BCCI brawl accused lawyer to face trial for sectarian remark

The First Lower Criminal Court will begin the trial of an Arab legal adviser, who was involved in a brawl during the general assembly of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) last April, tomorrow. The court announced that the man will be tried for the charges of assault, insulting and inciting hatred through his sectarian remarks.

The brawl broke out between the defendant and several chamber members on April 25 this year, after he allegedly made some sectarian remarks. Footage of the fight rapidly went viral, not only in the Kingdom but also across the entire region. In the video, the man was seen angrily interrupting a chamber member and demanding him to keep quiet and respect the meeting. A verbal dispute quickly erupted between both men and certain remarks made by the defendant caused an uproar among the attendees, who considered it as sectarian.

The defendant was soon surrounded by several businessmen, who were attending the assembly and a fistfight erupted between them in no time. Interior Ministry confirmed in a statement issued on the next day that the man, who worked as a legal adviser at a local company, was arrested and referred for interrogation at the Public Prosecution. It was explained in a statement issued by the Public Prosecution that prosecutors listened to the suspect and witnesses’ testimonies and ordered to hold the suspect in custody for seven days pending investigations.

“He will be referred for trial to the court once legal procedures are completed,” it was mentioned in the prosecution’s statement, which also affirmed that legal procedures will be taken against anyone who tampers with civil peace and security and tries to drive wedges among the Bahraini people.