Manama: A defence lawyer in Bahrain says an 11-year-old boy accused of taking part in anti-government protests has been freed from prison pending his trial.
The lawyer, Mohsin Al Alawi, says the sixth-grade student was allowed to return home on Monday after spending a month behind bars, where he took his final school exams. The boy, Ali Hassan, faces charges of joining an illegal gathering and other claims related to the ongoing protests in the nation.
The boy is among the youngest suspects detained during protests led by Bahrain’s Shiite majority, which seeks a greater political voice.
The boy’s next court session is set for June 20.
On Sunday, an 18-year-old man was buried in Bahrain, after he died from injuries sustained in April during protests against the Formula 1 race in the kingdom.
The Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix was held on April 22 despite continuing anti-government protests demanding the race to be cancelled.
Thousands attend funeral
Several thousands attended the funeral for Ahmad Al Dafiri, in the Riffa cemetery, south of the capital Manama. The funeral service proceeded amid calls by pro-government supporters to take tougher action against protesters.
Al Dafiri died last week in a hospital in Jordan from a head injury and second and third-degree burns he sustained a month and half earlier.
He was reportedly injured in a blast as he attempted to take his car away from burning tyres, which protesters threw to rally against the F1 race.
Officials told local media that a stroke resulting from the head injury led to his death.
Opposition supporters on Sunday also buried Mariam Nasser, in her 80s, in Saddad village, north-west of Manama, after she reportedly died over the weekend as a result of health complications she developed when tear gas was fired into her home as police battled protesters.
