JNN 26 Nov 2010 Bahrain has resumed the third trial session of the 23 opposition activists detained on charges of forming an illegal organization and plotting to overthrow the government.

The third session had been adjourned to investigate fresh allegations of torture made by some of the detainees. They also claimed they had been forced to sign confessions at the prosecutor’s office.

The defendants had complained about being beaten in prison, deprived of sleep and forced to remain standing for long periods of time following the first session of their trial on October 28.

A member of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Maryam al-Khawaja, told Press TV on Friday that Thursday’s trial lasted for about 45 minutes. The lawyers requested that the trial be halted until torture allegations are looked into.

“One of the detainees, Sheikh Muhammad Habib al-Moqdad, spoke about torture, electric shocks that he and Dr. Abdel-Jalil al-Singace – a leading member of the opposition political group al-Haq – were both subjected to. He even exposed the name of the police officer who carried out the tortures,” she added.

“The judge basically did not respond to the request of the lawyers and he adjourned the trial until December 9,” Khawaja said.

Meanwhile, the Amnesty International has called on the Bahraini authorities to inspect new claims of mistreatment made by some of the detained opposition activists.

“The Bahraini authorities must conduct a prompt and independent investigation into both these allegations of torture,” said Malcolm Smart, director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Program.

“They must also now take steps to protect the 23 defendants from possible further retaliation, following their new allegations.”

All the 23 men are charged with “forming an illegal organization” aiming to “overthrow the government and dissolve the constitution”, inciting people to “overthrow and change the political system of the country”, fundraising and planning terrorist acts, and other offences under Bahrain’s 2006 anti-terrorism law. They all deny the charges.

The detained opposition activists have had very little access to their lawyers. They were only allowed to see the defendants when they were brought before the Public Prosecutor about two weeks after their arrest and again during the first trial session.

Some of the defendants alleged that they were subjected to further torture or other ill-treatment after the court’s first session, their attorney said after the second session of the court on November 11