Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain's High Appeals Court scheduled the sentencing hearing of the defendants in the ISIS case on June 18, 2017.

During the court session, a number of appellants attended with their lawyers, who entered their written and oral pleas, pleading that their clients are innocent.

The plea entered by attorney Abdullah Hashem stated that there is no ISIS cell or branch in Bahrain, but rather affiliates of the organization who travel to war-ridden countries. Hashem claimed that there is a lack of investigation, adding that there are no evidence of proof in the case.

The High Criminal Court had convicted on June 23, 2016, 24 defendants, most prominent of which is the "ISIS organization theorist" and his three brothers, of joining ISIS. The court issued in the case 15-year prison terms and a life sentence, also revoking the citizenships of 13 defendants. 11 dfefendats had been previously stripped of their nationalities among the list of 72 announced by the Interior Ministry on January 31, 2015.

Arabic Version