A total of 147 Bahraini detainees are set to be released, head of the kingdom’s independent commission of inquiry told The Washington Times newspaper in a phone interview last night (August 6).

“I confirm that I have been promised that,” said Professor Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni, head of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, launched recenlt to probe alleged human rights abuses during the protests in February and March.

The new mass release will follow the freeing of 41 prisoners last week.

Prof Bassiouni said that two Al Wefaq MPs – Mattar Mattar and Jawad Fairooz – would be among those freed.

He said that all 147 had been under the custody of the military prosecutor, accused of misdemeanours, and that His Majesty King Hamad had agreed to his request that they all be transferred to civilian courts prior to the Royal order establishing the commission last month.

Due to a bureaucratic mix-up, however, he said the cases were not immediately transferred. – TradeArabia News Service