Khalifis lambasted for TB failure, Saudis criticised for death verdict
On 9th June Amnesty International issued a Press Release criticizing the khalifi regime’s officials of “inadequate response” to TB cases. “Bahrain’s inadequate response to address cases of tuberculosis in prison shows a disturbing lack of concern for prisoners’ health and puts their right to health at grave risk. The prison authorities have stood by for too long in the face of the risk of further infections,” said Amna Guellali, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa. “The Bahraini authorities must immediately provide people in prison who are sick with all necessary medical care. They should put in place measures to prevent the spread of the illness, including access to voluntary testing for tuberculosis for people with symptoms. Authorities should further investigate any allegations of delayed access to health care and hold those responsible to account.” The numbers of Covid-19 cases among the political prisoners at Bloc 17 of the Dry Dock prison has increased to 17. Despite their pleas, regime officials have refused to address the complaints of infected inmates despite their harrowing symptoms.
Families of political prisoners have expressed their deep-founded worries about the health situation of their loved ones in the khalifi jails. The sister of Abdul Jabbar Ahmad Ali who is held at Bloc12 of Jau prison said: After discovering the TB cases in the prison I express my worry and fear for his life and demand his immediate and unconditional release. The sister of political prisoner Hussain Ali Al Sa’di expressed similar worries and fears and calls for his release. The sisters of Mohammad Al Daqqaq (held at Bloc 14 of Jau), the sister of the four jailed brothers Jaber, Taher, Ibrahim and Ali at Blocs 10 and 13 of Jau said the same. So did the mother of Ahmad Al Ujaimi and the wives of of Ali Hassan Hammad and Ahmed Ali Mohammad.
On 14th June Prisoners of Conscience at Bloc 7 (formerly Bloc 15) stopped making calls to their families or going outside to the courtyard. They are protesting lack of medical treatment and cutting the time of the outside exercise to 45 minutes a day. Hassan Bati is a Bahraini political prisoner with TB who says he fears he will die soon. Inmates say when they pleaded for his care this week, an officer said ‘Let him die of TB’, walked away and laughed.
The khalifi regime summoned several people to appear at various torture centres. Munir Mushaima, brother of executed innocent Bahraini youth, Sami Mushaima, was asked to appear at the Budaya station. Abdul Majid Abdulla (Hajji Sumood) and Ali Muhanna were summoned to the same station and interrogated about their participation in a peaceful protest on 28th April at Abu Saiba town.
The health of Dr Abdul Jalil al-Singace is worsening after almost a year on hunger strike. His sugar levels are fluctuating downward and is experiencing bouts of shivering. He is denied the necessary medical treatment on orders from the royal court. To force him to end his action he has been banned from the sugar he uses in tea and the bi-weekly blood tests have been interrupted. He also has high blood pressure and low protein levels. He has not been given the results of MRI scan of his shoulders taken last October. Although doctors had asked for X-rays of the head in January this has not been done. International support for Dr Al Singace has continued. A message on twitter said: Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnes Callamard stands in solidarity with Abduljalil Al Singace who has been on hunger strike for 337 days, demanding the return of his confiscated research. Bahrain must release him immediately and unconditionally!!! #FreeAlsingace.
Saudi Arabia’s Court of Appeal has decided to uphold a death sentence for child defendant Abdullah al-Howaiti. The Saudi justice system continues to rely on the torture-induced ‘confession’ of a 14-year-old boy to convict him for a crime he could not have committed. This not only defies United Nations experts’ plea that his death sentence be reversed, it demonstrates once again that Saudi Arabia’s claim to have abolished the death penalty for child defendants is nothing more than a disingenuous PR stunt. Sentencing a child to death is an act of unbearable cruelty. Abdullah has spent his teenage years fearing he will be executed and each court ruling subjects him to more severe emotional trauma. He must be released immediately.
Yesterday, 13 human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch said in a joint letter that US President Joe Biden’s expected visit to Saudi Arabia to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman risks encouraging new abuses and further entrenching impunity. The Biden administration should secure clear and concrete commitments on human rights with Saudi authorities prior to the visit, including on the government’s relentless crackdown on freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and speech. Before any visit, Biden should meet with Saudi human rights defenders outside the country, secure the release of detained dissidents, and the removal of arbitrary travel bans on human rights activists and others, including US citizens. “President Biden should recognize that any meeting with a foreign official provides them instant credibility on a global stage, whether intended or not,” said Lama Fakih, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Meeting MBS without human rights commitments would vindicate Saudi leaders who believe there are no consequences for egregious rights violations.”
Bahrain Freedom Movement
15th June 2022
