AlSingace’s case exposes khalifi criminality, writers lobby Biden on Saudi
On 8th July Dr Abdul Jalil Al Singace completed one full year of hunger strike. The human rights world has shown unanimity in praising this first-class freedom fighter and called for his immediate and unconditional release. Amna Guellali, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “It is utterly outrageous to see how the Bahraini authorities have idly watched 60-year-old Abduljalil al-Singace’s health deteriorate as he goes through unnecessary suffering, over the past 365 days of his hunger strike, during which he consumed only liquids. He has been behind bars for over a decade solely for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and should never have been jailed in the first place. “Bahraini authorities must immediately and unconditionally release him. They must urgently ensure he receives all the medication he requires without delay, has access to adequate and timely healthcare and is protected from further torture and other ill-treatment. There were similar statements from Several British MPs including Martyn Day, Wendy Chamberlain, Andy Slaughter, former MP Katy Clark MSP, Lord Scriven and others. Human rights activists also joined the calls for Dr AlSingace release including Brian Dooley (Human Rights First), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), PEN America and English PEN. In light of the persistent persecution of Dr Al Singace and hundreds of prisoners of conscience, member countries at the UN Human Rights Council are urged to take strong stands when they deal with the fourth Bahrain’s UPR in the Autumn.
Several Bahraini children have been summoned by the torturers to appear at Sitra police station. After a cruel interrogation session in which various methods of psychological and physical abuse were used, the children were transferred to the prosecutors who work in liaison with the torturers. They will be interrogated once more by the prosecution torturers on 25th and 26th of July. False charges will follow to justify harsh sentences.
The demise of a young native Bahraini citizen has led to widespread anger. Mr Ammar Al Aa’bid had been detained on 12th March 2013 and released one year later. He was immediately sacked from his job and was riddled with cancer of the breathing system. He struggled to get his due payments from the ministry of education and was denied proper medical treatment. Yesterday Mr Al Aa’bid submitted his soul to God.
As the US president prepares to leave to the Middle East calls have been called for him to raise human rights concerns with the Saudi authorities. He is on a mission to promote normalization of relations between some Arab regimes and the occupiers of Palestine and is not thought to be seriously concerned about democracy or human rights. Yet 44 writers have signed a letter urging him to take up the issue. In the letter they said: “We the undersigned writers, journalists, creative artists, and supporters of PEN America, are writing to urge you to raise your grave concerns about the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, specifically freedom of speech and artistic expression, with Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman when you visit Saudi Arabia in July 2022.” They ended the letter saying: “We encourage you to fulfill your commitment to placing human rights at the center of your foreign policy and to use this opportunity to make it clear to the Kingdom that the US will stand up for free expression and human rights.
The Biden administration is discussing the possible lifting of its ban on U.S. sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, but any final decision is expected to hinge on whether Riyadh makes progress toward ending the war in neighboring Yemen, according to four people familiar with the matter. When he was a presidential candidate Biden denounced Saudi Arabia as a “pariah,” declared in February 2021 a halt to U.S. support for offensive operations in Yemen, including “relevant arms sales.” The U-turn in his policy has baffled many who consider it “shameful”.
On 8th July Saudi cleric Sheikh Mohammad al-Habib completed six years of unlawful incarceration. Al-Habib is serving two prison sentences totaling 12 years, on charges linked to his defence of the rights of SaudiArabia’s Shi’a Muslim community. Calls have been made to Saudi authorities to release him immediately.
On Sunday 10th July Saudi political dissident Manea al-Yami was killed in Lebanon, the Saudi opposition National Assembly Party (NAAS) and a Lebanese security source said. Yami, a member of the Saudi Shi’ite Ismaili Muslim minority, had been living in Lebanon since 2015, said senior NAAS member Yahya Assiri. He had been trying to secure safe passage to a third country. Yami helped establish NAAS in 2020. The group advocates for an elected parliament in Saudi Arabia, as well as constitutional safeguards to ensure separation of the legislative, judicial and executive branches. In a statement posted on Twitter, NAAS, said Yami was “assassinated in suspicious circumstances”. It demanded a “just, clear and transparent investigation” of the killing, saying it held Saudi authorities responsible for failing to safeguard citizens seeking more freedoms abroad.
Saudi regime’s forces have detained another innocent citizen. Hassan Al Ali from AlDalwa district of Ihsaa Province. The detention happened when he went to the Dammam Intelligence office to ask about his detained wife.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
13th July 2022