Council denies claim judges had resigned

Bahrain's High Judiciary Council on Monday refuted claims that Shiite judges have abstained from work.

"Work in the religious Shiite courts proceeded smoothly and all judges were present," a statement from the council said. "Negotiations between the judges and members of the council led to them resuming their work without any role for anybody else in the matter. The judges have never submitted their resignation officially," the statement said.

Reports in mid-March said that 12 judges in Shiite courts had resigned "to express frustration with the way the authorities dealt with protesters."

Local media on Monday said that special efforts are being exerted to make the judges reconsider their resignation.

Five of the Shura Council, upper house, members last week said that they were withdrawing their resignations and a minister who resigned and another minister who allegedly said that he was boycotting the government were last week replaced.