Persecution of Bahraini academic, NGOs urge EU to investigate Saudis
Persecution of Bahraini academic, NGOs urge EU to investigate Saudis
Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace has completed a year and a half of his hunger strike. For 550 days, this great opposition figure and human rights defender has relied only on an IV drip, tea, milk, sugar, water, and salts for survival. He demands the return of his confiscated literature work. He is being held in a room at Kanoo medical centre, in total isolation that amounts to solitary confinement. He is not allowed to go outside the room or be exposed to the sun. He suffers severe joint pains in his shoulders and hips. Dr Al Singace also suffers shaking muscles and enlargement of the prostate. Scholars At Risk (SAR), an organization that campaigns for jailed intellectuals said in an article published this week: Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace has been on a hunger strike for 1.5 years to demand the return of his confiscated research. Despite worsening health, authorities continue denying him medical treatment, including MRIs, medication, and new crutches. SAR calls for letters, emails, and faxes respectfully urging the appropriate authorities to ensure Dr. Al-Singace’s well-being while in custody, including proper access to medical care and visits with his family, that any charges or convictions related to Dr. Al-Singace’s peaceful exercise of protected human rights are lifted, and that in the interim, his case is addressed in a manner consistent with internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial, and detention, in accordance with Bahrain’s obligations under international law.
The brother of Bahraini political prisoner Muhammad Hassan Al-Raml is warning that the 62-year-old is in a life-threatening condition amid his ongoing hunger strike. Al-Raml started the hunger strike on December 25 to protest his lack of access to medical treatment. Political prisoner Reda Khalil, who is serving a life sentence on trumped-up charges, has announced that he was going on hunger strike over the denial of his right to education. Another young Bahraini detainee Ali Issa Abdul Ithna-ashar has been on hunger strike for more than ten days. The teenager being held in Dry Dock prison is demanding access to winter clothing, regular family visits and longer video calls to his family. Former Bahrain political prisoner and torture victim, Jaafar Marhoon is, once again, back behind bars following his arrest on December 31. Mr Marhoon was snatched from the court room, outside the public prosecutor’s office before being sent to the Dry Dock prison.
On 5 January 2023, imprisoned Bahraini human rights defender, Abdul-Hadi Al-Khawaja, sent a voice note from Jau Prison, in which he dictated a letter addressed to the president of the Second High Criminal Court of Appeal in Bahrain. He has been denied access to attend his own trial and appeal sessions. He instructed his legal defence lawyer to withdraw if the authorities fail to bring him to court to attend the trial or if they deny his lawyer a visit to him prior to the hearing.
On 6th January it was confirmed that Saudi journalist Ziyad Al-Sufyani, who works as an editor on “Wikipedia” was arrested by the Saudi authorities He is falsely accused of providing information criticizing the persecution of political activists in Saudi Arabia. It has been confirmed that a 13-year prison sentence has been issued against Sheikh Ghassan Bahaa El-Din Zureik, the Executive Director of the Hand-held Qur’an Project. Political prisoner, Dr. Mohammed al-Qahtani has not been allowed to contact his family. He has served his full 10-year sentence but his whereabout is unknown. The Saudi authorities have forcibly disappeared him since 24 October.
On 5th January it was reported that Saudi Arabia had infiltrated Wikipedia and jailed two administrators in a bid to control the content of the website, weeks after a former Twitter worker had been jailed in the US for spying for the Saudis. One administrator was jailed for 32 years, and another was sentenced to eight years. An investigation by parent body Wikimedia found the Saudi government had penetrated Wikipedia’s senior ranks in the region, with Saudi citizens acting or forced to act as agents, two rights groups said.
Under the heading: Brussels court should authorise investigation into Saudi Arabia’s crimes against humanity, ten international NGOs signed an open letter in support of the victims of Saudi repression. They called on the Saudi authorities to “end any abusive practices. Accountability efforts are also critical to achieving justice for victims.” They ended the letter saying: We support victims of repression in Saudi Arabia in their efforts to pursue different accountability avenues. The letter was signed by: Amnesty International, AVAAZ, Fairsquare, Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), Human Rights Foundation, Human Rights Watch, International Center for Justice and Human Rights (ICJHR), International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), Organisation Mondiale Contre la Torture (OMCT) and Reprieve.
Pressure is mounting on the UAE authorities to release a political prisoner who had served his prison sentence almost six months ago. Mohammed Al-Roken, a lawyer, continued to be held in UAE jails despite completing his ten year sentence for his human rights work.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
11th January 2023