Serious abuse of Bahraini prisoners, Saudis accused of starving Yemenis
A senior religious and political leader who has been in jail since 2011 has been severely abused in the past two weeks. Sheikh Abdul Jalil Al Miqdad was subjected to most horrific treatment at the hands of the khalifi torturers for refusing to sign a false statement. They wanted him to sign a statement that he had refused to go to hospital but he rejected their order. He was surrounded by four heavily-built torturers who were about to set upon him if it were not for other policemen who stopped them. Yet he received horrible verbal abuse. Political prisoners were furious and started shouting and chanting slogans. Khalifi dictator and his torturers must be tried for persisting in their crimes against humanity.
Bahrainis are expected to boycott the khalifi elections in November. They are presented as the showcase for an antiquated political regime that lacks constitutional or popular legitimacy. The main political groups including Al Wefaq Society, Bahrain Freedom Movement, Haq Movement, Islamic Action Organisation and others have signed statements calling for the boycott. Senior jailed opposition figures have urged the people to snub the dictator and his clique. From his cell Mr Abdul Wahab Hussain said that anyone who takes part in the elections will endorse the regime’s policies including its betrayal of the Palestinian cause and siding with the occupiers.
The conditions inside jails continue to deteriorate. Political prisoner, Mohammad Yousuf Al Marzooq has been placed in solitary confinement for the past week for a pity offence; breaking a hearing aid. Another political prisoner, Mohammad Juma’ Al Khor is facing systematic persecution for demanding medical treatment. Since 10th August he, with another group of detainees have been subjected to harsh punishment. He has been repeatedly transferred to solitary confinement and prevented from calling his family. Political prisoner, Ahmed Jaffar, who had been handed to the khalifis by Serbia is facing several forms of persecution. He suffers bone weakness for which he is not receiving adequate medical care. He has been denied medical glasses, books or even regular family visits. Sayed Ahmed Sayed Ali Mohammed who is on death row for opposing the hereditary dictatorship has been riddled with various ailments. He is not receiving the necessary treatment and his situation is becoming increasingly dire. He had received horrible torture at the notorious CID department which was sanctioned by the Bissioni report in 2011.
More than 85 young political prisoners at the Dry Dock prison (Bloc 17) have stopped eating the meals provided by the prison management. This is due to the low quality of the food, its quantity and its state of hygiene. The prisoners, three of them under 18 have asked the management to improve the food but it claimed it did not have the budget to do so. Khalifi court has refused to free a woman prisoner undergoing severe persecution at the hands of the dictators. The lawyers of Mrs Fadeela Abdul Rasool said their application for her release has been refused. She is serving a one-year prison sentence with her husband and brother for sheltering their son.
Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary-general, has warned of the serious threat spyware programmes like Pegasus pose to the UN’s work on human rights in a damning report set to be debated next week. Expanding digital surveillance by states and non-state actors has impacted the ability of civil society actors to submit information to the UN and has made them more vulnerable to intimidation and reprisal, Guterres cautions. “United Nations actors have pointed to growing and concerning evidence of online surveillance, privacy intrusion, and cyberattacks by state and non-state actors of victims and civil society communications and activities,” the UN chief writes. In particular, he singles out the potential repercussions that Pegasus, the military-grade spyware made by the Israel-based NSO Group, has had for Palestinian, Bahraini, and Moroccan organisations and human rights defenders who have cooperated with the UN.
The World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), a global network of over 200 NGOs fighting for human rights and against torture, said in a report Friday 23rd September that the naval blockade against Yemen by the Saudi Arabia had substantially contributed to hunger and cute malnutrition among Yemeni civilians and amounted to a war crime. “The tens of thousands of civilians who die due to malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and the lack of access to healthcare are no collateral damage of the conflict”, said Helene Legeay, legal director at OMCT’s Middle East and North Africa office. “They are the direct victims of a combination of war crimes committed by the various sides, in which the naval blockade imposed by the Saudi-led Coalition plays a major role. The blockade threatens to plunge the country into famine and violates international norms, including the United Nations Convention against Torture,” she added.
The Saudi Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) has issued prison sentences against Abdul Nasser Ahmed Al-Hwaiti for 27 years , Ahmed Abdul Nasser Al-Hwaiti for 20 years and Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Hwaiti for 35 years. The SSC also issued an unfair 16-year prison sentence, against the young Nasser Al Mubarak because he expressed his opinion on Twitter.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
28th September 2022