Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Government of Bahrain on the release on medical and compassionate grounds of Sayed Hasan Ameen before his hearing on 11 March 2021.

We have followed the detention of Sayed Hasan Ameen who was arrested with others for arson, endangering the lives and property of others, and preparing and possessing Molotov cocktails, and will continue to monitor and raise his case if and when appropriate. We understand the hearing took place on 11 March 2021 and that he was sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, which was replaced with a rehabilitation program under alternative sentencing arrangements within the spirit of the new Child Reform Justice Act. We welcome this retroactive application of the new law's content and purpose. Due to Covid restrictions, it was not possible for Embassy staff to attend the hearing in person.