MP’s trial for racist remarks against Bahraini activist, Saudi-UAE crisis looms
Today, Conservative MP Bob Stewart pleaded not guilty to racially abusing a man after he told him to “go back to Bahrain”. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court this morning to plead not guilty to the charge. The Metropolitan Police launched an investigation after a complaint was made by activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who lives in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state. The MP for Beckenham in south-east London told Mr Alwadaei during an angry confrontation on December 14 last year to “get stuffed” and that he is “taking money off my country”. The Met charged the 74-year-old politician with a racially aggravated public order offence over the incident outside the Foreign Office’s Lancaster House.
Native Bahraini citizen, Hassan Jaffar Al Usfoor has been arrested. He was summoned to one of the torture chambers for interrogation but never came out. Bahraini activist Abdul Majeed Abdulla Hasan (also known as hajji Sumood for his bravery in his political stands) had to be rushed to hospital just days after being jailed for attending the funeral procession of former political prisoner Muhammad Al-Aali. Elderly political prisoner Muhammad Hassan Al-Raml has been cut off from the outside world by the khalifi prison authorities as he enters his second month on hunger strike. His family is extremely worried as his health deteriorates further. Political prisoner, Ibrahim Al Samahiji has complained about the policies of revenge and inhumane treatment in Bahrain’s prisons. He criticized the role of the regime’s “oversight” bodies that have been whitewashing the khalifi crimes against humanity. Also, Jau Prison administration is being accused of ignoring pleas for medical treatment by the sick detainee Hussein Al-Saadi. According to Al-Saadi’s family, he submitted a complaint about his inadequate access to health care.
Scholars at Risk joined 18 organizations in calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace. Dr. Al-Singace has now been on a hunger strike for over two years to protest the confiscation of his research documents. The signatories include Amnesty International, CIVICUS, Front Line Defenders, IFEX, PEN International, Redress and Reporters Without Borders.
A young Bahraini youth who was arrested as a juvenile remains behind bars. Ahmed Al Ghasra was only 17 when he was detained in the early hours of 14th February 2015. He was falsely accused of offences including taking part in peaceful protests. His total prison sentences are now 402 years.
After pledging $1.3 billion for Britain’s crumbling economy, the khalifi regime is celebrating Bahrain’s removal from the UK’s Foreign Office’s list of human rights priority countries. Human rights activists have protested this move arguing that there are at least 1300 political prisoners, the vast majority of whom were jailed for their political opinion. Principles and values must not be bartered for looted wealth of native Bahrainis. This is immoral.
Saudi Arabia has announced the execution of two more men, Ali al-Jumaa and Muslim Shaheen, who had been convicted on alleged ‘terrorism’ charges. Both men were from the Eastern Province and – like many of those recently executed for similar alleged offences – are members of the marginalised Shi’a Muslim minority. This follows a spate of executions carried out by Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. Two Bahrainis (also Shi’a and accused of terrorism) were among those put to death. Both had been tortured and convicted in what Amnesty International described as a ‘grossly unfair’ trial:
In the wake of the UK’s invitation to MBS calls have been made for the British Government not to receive him. Reprieve, the international NGO that campaigns against capital punishment, said: The UK government should not be hosting Mohammed bin Salman for an official visit while Saudi Arabia’s execution rate soars and those who speak out against the ruling family are murdered. It makes a mockery of Rishi Sunak and James Cleverly’s stated commitment to human rights.
The Saudi security forces have detained another scholar. Sheikh Badr Nader Al-Mashari; was arrested without disclosing the reasons for the arrest. He is a known preacher who had studied at the Mohammed bin Saud University in Riyadh with a degree, Masters and PhD. Today is the birthday of Abdullah AlHuwaiti one of Saudi Arabia’s youngest detainees on death row. He was arrested at 14 and brutally tortured to extract confessions.
A new political crisis is looming in the Gulf, this time between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) said he had sent the U.A.E. a list of demands (…) If the smaller Gulf nation didn’t fall in line, MBS warned, Saudi Arabia was prepared to take punitive steps, much like it did against Qatar in 2017′ “It will be worse than what I did with Qatar”.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
19th July 2023