Bahrainis jailed for peaceful protests, calls to release Saudi woman activist
A court run by the khalifi regime has sentenced three native Bahraini young political prisoners to three months behind bars for taking part in a peaceful protest. The three are from Sanabis town: Maitham Mahmood, Qassim Jamil Al Samie and Mohammed Munir Mushaima. On 29th April, one of the regime’s courts adjourned the verdict against two political prisoners until 27th May. The two; Amjad Hassan Al Sanadi, 24 and Mohammed Ali Al Nabul, 24, both from Sitra were arrested in June 2023 and their homes were searched. Veteran opposition activist, Abdul Majeed Abdulla, 74, from Ras Rumman town, has been sentenced to six months in jail for his civil resistance opposition. Despite his age and peaceful nature, his hands were chained and treated like a criminal by the jailers.
Tension is rising in Wing 3 of Bloc 5 at Jau prison in Bahrain. Five prisoners managed to reach the hallway and raise slogans demanding their release. The regime’s forces attacked the prisoners injuring three of them: Mohammed Ali Abbas (from Bouri town), Hassan Jum’a Ghazwan (Bilad Al Qadeem) and Abdulla Khalil Mahdi (Isa town). Others announced they were staging hunger strike alongside an open protest until their arbitrary detention is ended. They are also calling for the release of Mr Hassan Mushaima and Dr Abdul Jalil Al Singace, two of the most senior leaders who have been behind bars since 2011.
In a serious development the senior academic and political leader, Dr Abdul Jalil Al Singace suffered a fall on Saturday, causing serious bruising in his knee. He has polio disease since birth and uses crutches to move around. He was given unsuitable sandals to go to the bathroom which slipped and caused the injury.
The families of the political prisoners have continued their protests near the Exhibition Road police station, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of their children. There were protests in several areas. The people of Karbabad protested on Thursday night (25th April) calling for the release of the detainees. Another group protested outside Samaheej police station. Another group of protesters have held picket at Roundabout 17 at Hamad town. Another protest also took place at Sitra police station.
The recently released political prisoners have been visiting the families of those who remain behind bars. They expressed solidarity with them and called for their immediate and unconditional re;ease/
On Saturday 27th April political prisoner, Youssef Hassan Muhammad, fainted after suddenly falling ill. According to the opposition Al-Wefaq group, on Saturday Muhammad was taken back to the Jau Prison clinic for a second time in less than 24. His condition hasn’t been diagnosed, and he is yet to receive treatment. The news comes shortly after the death of another Jau prisoner Husain Khalil Al Ramram in March, which triggered protests both inside and outside the prisons. The protesters are demanding better conditions especially medical care and the release of all political prisoners.
Political prisoner, Fadel Ayyoub, 24, has been denied his regular medicine and his life is thus under threat. He has been taking Cortisone for his immune system. Any interruption could have serious health implications and could lead to his premature death. He is suffering from a disease known as “Red Wolf”. On 9th April he suffered kidney failure and a severe clot in his lung and in the artery feeding the kidney. It is called Lupus, technically known as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in many parts of the body.
On 24th April several detained religious scholars issued a statement urging the Bahraini people to embrace the recently released political prisoners. They urged them to stand by the former prisoners, help them find jobs, attend to their medical needs, help in their marriage arrangements and costs. The appeal was signed by Sheikh Abdul Jalil Al Miqdad, Sheikh Saeed Al Nouri, Sheikh Mohammed Habib Al Miqdad and Sheikh Ali Salman.
On 26th April 12 human rights NGOs signed a statement calling for the release of Saudi woman activist, Manahel Al Otaibi who was recently sentenced to 11 years. They said: “We, the undersigned civil society organisations, are extremely concerned by developments threatening the safety and wellbeing of detained feminist and fitness instructor Manahel al-Otaibi. On 14 April 2024, when al-Otaibi was finally able to contact her family after having been forcibly disappeared since November 2023, she told them that she is being held in solitary confinement in Malaz Prison in Riyadh and has a broken leg as a result of physical abuse. She said she is also being denied medical visits.” Her sister, Fouz al-Otaibi called on supporters to urge Saudi authorities to free her. “I’m asking all fans of clubs with Saudi investment links to join me in calling for my sister Manahel to be released from prison.”
Despite the Israeli aggression and attacks on Gaza, the Saudis are poised to establish diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv. This will be in line with their “initiative” that they presented to the Arab League summit in Beirut in 2001. They were supportive of the normalization of relations with the occupiers of Palestine by the khalifis and the Emiratis in 2020.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
1st May 2024