A/HRC/4/33/Add.1 Page 17 Para 9. Country Bahrain Date 09/03/06 Type JUA Mandate Allegations transmitted Government Response WGAD; FRDX; HRD; TOR; Abdulla Madan, Mohammed Abdulrasool, Jaffar Hussain Mohamed Yousef Eid, Jaffar Abdul-Jabar Jaffa Al-Mushaima, Ahmed Yousef Nasser Al-Mushaima, Mohamed Hassan Yousef Saif and Ali Jaffar Jasssim Rabea, all arrested and detained in connection with a peaceful protest. On 19 January 2006, the above named persons were arrested in the Daih and Sanabis areas of Manama. They had gathered to peacefully protest against the detention of 21 people, who were arrested on 25 December 2005 at Bahrain Airport for peacefully protesting against the detention of Sheikh Sanad. Sheikh Sanad had called for a referendum under the supervision of the United Nations on the legitimacy of the political system in Bahrain. It is reported that 16 of the 21 protestors have been sentenced to one or two years’ imprisonment. During their police detention, the abovementioned persons were threatened and assaulted by police officers. During the first days of their detention their families were not informed about their whereabouts. Relatives were not allowed to attend their trial session on 26 February 2006. The trial has been postponed to 12 March 2006 and they remain in custody. By letter dated 18/05/06, the Government reported that the crowd was asked to disperse in a peaceful and amicable manner. However, the protesters refused to comply and began rioting and damaging public property. They set fire to tires and garbage containers, which they threw into the middle of the public highway, endangering the lives of passers-by and the general security forces. They also threw stones at the police who took steps to help restore law and order. As a result of all this, 13 individuals were arrested.On 21 January 2006, the arrested persons were presented to the Department of Public Prosecutions which charged the defendants with unlawful assembly and rioting under articles 178-180 of the Bahrain Criminal Code. After all the legal and constitutional procedures had been completed, the Department of Public Prosecutions ordered the detention of seven of the accused persons and released the remaining six accused persons, due to lack of sufficient evidence for a criminal prosecution. The case file and the accused persons in detention were referred to the competent criminal court to hear the charges against them. On 19 April 2006, the court issued a judgement, sentencing each of the accused persons to one year’s imprisonment. The case is still being heard by the court of second instance (court of appeal). The authorities responsible for investigations, whether the police, the Department of Public Prosecutions