'File 9/4 Bahrain Reforms. Introduction of Reforms in Bahrain' [‎68v] (153/224)

nominal as he could not get hold of them) and offer a reward for their appre
hension. This we thought would meet the case as it would effectively prevent
them from returning to Bahrein which was our principal object. Sheikh
Hamad also agreed that Sheikh Muhammad bin Isa, who had been carrying
on the administration during his absence, had behaved very badly, and said
he would reprimand him very severely and tell him that if he did not play up
to the reformed Government he would lose his allowances.
6. After the interview with Sheikh Hamad was over, Sheikh Khalid was
called in. He is a very old man and was already very alarmed thinking he
might be arrested and deported forthwith. He at once agreed to come 5 and
live in Muharraq—-having been given the choice of living there or in Manama—
on a reduced allowance, and declared he would discourage his sons and followers
from such acts in future. As there are still a good number of bad characters
in Rifa, Sheikh Hamad agreed to send out some one he could trust to the place
to keep them in order.
7. After my return I received a telegram from the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. saying
that the trial had passed off successfully, and subsequently a letter, No. 32-0.
dated 29th January, a copy of which is annexed, reporting the result of the
trial. It will be seen from this that Sheikh Hamad sentenced Sheikh Ibrahim
and certain others who had absconded to the death penalty and confiscated
their property which is to be used to pay double blood-money to the relatives
of the murdered people, and offered a reward of Es. 20,000 for their
apprehension.
He further sentenced various persons to varying terms of imprisonment
from 10 years to 6 months.
In doing this Sheikh Hamad has acted up to the promises to me and
punished the offenders in an examplary manner which will, I hope, have a
deterrent effect and tend to prevent future outrages of the sort. I think
Sheikh Hamad deserves commendation for this, as he is acting directly contrary
to the traditions of his family and to the views of its living members.
M emoeandtjm from the P olitical A gent, B ahrein, to the P olittcal
R esident in the P ersian G ulf, N o. 32-C., dated the 29 th J anuart
1924.
S ubject.— Outrage on Shiahs of Sitrah.
I beg to report that I attended the Court of the Ruler, in accordance with
your instructions, to watch the interests of some of the parties who were
foreigneis, and in accordance with the personal request of Sheikh Hamad
made m your presence.
a was fairl y recorded and the trial was fairly con-
uc e ihe evidence of the witnesses for the prosecution was very
conclusive and left no shadow of doubt as to the guilt of the
accused. The latter put up very little defence. Some of the accused
a emp e to prove an alibi, but the evidence of their witnesses was
no convincing and m no case covered the hours in which the outrage was
committecl. One accused was acquitted owing to the prosecution admitting
uncei am y as to his identity and a second was acquitted as it appeared to the
our a ig may have been mistaken for his brother who was convicted, and,
doubt^ 0 * )in1011 tlle evidence justified his being given the benefit of the
fn smffo^^^^ f 2n ^ 6n ^^ the following persons who have fled from Bahrein,
Wv penalty, if apprehended, and to confiscation of all their pro
of fhp fr> llclri ' w lc h ^ to be sold to pay double blood-money to the relatives
^ul lkW fw r SOnS and dama! ; es 40 the injured. The Sheikh is
anv of thf nhn 2 ffe " n S a reward of Rs. 20,000 to any person who seizes
any of the above offenders, alive or dead. It is extremely unlikely that