Calls for ethical policy by UK on Bahrain, German MPs adopt Saudi HRDs
The Saudi authorities detained a Bahraini religious scholar for reciting a prayer that the Saudis think it carries political connotations. Shia cleric Sheikh Jamil Baqeri was arrested after he read a prayers that appeal to God for help. His whereabouts are unknown and the khalifi authorities did not bother to ask about his fate. There are serious concerns that he may be harmed by the Saudis who feel they are under no obligation to respect the right to life This month they executed more than ten people including two innocent Bahraini natives.
On 22nd June Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission issued a statement calling for the release of Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja. It further tweeted:12 years ago, human rights defender and former Front Line Defenders regional coordinator, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, was sentenced to life in prison. Bahrain must release him immediately and without conditions. Frontline Defenders also issued calls for his release.
Dr. Abduljalil AlSingace, the academic and activist who has been on hunger strike for two years, has decided to suspend visits and telephone calls with his family in protest against the poor healthcare provided to him at Kanoo Medical Centre. He informed his family of this decision last Friday during a visit by his wife. The decision is extremely difficult for his family since visits and calls are the only means to ensure his wellbeing, especially considering that he has been on a hunger strike from solid foods for 719 days. Dr. AlSingace is suffering from complex health problems and deliberate medical negligence. He was deeply upset when he learned that the prison administration was engaging in deception and lying to Red Cross officials about his health. The delegation visited him on June 13th after news had spread that they were initially prevented from meeting him.
Last week the hospital appointment of political prisoner Hussain Al Sa’di was cancelled by the prison officers. He was due to see a specialist dentist at the Salmaniya Hospital. An earlier appointment on 31st May was also cancelled. He suffers excruciating pain in his teeth and gums and is in desperate need for an operation. He also has sickle Cell disease which places him at high risk of catching attacks that could be fatal.
Six under-aged political prisoners at the Dry Dock prison have continued their hunger strike that they had begun on 17th June. They have been calling for proper medical care after their cells were infested with skin diseases. Among them are Khalil Sabah and Faris Salman. They were taken only once to be seen by a specialist although their conditions had worsened.
The Bahraini political prisoners at Bloc 13 of the notorious Jau Prison continue to bleed from their wounds after they had been subjected to a ferocious attack by the torturers earlier this month. Bloodstains are still visible at the walls of the main passage. The attack was carried out by two known officers and recorded by the monitoring cameras.
On 26th June, Martyn Day, MP tweeted: “Today is the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. I hosted an event last week to mark the occasion, where we heard harrowing testimonies from Bahraini torture survivors. The UK must do more to highlight these injustices and adopt a more ethical foreign policy.”
Last week two more members of the German Bundestag (MdBs) adopted Saudi human rights defenders (HRDs) as part of the Bundestag’s “Parliamentarians Protect Parliamentarians” programme. The programme aims to protect the rights of persecuted HRDs around the world by drawing the attention of key political decision-makers to their plight. Four Saudi HRDs have now been adopted by German parliamentarians, the most recent being humanitarian aid worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, adopted by Peter Heidt MdB, and women’s rights defender (WHRD) Aziza al-Yousef, adopted by Ophelia Nick MdB. Al-Sadhan is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for his peaceful social media posts, and al-Yousef, although released from prison in 2019, remains under heavy restrictions.
The people of Qatif in the Eastern Province of Arabia have been complaining of the new Saudi policy to alter the identity of the region through mass displacement. Over 25 percent of the area has been confiscated by the government. Aramco has abetted in this criminal activity. The town of Al Musawwara was erased to the ground.
It is now more than a year since the Saudi young activist, Abdul Aziz Awdah had completed his prison sentence. Since his arrest in September 2019 he has been subjected to various forms of repression; he was denied family visits or even contact with them, and was not allowed to meet a lawyer to defend him
UN Special Procedures wrote to investors in the NEOM project regarding the forced eviction and repression of members of al-Howeitat tribe, following a submission by human rights bodies including ALQST and MENA rights. There wea a total of nine NGOs who had signed the submission.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
28th June 2023
