Manama: A lawyer for some of the 25 defendants charged with plotting to destabilise Bahrain filed to move the case to the constitutional court.
Abdul Rahman Gunaim is hoping the court will put an end to weeks of stalling in the case that has seen several lawyers withdraw their services.
The court accepted the request and postponed the case to January 27.
Court documents say the suspects, 23 under arrest in Bahrain and two being tried in absentia, allegedly formed or belonged to an illegal group that sought to undermine stability in Bahrain.
They were arrested in August and the first court session was held in October. However, the team of lawyers chosen by the suspects withdrew from the case, citing the refusal of the court to consider claims of torture. A second team was appointed by the justice ministry as Bahraini law requires lawyers for all court cases.
Disciplinary action
However, 19 lawyers withdrew after the suspects refused to cooperate, prompting the ministry to announce that it would take disciplinary action against them for refusing to comply with the regulations.
A second team of lawyers was appointed by the ministry for last week's trial, but the suspects refused them and five lawyers said they would not take up the case.
Gunaim suggested the opinion of the constitutional court for a solution.
