Daily protests for rights in Bahrain, Saudis face more repression
Protests calling for the release of more than 500 political prisoners have continued. A group of prisoners families held a protest on Monday outside Samaheej police station. They called for the unconditional release of their children. Many are also calling for serious and impartial investigation of the ill treatment of the released detainees. Many have talked about extreme forms of torture that led to several deaths inside prisons and thousands of serious illnesses and injuries. The khalifi regime has systematically used torture as a means to break the will of the prisoners and to deter others from opposing the hereditary dictatorship.
The protests and demonstrations have continued unabated in many parts of the country. Native Bahrainis demonstrated in Manama, Salmabad, Karbabad, Samaheej, Sitra, Aali, Al Markh, Karzakkan and Duraz. Most of these protests call for the release of the political prisoners and serious political reforms to end the present dictatorship. Some were attacked by regime’s repressive forces.
Regime’s officials at the notorious Jau prison have refused to grant a political prisoner temporary release to attend the funeral of his brother. Initially the regime’s prosecutors had granted Hassan Ibrahim Shamloh permission but it was rescinded later. His brother, Sheikh Abdul Nabi Shamloh had died and was buried yesterday. His detained brother was denied this humanitarian gesture and could not pay farewell to him.
On Monday 15th April regime’s court issued a three-month prison sentence on Salman Abdul Razzaq, from Maqaba town for taking part in a peaceful protest. He was immediately detained.
The death row political prisoners have begun hunger strike demanding their unconditional release. They include: Maher Abbas Ahmed (from Al Sehla town), Mohammed Ramadan (Al Dair), Hussain Moosa (Al Dair), Salman Isa Mohsin (Al Ekr), Mohammed Radi Hassan (Sitra), Hussain Abdulla Rashid (Al Duraz), Hussain Abdulla Ibrahim (Demstan), Zuhair Ibrahim Abbas (Sitra) and Hussain Ali Mahdi (Karbabad). Their convictions have been flawed from the start and international human rights bodies have repeatedly called for their release. Since Monday their families have been protesting outside the prison in solidarity with their sons and demanding their release. They have also protested outside the government’s offices during cabinet meetings. These families are challenging the khalifis at every corner, having lost hope to receive justice or good governance. The protesters insist on continuing their action that they called “Martyr AlRamram uprising” in reference to the young native Bahraini martyr who lost his life last month.
The mother of prisoner of conscience, Ali Al Halal has pleaded for her son’s release to spend what has remained of her life with him He is serving life sentence and was arrested in 2015.
ALQST, a Saudi human rights body has confirmed that Saleh al-Alwan, brother of detained cleric Suleiman al-Alwan was arrested by Saudi authorities from his home in Buraydah in late March. His detention was kept secret by the regime’s forces.
A decade ago yesterday, Saudi authorities arrested leading Saudi human rights defender Waleed Abu alKhair. He remains unjustly detained for nothing more than demanding a rights-respecting future for KSA. Human Rights Watch and 15 other NGOs have called for his immediate and unconditional release. They include The Gulf Centre for Human Rights, Amnesty Gulf, Protect Lawyers, FIDH and Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders.
Yesterday, The Guardian newspaper published an article by Saudi women rights activist, Lina Al Hathloul titled: “Saudi Arabia is rebranding itself as a moderate country, but what’s the truth? Just ask our female activists.” She said: Saudi Arabia is rebranding. Since 2016, when it first announced plans to diversify its economy, it has poured billions into making the kingdom appear more progressive to outsiders. Women can now drive and work in jobs they were previously banned from. Vast sums are being invested in futuristic, architectural “gigaprojects”, such as the Line – a sprawling, desert supercity – to attract global tourism. And yet, inside the kingdom, its citizens tell a very different story. Against a backdrop of image-building projects, thousands of Saudi citizens, according to some reports, could be being blocked by the state from leaving the country with arbitrary and illegal travel bans. Their crime? Advocating for basic human rights.
A Saudi official has publicly acknowledged the detention of a 19 years old man, who was then sentenced to one year in prison along with a fine, just for a post made on X!! Ahmed Mohammed Omar is now serving this draconian sentence.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
17th April 2024