09/01/2020 (Agence Europe) – On Thursday, 9 January, the European Union called on the Bahraini authorities to suspend the executions of Mohammed Ramadan and Hussain Al Moosa and to ensure that their retrial complies with international law and standards. This request, which had previously also been made by the European Parliament (see EUROPE 11727/13, 11484/22), comes a day after the verdict by the Bahrain’s High Court of Appeal upholding the death sentences on the two men for their alleged involvement in the bombing of 14 February 2014 in al Dair, which caused the death of a policeman. The verdict, which is still subject to appeal to Bahrain's Court of Cassation, was reached despite reported concerns about the fairness of the trial. The EU stressed that the death penalty “violates the inalienable right to life enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and reiterated its plea to the Bahraini authorities for a moratorium on executions. (DG)