Bahraini prisoners cry for help, Ronaldo must condemn Saudi HR abuses
The courts in Bahrain have issued prison sentences on several native Bahrainis including three children for up to 10 years. In addition to the four from Duraz: Mohammad Habib Baddou, Ahmad Abdulla Marhoon Hassan Mohammed Muslim and Hussain Isa Abu Rwais, the khalifi court sentenced others. Three young men from Nuwaidrat Town were given ten years: Mansoor Abdullah Abdul Jabbar, Fadel Abba Abdulla and Abdul Jabbar Isa Abdulla. Three others from Karranah Town were also sentenced. Faris Hussain Habib, 10 years, abdulla Jaffar, 3 years and Hassan Ali Rashid, 3 years.
In the past week many Bahraini political prisoners spoke out loudly about their ill-treatment. They smuggled out of their torture chambers numerous appeals to the world for help describing the horrific treatment at the hands of the khalifi dictators as horrible, inhumane and torturous. Among them were: Mohammad Hassan Salman who said that diseases are spreading due to lack of medical treatment, medicines and proper diagnosis. Shakir Hani Ali confirmed the bad conditions of the detainees. Sayed Abbas Mahdi said prisoners are denied their rights to mourn their relatives when they die. He mentioned two detainees who were prevented from attending the funerals of their relatives the two brothers, Hussam and Jaffar Suroor. Among the prisoners who have spoken out and confirmed the disgusting treatment of the political detainees by the khalifi dictators include Hassan Ibrahim Ali, Ahmed Saeed Mahdi, Hassan Al Sadadi, Sayed Ali Sayed Alawi, Fadel Mohammad, Ali Mohammad Al-Aradi, Jassim Al Iskafi, Yousuf Hassan Mohammed, Hussain Fadel Al Biladi, Hussain Ali Mohammad, Ali Hassan Isma’il, Yousuf Hassan Mohammed, Hussain Ali Mohammed, Ali Hammad, Hussain Mohammed Ahmed and Mohammed Abdulla Al Dahif, Prisoner, Salman Ali Salman who is serving life sentence is asking for a transfer from his cell with the common law criminals to the political wings, because he does not feel safe. From his cell at Bloc 1 of Jau Prison. Salman saw cases of rape and suicide attempts. His ill-treatment is intensifying.
On 18th January, Hussain Fadel Al Biladi, one of the 14 political detainees who were severely tortured and disappeared has told his family a glimpse of what he has endured in recent days. His brother, Qassim said that the search before the visit was intrusive although the family was separated from the prisoner with a glass screen. He said that Hussain’s small finger in his right foot was broken. The hand of another detainee, Hussain Al Mu’min was also broken On 3rd January the 14 prisoners had refused to be moved to empty cells without beds or TV set. They were kept in solitary confinement until 16th January for their refusal.
King Charles’s charity has been urged to perform “proper due diligence” if it continues work on a major property development in Bahrain despite the country’s human rights violations. Amnesty International UK said that the Prince’s Foundation has a responsibility to “avoid complicity in human rights violations”, after the Daily Mail reported that the charity would proceed with work in the Gulf country. The Prince’s Foundation, an urban design and architecture charity established by King Charles, posted a job advert for an urban design assistant to help with its new town project in Bahrain. But human rights groups have spoken against the current Bahraini ruling family, who last November banned opposing parties from the elections for the regime’s “parliament”, which advises King Hamad. In a statement Amnesty International called the banning of opposition parties “a flagrant violation of the right to freedom of association”.
The wife of Saudi activist, Mohammed Al Qahtani, Maha said that her husband, Mohammed had competed three months under enforced disappearance, and called for an end to this sad episode. Another detained activist Essa al-Nukheifi has been forcibly disappeared for more than 100 days, despite serving his full six-year prison sentence in September. Human rights activists have called for his immediate release together with those detained beyond the completion of their prison sentences.
The Saudi judiciary has issued a 10-year prison sentence against Dr Ismail Al-Hassan, the Director of Sheikh Safar Al Hawali’s office. The Saudi High Criminal Court issued a 17-year prison sentence against businessman A’bid bin Nasser Al Mashal. Also, activist Ibrahim Al Dahman (Abu Lujain) was detained for unspecified reasons.
Amnesty International has called on the former Manchester United player, Cristiano Ronaldo to use his celebrity to highlight the Saudi Arabia’s “appalling” human rights record. This followed his description of the kingdom as “amazing country” – on arrival last week at his new club Al Nassr. He signed a deal worth £177m a year until 2025, making him the highest-paid footballer in history. Amnesty’s Middle East researcher Dana Ahmed said: “Al Nassr’s signing of Cristiano Ronaldo fits into a wider pattern of sportswashing in Saudi Arabia. It is highly likely that the Saudi authorities will promote Ronaldo’s presence in the country as a means of distracting from the country’s appalling human rights record. Shei added: “Instead of offering uncritical praise of Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo should use his considerable public platform to draw attention to human rights issues in the country”. Saudi Arabia regularly executes people for crimes including murder, rape and drug smuggling.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
25th January 2023