Amnesty calls for Al-Khawaja release, Campaign to stop Saudi executions
On 13th November Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action about the persecution of a prominent Bahraini human rights activist, Abdul Hadi Al-Khawaja. It said: Danish-Bahraini prisoner of conscience Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was convicted and fined in two separate cases on 28 November 2022 following an unfair trial. The Bahraini authorities have long targeted Al-Khawaja for the peaceful exercise of his human rights and he is serving an unjust life sentence stemming from his role in the 2011 popular uprising in Bahrain. He is a prisoner of conscience who should be immediately and unconditionally released.
On 10th November regime authoritarian tribal rule detained native Bahraini activist, Sayed Mahmood Ahmed Al Mahfood. He was summoned to appear at one of the torture centres where he was abused and arrested for harbouring views on freedom and human rights that are inconsistent with those of the dictator and his clique. The political prisoners continue to suffer torture, abuse and ill-treatment as the khalifi dictators continue their policy of attempting to subjugate native Bahrainis. Political detainee Hassan Sarhan from El-Ekr town described the ongoing persecution, torture and abuse at the hands of the khalifi torturers. Since 10th August at least 14 other prisoners have been routinely abused at an alarming pace. He said he was subjected to torture when he protested his treatment during the daily outing which lasts only 45 minutes. Despite reporting his predicaments to the officials no action has been taken to stop the abuse.
Political prisoner, Ali Hussain Yousuf Al Mughanni who is held at Bloc 9 of the notorious Jau Prison has been infected with Covid-19. Due to overcrowding inside the bloc and the lack of proper medical attention fears are growing for other detainees. The inmates at Room 7 in Bloc 7 have been isolated but that is not enough to contain the spread of the virus. Bahraini political prisoner Muhammad Hassan Al-Raml continues to be denied access to desperately needed medication. Bahraini political prisoner Muhammad Hassan Al-Raml continues to be denied access to desperately needed medication and proper medical care. In an audio recording shared by activists, Al-Raml said he was still waiting for medicines he had requested back in October.
The family of Hassan Mushaima has confirmed that he has not received any real treatment in the past weeks despite the promises given by the security officials. They performed public relations shows to deceive the outside world that they were taking the accusations of medical negligence seriously, but in reality they have not changed their inhumane treatment of the native Bahraini political prisoners.
The Saudi regime has detained a senior academic without giving a reason. The lecturer at the Media Department at Umm Al-Qura University, Professor Mohammed bin Mohsen Basra was arrested in the past few days.
A Saudi women’s rights activist has been sentenced to 17 years in prison, despite having already completed his sentence earlier this year, the US-based rights organisation Freedom Initiative has reported. In April 2021, Saudi Arabia’s Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) sentenced Mohammed al-Rabiah to six and a half years in prison, with two years suspended, on charges related to his activism and defence of women’s rights. He was expected to be released in late September when his prison term (including his time awaiting sentencing) expired, but his case was transferred back for a retrial to the SCC, which sentenced him to a further 17 years, Freedom Initiative tweeted yesterday.
Around 22,500 people have signed a petition calling on Saudi Arabia to release 57-year-old Reprieve client Hussein Abo al-Kheir from death row and imprisonment. Hussein is mentally and physically unwell. He has been sentenced to death twice in the last seven years, his eyesight is deteriorating and he suffers from chronic pain, and in the last two weeks his cellmates have been executed. He has been told that he will be transferred to a death cell – where executions are carried out.
Reprieve, the NGO that campaigns against capital punishment has raised the alarm about the increasing implementation the death penalty by the Saudis. It said: 20 men have been executed in the past three weeks for alleged drug related offences. 81 men were executed in one single day earlier this year in March – more than 50% were charged with protest related crimes. And child defendant Mustafa al-Darwish was executed just last year. This is not judicial or legal reform. This is Mohammed bin Salman overseeing killing in cold blood and believing he can get away with it. But I know this community will not let that happen.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
14th December 2022