Persecution of Bahrainis escalate, USA scrutinizes Saudis human rights record
Three Bahraini minors have been arrested as the khalifis continue to expand their campaign of repression. 15-year-old Hassan Ali Salem was detained on 17th January at a border crossing with Saudi Arabia, while his 16-year-old brother Muhammad and Muhammad Al-Kuwaiti, 17 were arrested after being summoned for questioning by the regime’s torturers. On 21st January the regime’s prosecutors decided to detain Qassim Al Sami’, 17, the brother of martyr Abbas Al Sami’ for 15 days. He was detained on 13th January as he was trying to cross the causeway to Saudi Arabia.
A Manama court added another six months to Muhammad Abdul Zahra’s prison sentence. The 17-year-old, who has been behind bars since July of last year, was found guilty of taking part in anti-regime protests. Prior to Sunday’s court ruling, Abdul Zahra was already serving a one-year sentence over separate charges.
Political prisoner Mohammed Hassan Radhi said that he was continuing his hunger strike until his demands are met. He fainted several times after 10 days on hunger strike. Radhi launched his action to protest the denial of medical treatment for injuries he had sustained following his arrest and torture by the khalifi security services in August. Radhi has already been sentenced to one year in prison but he faces additional charges. The prison authorities are not allowing him to attend his court hearings until he ends his hunger strike.
The mother of Hussian Mohammed Ahmed has pleaded for the treatment of her son who is suffering acute sickle cell disease. The condition became worse after he attracted Corona virus disease.
Human Rights First has formally recommended to the U.S. Department of State that it impose visa sanctions against Bahrain’s Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa under the Section 7031(c) sanctions program, in view of long-standing credible allegations of torture against him. The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, commissioned by Bahrain’s King Hamad, confirmed the Bahrain government’s use of torture and other forms of physical and psychological violence in the crackdown, attributing thirteen civilian deaths to excessive physical violence by security forces and five civilian deaths to torture.
As darts champions arrive in Manama for the Bahrain Darts Masters the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) and Reprieve have called on them to distance themselves from sportswashing and speak out in support of political prisoners and death row inmates. Mohamed Ramadan, a Bahraini man on death row who maintains innocence has urged players competing at the Bahrain Darts Masters to show support for human rights in the tiny kingdom.
Human rights in Bahrain was raised this week in the Irish Parliament by Matt Carthy, Sinn Féin spokesperson, The concerns were addressed by Tanasite Micheal Martin, TD who said: There are “ongoing instances of violations … including violations of freedom of expression, as well as the targeting of human rights defenders”
The khalifi regime has refused to let Abdul Hadi Al-Khawaja out of prison to attend the funeral of his elder brother, Salman who passed away on Sunday. Abdul Hadi has spent 13 years in prison for his political activities.
At the Universal Periodic Review (UP45) of the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia this week, there was wide criticism of the Saudi regime and calls for upholding the rights of the citizens. Even USA raised its voice in a statement at the session. It said: We call on Saudi Arabia to respect freedoms of expression and association and to cease the prosecution of dissent. In the spirit of constructive engagement, we recommend that Saudi Arabia: Amend the Anti-Cyber Crime and Counter-Terrorism Laws and utilize prosecutorial discretion, to ensure that expression, including criticism of the government, is not criminalized, Reform criminal courts to ensure they conduct fair trials for all defendants, issue fair sentences for crimes based on guidelines, publish court records, and protect defendants from arbitrary detention and ill-treatment, and Undertake a comprehensive, transparent investigation of allegations that Saudi security forces are killing and abusing migrants crossing the Yemeni border, cease any abuses, ensure accountability for any abuses or violations, and issue a public investigation report.
Saudi pediatrician, blogger and Wikipedian, Osama Khaled marked his 30th birthday this week while in prison. He is serving a 32-year sentence for his activism. Human rights activists and bodies are calling for his release.
Saudi human rights bodies including ALQST have expressed grave concerns after learning that Saudi human rights defender Waleed Abu al-Khair has been subjected to beatings from another inmate in Dhahban Prison. They said: We hold SaudiArabia’s authorities responsible for the welfare of Abu al-Khair and all other prisoners of conscience. Back in 2021 another high-profile political detainee, Musa al-Qarni, was brutally attacked and killed by an extremist inmate in the same prison.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
24th January 2024