
Two years for their troubles
no pardon for them. Let it be a lesson to the others who would not dare do the same if they see an example. Its ok to express your views and protest something but not in the way these guys did.
Two years for their troubles
“A few months would have been more appropriate” ?? Your serious??
Any proof that they deserve that???
And i am talking about evidence!
Waffles
Sacrificial Lambs
They were found innocent of all charges (including vandalising public property) and guilty of one – [b]breaking the Gatherings Law[/b], which disallows gatherings of over 5 people. The judge passed the maximum sentence for this – 2 years.
I’m wondering why[b] they didn’t prosecute all 500 people[/b] who were in the protest at these airports. Why was this group of 10 or so particularly targeted?
Hell, I break this law everytime I go on a family trip out – thats 9 members.
Two years for their troubles
If these pieces of shit spend the next two years taking it up the arse from some drug dealer or crazed armed robber theyve got off light. Anywhere else in the region including their hero Mohammed Sanad’s Iran they’d have been thrown out of an aeroplane into the sea. I was taught that if you treated people like adults they’d behave like them – no f**king way with them. Yet their f**king double talking lawyers are saying the sentences are harsh – if any of these f**kers had their way there wouldn’t be any lawyers because there’d be no law to uphold.
Two years for their troubles
OMG Mahmood u should be kidding me pardon them for what? All they did is cause disruption and damaging Bahrain’s picture in front of the visitors, after all they didn’t chose a better place to vandalise than the airport, they should learn that although the constitution gave us the freedom of speech but this doesn’t going mad and causing chaos at a public place like the airport. If the King will pardon them this will open the door for others to do the same without bearing the consequences because after all they will get out from it like what we say in Arabic mithl il-sh3ara mn il3ayeen, ilsalfa mob 7’erri merri yksroon oo b3dain ma yt3kboon.
Re: Two years for their troubles
Well, if child rapists get 3 months suspended sentence or in most cases rapists get no sentence at all, don’t you think that in comparison this is way over board?
Two years for their troubles
A sentence like this can do more damage to Bahrain’s reputation in the long run that even the damage in the airport.
It will look like the authorities are putting pressure on people not to protest. Does it say anywhere in the laws that protests at airports are illegal? I’m not sure.
Sentencing people for two years for ‘illegal gathering’ may make peopel think twice about protesting at all, especially if what was illegal was not clearly defined.
Tariq
Two years for their troubles
I would also like to add…it raises doubts about the independence of the judiciary, ie whether there isn’t some unseen hand behind the sentence.
Tariq
Two years for their troubles
mahmood …
rapists getting 3 months suspended sentence is not a benchmark to determine appropriate sentences for other crimes. the rapists should have gotten life.
and – why werent they found guilty for damages?
Two years for their troubles
I hope that this acts as a deterrent to others. The incident was ugly and a blot on Bahrain’s good image.
While i’m here, why doesn’t the judiciary take to task all those time wasters who don’t show for court appperances? This bogs down the system and leaves innocents hanging around for months while the trials are rescheduled.
Total waste of time and effort. Why don’t the courts either appoint someone to make sure that they turn up, or have the time wasters arrested for contempt of court and drag their sorry a**es into the courtroom to explain their actions ? A few high profile arrests and the system would work a great deal more smoothly. IMHO.
The Dragon
Two years for their troubles
2 years is good, all violent crime has to be punished very severely.
All such crimes need to get punished seriously, from vandalising public property & petty theft all the way to rape & murder.
I wish child rape & sexual abuse would get a capitol punishment instead of BD.50 fine.
Why were only 10 people caught & not 500 ? That’s the inefficiency of the police force & the “I just dont give a damn about my job” attitude of government sector workers in general.
Re: Two years for their troubles
Life for rape ? Are you some kind of liberal . . .
Treason = capital punishment
Rape = capital punishment
Murder = capital punishment
sexual crimes against children = capital punishment
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