18 April 2016 – On 15 April, eight defendants including Bahraini torture survivor Isa Alaali were found to have acted lawfully in blocking traffic entering the DSEI arms fair, one of the largest arms fairs in the world. The defendants argued that they were preventing the sale of illegal weapons to repressive regimes, including Bahrain, that would be used to in the commission of crimes.The judgement of the DSEI arms fair case was released today.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy, Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy: “This is a small but significant victory for human rights. Continued arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, which will use them against innocent protesters and in Yemen, where they have created a humanitarian crisis, is morally wrong.”
Accepting the defendants arguments, District Judge Angus Hamilton found, contrary to the prosecution’s arguments, that the defendants’ decisions “were not irrational, impulsive decisions taken on the spur of the moment.”
He continued: “Again the defendants’ decision making process was supported by the expert evidence which indicated a repeated failure of the UK law enforcement agencies to take effective action in relation to the unlawful sale of arms at previous DSEI arms fairs.” The Judge found that the defendants held a “sincere intention” to prevent the sale of unlawful arms being used to target vulnerable populations.
The defendants had protested against the September 2015 Defence Systems and Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair in London and blocked a tank from entering the exhibition area. Police detained eight individuals and charged them with unlawful obstruction of a highway. Among the eight was Bahraini Isa Al-Aali.
Over four days, the court heard evidence that illegal weapons and torture equipment has previously been sold to regimes through the DSEI arms fair, and that these issues had been raised with relevant governmental bodies before the defendants attempted their protests. The Judge heard credible evidence of unlawful activity at the arms expo that was “not taken seriously” by officials. Bahraini government officials, whom have been accused of serious human rights abuses, have been regular attendees at the fair.
Bahraini defendant Isa Al-Aali, who was granted asylum in the UK in August 2015 after a year-long battle with the Home Office, told the court: “I attended DSEI to protest against the sale of arms at the fair because dictatorial regimes get armed through this fair included the regime that victimised me.”
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei appeared as an expert witness. He told the court: “BIRD remains concerned with any and all sales of arms to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf country that continue to violate international human rights conventions. Arms sold to these countries have a high risk of being used internally in a manner that contravenes international human rights law.”
The Stratford Magistrates Court dismissed the charges against the eight defendants on 15 April.
