This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS MANAMA 001744 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM KJUS BA
SUBJECT: KING ISSUES DECREE ORDERING RELEASE OF HUMAN 
RIGHTS ACTIVIST FOLLOWING HIS CONVICTION 
 
REF: A. MANAMA 1658 
     ¶B. MANAMA 1503 
     ¶C. MANAMA 1489 
     ¶D. MANAMA 1482 
 
Sensitive but unclassified (deliberative process); please 
protect accordingly.  Not for Internet distribution. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) On November 21, activist and former Executive 
Director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) Abdul 
Hadi Al Khawaja was convicted and sentenced to one year in 
prison and ordered to begin serving the term immediately.  He 
had been charged with violating Article 165 (public 
incitement against the regime) and Article 168 (spreading 
rumors that could disrupt national security) of the penal 
code.  In reading the verdict, the judge did not specify 
under what article(s) Al Khawaja was found guilty.  Al 
Khawaja and his family members had refused to attend the 
hearing.  Approximately 10 people were inside the courtroom 
including Cairo-based Amnesty International representative 
Joanna Oyediran and journalists from BBC Arabic, AP, and 
Reuters.  The court rejected defense lawyers' claims that the 
charges against Al Khawaja were unconstitutional.  Outside 
the courtroom, a passionate crowd of 300 Al Khawaja 
supporters gathered with signs and called on Prime Minister 
Khalifa to resign.  They chanted inflammatory slogans 
including "Die Khalifa" and "The People Don't Want You." 
Court guards were the only security officials present and 
made no attempt to interfere with the crowd. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Later the same day, at about 6:00 PM, the King 
issued a decree limiting the imprisonment to the 57 days 
already served and ordered Al Khawaja's immediate release. 
Photographs of him in a car with his wife on their way home 
appeared in local newspapers.  Though many media outlets 
called the King's decree a pardon, legally it was a 
suspension of the remainder of the sentence.  The King also 
ordered the release of 13 detainees still being held in 
connection with the October 28 "car parade" in support of Al 
Khawaja (Ref A). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Political and human rights activists welcomed the 
King's gesture and some described it as evidence of the top 
leadership's desire to continue its democratic reforms. 
However, many expressed dismay that Al Khawaja was imprisoned 
and put on trial in the first place.  BCHR President Nabeel 
Rajab told PolFSN that the King's handling of the matter sent 
a strong message that although he had forgiven Al Khawaja, he 
would not tolerate criticism of his family.  Representatives 
of several human rights organizations said they would push 
for changes in the penal code to remove Article 156, which 
criminalizes criticism of the royal family.  Some activists 
(unrelated to the Committee in Support of Al Khawaja, which 
had suspended its activities) planned an evening 
demonstration in the suburb of Budaiya against Al Khawaja's 
conviction and sentence, but canceled the event at the last 
minute upon learning of the King's decree. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Comment:  The sentencing of Al Khawaja to a year in 
prison and the King's subsequent pardon demonstrate the mixed 
nature of the GOB's path towards a more democratic system. 
Al Khawaja's arrest and imprisonment were a warning to 
activists not to push the envelope too far, but the King's 
pardon showed that he can respond to their concerns when he 
believes it appropriate.  Some human rights advocates are now 
looking to the next step:  finding a way to re-open the 
Bahrain Center for Human Rights. 
 
MONROE