(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Khalil Al Marzooq, the Political Assistant of the Secretary-General of Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, appeared in court on Thursday 24th October for his firsنt hearing. The court ordered for his release after 38 days in arbitrary detention but has not dropped the charges against him.His defense panel issued a statement following his first hearing. It said according to the Protection of Society from Terrorist Acts Law No. 58 for the year 2006 the Public Prosecution Office has requested the court to convict Al Marzooq and punish him under article 24 of the same Law for the following:1- Promoting acts of crime for terrorism purposes, criminalized in article 11 of the Law.2- Inciting others to commit crimes for terrorism purposes, criminalized in article 17 of the Law.3- Exploiting his management of a licensed society (Al Wefaq Society) to call for terror crimes, criminalized in article 9 of the Law.The Panel mentioned that in case the court does convict and punish Al Marzooq under article 24, he may be stripped of his citizenship and sentenced to as long as 15 years in jail. The Defense Panel also complained that it was not able to meet with Al Marzooq before his hearing session and was not informed of the precise charges against him.In the court, Khalil Al Marzooq denied all charges against him. He also said that he had been subjected to terrorizing and mistreatment when he was transferred to the Public Prosecution Office while handcuffed.He mentioned that he was deprived from prayer before his interrogation on 17thSeptember 2013. He was also forced to run up the stairs to the 7th floor in the building although the elevators worked normally.Al Marzooq reminded the bench of his prominent political role and his strategy in political activism that is based on peaceful methods to achieve the goals announced and known to the public. He also highlighted his significant contribution to the Nonviolence Declaration issued by the National Democratic Opposition Parties, which his party is part of.Al Marzooq told the bench that the aim of his arrest is to silence his calls for political reform; nevertheless, he affirmed that prosecuting him would not solve the political crisis in Bahrain. He said Bahrain needs a real dialogue with the participation of the ruling family.The Defense Panel submitted to the court a CD of recordings, Al Marzooq’s tweets in which he renounced violence and especially bombing attacks, as well as a copy of the Nonviolence Declaration and the Manama Document. Both documents explain the opposition parties’ peaceful strategy to reach a democratic system where the people are the source of all powers based on the constitutional monarchy.The Defense Panel, however, welcomed the court’s decision to release Khalil Al Marzooq, hoping it is a beginning of a courageous stance that the Bahraini Authorities should take by cancelling all politically motivated trials. As well as the implementing the recommendations of both the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and the UN Human Rights Council by respecting civil and political rights of individual citizens and their aspirations in a democratic system where the people are truly the source of all powers./129
source : al Wefaq
Saturday
26 October 2013
8:30:00 PM
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