conqueror's justice

At around noon of Nov. 16, a post on Bahrain-on-line first brings the first part of a position paper written by one opposition figure. Less than 24 hours later, the news are out that Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahlawi and a friend, Hussain Al-Habshi, were arrested on the charge of spreading seditious material, the very same position paper " Do not bear false witness", by the London-based Dr. Saeed Al-Shehabi.

So swift the wheels of our ruling family justice turn in this constitutionally owned kingdom of theirs. When it suits their justice purposes that is. It has been more than 48 days since a ruling family judge slapped a gag order on Al-Bandar Report, and yet not a single legal proceeding was undertaken against the really and criminally seditious.

But this is an island where vertical steel bars were meant for the best and most conscientious of citizens. The likes of Dr Mohammed Saeed, a slim, down to earth dentist. So soft spoken in fact that a visitor who showed up at his clinic one afternoon few years ago, failed to recognize the freshly released detainee in him. Though it was clear that this was a man of a soul matching his white robe.

This is a country with a steep dignity tax. And Dr. Mohammed Saeed and Hussain al-Habshi, are the very latest payers of it. Willingly and courageously so.