Bahrain Update: King to Lift Emergency Law, Trial of 21 Activists

On Sunday, Bahraini King Hamad ibn Isa Khalifa announced plans to lift the emergency law on June 1st, two weeks earlier than the official end of the three-month rule.  He did not, however, elaborate on whether the suspension of the state of emergency would include ending the curfew and dismantling of numerous checkpoints.  Jean-François Seznecs, Bahrain expert at Georgetown University states that this is likely due to international pressure and the regime’s sense that the security situation is now under control. Scholars and opposition leaders hope that this will now lead to national dialogue.

Twenty-one activists also stood trial on Sunday on charges of attempting to overthrow the regime and belonging to “a terrorist organization working for a foreign country.”  Among those charged were human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, Sunni leader of the Waed party Ibrahim Sharif, blogger Ali Abdul Emam and leader of the Al Haq opposition movement Hassan Mushaima. The trial has been adjourned to May 12th.  Nearly 50 medics who treated injured protesters will also stand trial at a later date as will editors of the opposition newspaper Al-Wasat, who are being tried for unethical coverage of the protests.