Bahrainis pay the price for supporting Palestinians, more Saudis detained
As the Gaza war intensifies, the Bahraini people have become more concerned about the plight of their brothers and sisters in the occupied territories. In addition to the humanitarian aid they contribute to the injured, the hungry and the homeless, they have engaged in daily protests in many areas. In the past seven days scores of protests were held in Sanabis, Abu Saiba’, Sitra, Duraz and elsewhere. They were, once again, targeted by the regime’s forces which deploy various kinds of repressive measures including chemical and tear gases. Helped by foreign agents, they also pursue the protesters especially the organisers for detention.
Meanwhile a petition calling on the regime to severe its links with the Zionist entity has been signed by 145 senior figures including religious scholars, academics, thinkers and journalists. Also eight Bahraini political societies have called on the khalifi regime to stop its relations with the occupiers of Palestine and abrogate its normalization agreement with it. They also called for an end to any political or economic relations with Israel. Also, 134 Palestinian bodies including organisations, trade unions and professional groups have called on Bahrain’s pseudo-parliament to “exert pressure on the government of Bahrain to heed the calls to end its relations and agreements with the colonial occupiers”.
The Bahraini “National Committee Against Normalisation” has called for boycotting a trade event organized by the regime for hosting Israeli companies. The “Arab Jewelry Exhibition” which started yesterday 14th November and will continue for five days has allowed several Zionist exhibitors to take part, contrary to the wishes of the people. The Committee has also called for the cancellation of an event by Maroon 5 group that was scheduled to be held on 13th November at Al Dana Theatre in Manama. The American pop rock band has Israeli leaning.
In the past week scores of native Bahrainis were arrested. Among them are: Hashim Munir Ahmed Ali Sheikh Hussein, Muhammad Hussein Jassim Al-Sawla, and Mahmoud Abdul Ali Al Aboud. Regime forces have detained a known activist for protesting outside the ministry of the interior. Ali Hajji, 39, had protested in Manama calling for his personal rights that had been frozen since he was freed jailed after he had completed his prison sentence.
An academic and researcher has also been arrested by the khalifi dictators. Jassim Al Abbas was detained after being summoned for interrogation. He runs a website on the history of Bahrain that presents different facts and perspectives to the false claims of the regime. He is one of a new generation with modern outlook who have researched the recent history of the country to challenge the falsification of history undertaken by the khalifis.
The regime security service has arrested the wife of political prisoner Abbas Abd Ali while she was visiting her husband in the country’s Jau Prison. Husain was detained, tortured, and convicted on trumped-up charges in 2012 after he had taken part in pro-democracy protests. Last month another mother, Maryam Al Asfoor was detained for three weeks during a visit to her jailed son.
Regime court has sentenced a young native Bahraini youth to a long prison sentence. Ahmed Ali Hubail, from Sitra Al Kharijiyah has been given two years for harbouring anti-regime views. He was summoned by the secret service on 19th September to Al Qudaibiya police station and has remained in custody ever since.
Bahraini youths who were picked up during a wave of arrests at the end of last month had their detention extended by 15 more days. Reda Abbas Al-Janabi and Abbass Aqeel have been remanded in custody ‘pending an investigation’. Al-Janabi was detained after taking part in mass pro-Palestine protests condemning Israeli atrocities in Gaza. The charges against Aqeel are unknown.
Senior religious and political figure, Sheikh Mirza Al Mahroos has been transferred to hospital after his health deteriorated sharply. He has been in prison for almost 13 years during which he was tortured and abused. Sheikh Al Mahroos has suffered several ailments for which he had received little medical care.
The Special Criminal Court (SSC) in Saudi Arabia has sentenced medical student Sara al-Jaar to 27 years in prison and a travel ban of the same length for exercising her right to free speech. This is the same sentence the same court had given to PhD student and HR activist Salma al-Shehab in March over her use of social media. Calls have been made to the Saudi authorities to drop the charges and release the two women immediately.
The Saudi authorities arrested the Turkish sheikh, Mustafa Evi, in Mecca, while he was performing Umrah rituals. Due to his prayers for Gaza and Palestine, he was taken intto custody and could face serious charges. “They arrested me now in Mecca because mentioning Gaza and Palestine (in my prayers)”, the sheikh said.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
15th November 2023
