25 black years of Hamad’s rule in Bahrain, Saudi activists remain jailed
Native Bahrainis were disgusted by the speech of their dictator to mark 25 years of his rule yesterday. He imposed himself as ruler when his father, Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa died on 6th March 1999. Yesterday’s speech smelt of arrogance, dictatorship and criminality. Despite the pain and agony of the native Bahrainis, he expressed no remorse at crimes that he has committed against the country and the people. As he spoke 1300 political prisoners were crying for help from their dungeons. The mothers of more than 250 martyrs were still grieving for the loss of their loved ones. The families of hundreds of exiles were in agony for missing their loved ones. The poor were looking for subsistence, the thousands of the jobless were franticly searching for employment. The lack of peace and security for the natives was pushing them to the point of despair. It was one of the bleakest days in their recent history as they review the quarter of a century of agony under the grip of this monstrous ruler, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, the most hated of the tribal rulers.
Last week young political prisoners at the notorious Dry Dock prison for juveniles began hunger strike to protest the dire prison conditions. Ali Isa Al-IthnaAshar and Hassan Matar disclosed that they were being held in isolated cells at Bloc 17. Their sugar level has dropped to 1.7 percent. But the prison authorities have refused to move them to cells with the other prisoners. Tens of political prisoners at Bloc 9 at the notorious Jau prison (rooms 4,5,6,7,8 and 9) have been denied their daily outings and exposure to the sun. They were also denied the right to call their families. They had protested the new regime of personal searches during visits to the prison canteen.
Despite promises to improve medical care for the political prisoners, the Bahraini Society for Human Rights has confirmed that it is still receiving calls from political detainees complaining of the lack of medical care. Hussain Khalil Ibrahim (from Duraz) who has been behind bars since 25th May 2017 serving 15 years prison sentence has been denied medical care for his various ailments.
Member states of the European Parliament have been reluctant to indicate to the Danish government their readiness to support collective action against Bahrain for continuing to imprison a Danish citizen. Human Rights activist Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja has been behind bars for the past 13 years. Deeming Bahrain to be a “strategic partner” in the region, the EU refused to make al-Khawaja’s case an “EU case.” Last year, following the prisoners’ hunger strike, EU member states finally agreed to mention Bahrain in a statement at the United Nations, but some EU governments were so reluctant that the final, negotiated language is borderline flattering to Bahrain’s autocratic rulers and included no reference to political prisoners or their plight. His daughter, Maryam has never given up on her quest for justice to see her father released from prison, where he still fights for his and others’ rights. Despite her recently diagnosed Cancer she remains committed to the cause of the Bahraini people and demanding the release of her father and more than 1300 political prisoners.
Regime’s intimidation and attacks on native Bahrainis have continued. On 29th February its forces raided the house of the family of Martyr Sami Mushaima in Manama to arrest his brother, Abdul Zahra. This young man has serious mental health issues that developed as a result of years of long imprisonment and torture at the notorious Jau Prison. The mother pleaded with them to leave the house but they continued their criminal behaviour until they saw Abdul Zahra’s medical card that proved his ailment.
Six years ago, Saudi Arabia’s Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) sentenced veteran human rights activist Essa al-Nukheifi to six years in prison for his peaceful human rights work. His sentence expired in September 2022. But instead of setting him free, he has been forcibly disappeared since 15 October 2022,
Two construction companies in Saudi Arabia announced migrant workers will get long overdue unpaid wages but there are serious gaps in the repayment scheme. Human Rights Watch found many workers were unable to cash their repayment checks while others were entirely unable to register.
Saudi activist Abdulrahman al-Dowaish, son of forcibly disappeared Sulaiman Al Dowaish remains in jail despite completing his prison sentence. In November 2021 he was given two years jail sentence which ended four months ago but he has not been released and nothing is known of his whereabout. His brother, Abdul Wahab remains under constant surveillance since his release from prison. He is also subject to a travel ban.
Seven years ago, the Saudi authorities arrested Jalal al-Labad for participating in protests when he was under 18. After a grossly unfair trial, he was sentenced to death in 2022, a verdict upheld in secret by the Supreme Court in 2023. He is now at imminent risk of execution.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
6th March 2024