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Five men have been sentenced to life in prison by the High Criminal Court, in two separate cases, after being convicted of acting as informants for Iran.
The court yesterday found a sixth defendant innocent of all charges and ordered that two Afghan defendants be deported after completing their 25-year prison sentences.
Meanwhile, 24 defendants in 22 separate cases were convicted for offences linked to social media posts that ‘expressed sympathy with Iranian aggression against Bahrain’.
They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from five to 10 years, with some receiving an additional BD2,000 fine.
The charges included publishing photographs of ‘sensitive locations’, spreading false news and rumours, and glorifying Iranian attacks targeting Bahrain.
The mobile devices used to film and share these posts will be confiscated as part of the verdict.
Judges ordered that non-Bahraini defendants be deported after completing their sentences.
Espionage
In early March, four Bahraini men and two Afghan men were charged – in two different cases – with spying for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), with the aim of carrying out hostile acts against Bahrain and harming its national interests.
According to the prosecution, investigations revealed that the IRGC had contacted one of the Afghan defendants and recruited him to carry out terrorist plots in Bahrain. He was reportedly tasked with intelligence-gathering activities, including monitoring and photographing vital and sensitive facilities and collecting detailed information about them.
Investigators found that the defendant carried out surveillance of one such facility and transmitted information in exchange for financial payments from the IRGC.
The defendant later recruited a second Afghan national to assist in the intelligence operations. Both were arrested in possession of devices and tools used in carrying out the crimes.
In the other case, one of the Bahraini defendants previously ‘fled to Iran’ where he was allegedly recruited by the IRGC.
According to a statement by the Public Prosecution, he looked for ‘local assets’ within Bahrain to do the IRGC’s bidding and execute the organisation’s terrorist schemes. He allegedly recruited three people – his co-defendants – who supplied information to the IRGC, which was used to support Iranian aggression.
One of the four Bahrainis was found innocent by the court yesterday.
Social media trials
A total of 24 defendants in 22 different cases were also found guilty yesterday of posting content that ‘supports the enemy’ and harms security and public order.
The GDN earlier reported that one of the defendants was behind a viral video in which he can be heard cracking a joke about the strike on the US Navy base, described by the prosecution as a ‘shocking scene’.
A young suspect was convicted of illegally filming a military site. The teenager admitted to the charges at the hearing, claiming that he ‘didn’t mean to harm to anyone’ and did it ‘spontaneously’.
In another case, a Bahraini man was accused of remixing a video with music and posting it again on social media.
“Possessing media that promotes, justifies, or encourages terrorist acts, as well as photographing locations in violation of an issued prohibition order – these actions are punishable by law, and only act to terrify citizens and residents, incite panic, shake public security, create chaos and sow civil discord,” read a Public Prosecution statement.
“These actions constitute a betrayal of a nation that embraced them, whose citizenship they hold, and from whose blessings they benefit.
“The Public Prosecution asks that no mercy or leniency be granted in their judgements.”
Trials involving individuals accused of sympathising with Iran are still ongoing, with verdicts in some cases expected to be issued on May 12.
As of March 12, a total of 55 cases have been filed over the misuse of telecommunications and electronic devices, mainly involving the spread of misinformation or unauthorised filming, according to the Cybercrimes Directorate.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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