Bahrainis punished for supporting Palestine, HRW exposes Saudi sportswashing
On 28th January the khalifi regime’s forces arrested native Bahraini youth Ali Abd Ali from Al Musalla town. He has been pursued since 2010 when he participated in protests for reforms, prior to the 14th February Revolution. Despite a royal decree in 2011 pardoning him he was subsequently sentenced to ten years. This time, he was arrested at dawn in raid on a house by heavily armed masked men who took him to the notorious CID building.
On 30th January, the trial of five political prisoners was adjourned until 11th February. They are accused of participating in a protest in support of the Palestinians, calling on the regime to sever links with the occupiers of Palestine and the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Manama. The five: Hussain Al Jaziri, 19, Hussain Abd Ali Marhoon, 18, Mohammed Hani Mohammed Nasib, 20, Murtada Rassel Al Samahiji, 17 and Moosa Jaffar Ashoor Al Sheghel, 17 were detained on 11th November following the dispersion of a pro-Palestinian protest at the town of Karzakkan.
Pro-Palestine protests have continued in various parts of the country. These protests usually intensify after the Friday prayers when the worshippers take part in large numbers. Last Friday there were demonstrations in Duraz, Salmabad, Sitra and Karzakkan. Occasionally these protests are attacked by the regime’s forces, and activists are summoned by the secret services. Many were detained when they were summoned.
Three political prisoners in Bahrain’s Jau Prison have been on hunger strike since January 15 demanding better conditions including more educational provisions. Mahmoud Me’raj, Ali Muhammad Al-Dhaif and Abdullah Al-Aradi were among hundreds of inmates at the notorious Jau who took part in a 36-day mass hunger strike between August and September of last year to protest dire conditions. The hunger strike involving more than 800 detainees was suspended after authorities promised to address the demands of the prisoners who wanted access to proper healthcare, an end to solitary confinement and 23-hour lockdowns, the right to perform communal prayers and access to education.
On Monday, another teenager had his detention extended by the public prosecutor’s office on. The authorities have remanded Muhammad Majid Adnan Nasser Hashem in custody for another 60 days. Hashem was arbitrarily arrested by men in civilian clothes who raided his home in August. On 25th January the court also extended the detention of Reda Yasser Ahmed Kadhem, 17 for another 15 days for taking part in a peaceful protest. He had been arrested on 17th October. Manama’s public prosecutor extended the detention of 17-year-old Qasim Jamil Al-Samea by at least another 15 days ‘pending an investigation’. Qasim is the younger brother of Abbas al-Samea, one of three torture victims executed by Bahrain-i authorities in 2017. On 24th January the regime extended the detention of Jihad, the son of martyr Nabeel Abdulla Ahmed Al Sami’ for 15 more days. He was arrested on 13th December when he was summoned by the torturer services.
In the past week the people were further angered by the refusal of the khalifi dictators to allow two political prisoners to attend the funerals of their loved ones. The renowned human rights activist, Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja, who has been in jail for 13 years wanted to attend the funeral of his elder brother, Salman whom he had not seen for a long time, but the prison authorities did not let him out even for few hours to be present at the funeral. Another young political prisoner, Sayed Nazar Al Wadaei was also denied the opportunity to attend the funeral of his uncle. In both cases the regime acted as a real enemy of the people and humanity.
Under the title: “Saudi Government Uses European Football to Sportswash its Reputation” Human Rights Watch issued a statement titled: “Cups Played in Riyadh to Divert Attention From Abuses”. It said: “Saudi Arabia is hosting the Super Cup, Inter Milan, Real Madrid! It’s the country of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, not repression and rampant human rights abuses. This is how “sportswashing” works: laundering a government’s reputation by hosting major sport events that attract widespread, positive media attention, while diverting it away from the hosts abuses. Saudi Arabia has been doing that for years and intends to continue doing so.
During the Universal Periodic Review of the Saudi human rights, several countries raised the issue of the increasing numbers of executions in the country. Uruguay, Argentina, Belgium and other countries recommended that Saudi Arabia issue a moratorium on the death penalty. The number of executions carried out by the Kingdom reached more than 170 last year. One year ago. Saudi authorities upheld death sentences against Ataullah Musa Muhammad, Ibrahim Saleh Ahmed and Shadli Ahmed Mahmoud al-Huwaiti for peacefully opposing eviction to make way for the #Neom project. They remain at imminent risk of execution.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
31st January 2024