Bahraini regime detains more natives, Saudi detainees on hunger strike
Since 11th April the whereabout of a native Bahraini citizen have remained a mystery. Ali Ahmad Ali, from Al Hajar town, was forcibly disappeared by the khalifi regime’s forces who snatched him without trace. He has not been allowed to speak to his family or contact a lawyer.
Six native Bahrainis, from AlDaih Town have been unjustly given six months sentence for opposing the khalifi dictators: Hassan Fou’ad, Hussain AlQutaibi, Hussain Mohammad Eid, Ali Hussain AlShaikh, Hussain Khamis and Sayed Amin Al Sharaf. The did not commit any offence punishable by law.
Once again the regime’s torture officials have summoned two native Bahrainis for interrogation and possible torture. Following pro-Palestine demonstrations that swept the country last Friday, Majid Abdul Muhsin Abdulla (74) and Ali Muhanna (48) were asked to appear for interrogation because of their participation in these peaceful protests. Almost every month these two individuals were subjected to harassment for their pro-democracy activism. Many others have also been summoned and could be jailed for protesting. Bahrain’s regime has banned a peaceful rally to denounce the khalifi pro-Israeli policies. The Bahraini Society Against Normalisation with the Israeli occupiers, had called for the rally in solidarity of the Al Aqsa Mosque under the slogan: Support Al Aqsa. Last month a seminar to support the Palestinians was also banned by the khalifi occupiers.
Yesterday Scholars At Risk (SAR) NGO expressed support of a Bahraini hero who has been on hunger strike for many months. It said: “Today marks Dr. Abduljalil AlSingace’s 300th day on a hunger strike to protest his ill-treatment in Jau Prison, Bahrain. Dr. Al-Singace hasn’t seen a doctor for 3 months and his health is rapidly deteriorating.” International PEN has also tweeted on his case: “Imprisoned blogger and academic Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace has now been on hunger strike for 300 days. Take a moment to send him a message of support and join the call to #FreeAlSingace”.
On the International Day of the Press, Bahrainis raised their voices against the total censorship of media by the khalifi dictators. Alwefaq Society said: “The Bahraini authorities have escalated their suppression of the media and the press which has now become under their total control.” Veteran human rights activist, Abdul Nabi AlEkri tweeted: “On this day we remember Al Wasat and Al Waqt as two independent and free newspapers which raised the voice of the people. Unfortunately, both were forcibly closed down. When will Bahraini people regain his lost voice through independent press?”. Another journalist, Reem Khalifa tweeted: “Our local media in Bahrain remain outside the realm of free press. Greetings to every independent journalist.” Several journalists and bloggers remain behind bars for their peaceful expression of opinion.
Saudi human rights bodies have also marked the International Press Day. They raised the case of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi as an example of how the Saudi regime treats independent media and journalist. Mr Khashoggi was cut to pieces in October 2018 at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. The recent rapprochement with Riyadh led to a sudden decision by Turkey to “transfer” the trial of Khashoggi’s killers to Riyadh, thus ending any chance of achieving justice to the victim.
Bahrainis marked the Eid Alfitr yesterday in their usual ways. In addition to the traditional greetings, they remembered their victims killed by the khalifi dictatorship. The families of martyrs were visited and condoled. Children of the matyrs were presented with gifts and hugs. Many native Bahrainis visited graveyards to lay flower wreaths on the graves of the martyrs. The life of under-aged martyr Ali Jawad Al Sheikh was in the minds of everyone. He was cold-bloodedly killed by the khalifis on Eid Day (31st August 2011), He was only 14 when he was shot dead as he joined other children protesting against khalifi despotism. Instead of bringing his killers to justice, the dictator and his clique detained his father several times, ill-treating and torturing him. Impunity has always reigned under this dictatorship.
Grave concerns are being expressed by the relatives and friends at the disappearance of Yemeni human rights activist Samira Al-Houri and her son, in Riyadh, since April 17, without knowing the reasons for the disappearance. The Saudis and their stooges are accused of their forced disappearance.
The Saudi scholar Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Zahrani has been hospitalised in intensive care. His health conditions deteriorated due to ill-treatment and lack of proper medical care. He has been in a coma since last March. In another case, rights activist Essa al-Nukhaifi has been on hunger at Al-Ha’ir Prison since mid-April. He is protesting the ill-treatment by the prison officials. He was banned from signing official papers to enable his family to deal with his bank transactions. The family is experiencing financial hardship.
On 3rd May Dania Akkad published a long article in Middle East Eye on the treatment of Saudi women behind bars, titled: Where the abused are abused: Welcome to Saudi Arabia’s shelters for women and girls”. The article presents a grim view of those jails. The author of the article says that those women detainees “could be that they protested or they defied the driving ban so they can end up spending some time there,” she said. “It could be that the families have dumped them at a police station and don’t want anything to do with them and the police will take them there.” Once inside, they are locked up until a male guardian, often the same person abusing them, agrees that they can leave; or until a woman agrees to marry and has a new guardian.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
4th May 2022