MANAMA – Bahrain’s public prosecution on Sunday ordered 15 rioters, including a woman to stay in custody for 30 days pending investigation.

“They are accused of rioting in Manama on last Friday (January18) following calls posted on social media websites,” Capital Prosecutor Fahd Al Bouainain said on Sunday.

Around 100 people staged a rally in Manama Suq and sparked panic among people, forcing some traders to shut down their shops after chaos.

Six policemen sustained injuries while performing their duty to maintain security and order and protect lives and properties.

Investigations revealed that one of the rioters who sowed chaos in Manama Suq was heavily inebriated. The accused woman who had been arrested assaulted two policewomen, bit their hands and destroyed a camera used by policemen to film the incident.

Her lawyer submitted a medical report in English which showed she is mentally disturbed and hence cannot be held responsible for her actions.

The public prosecution has referred her to a lower court to decide whether she be sent to a psychiatric hospital to assess her criminal responsibility. The public prosecution also summoned witnesses and ordered an inquiry to identify the people who posted online calls for rioting.

Meanwhile, the public prosecution announced referring four suspects to a court in connection with a blast that occurred in Manama in November 2012. They were accused of murder as an Asian died in the blast and also of forming a terror cell. One of the four confessed his crime.

shamada@khaleejtimes.com