Revolt by Bahraini political prisoners, innocent man beheaded by Saudis
The tense situation at Jau prison has intensified following the decision by the inmates to start implementing certain actions to force the regime’s officials to accept their demands. These include the release of senior leaders: Hassan Mushaima, Dr Abdul Jalil Al Singace, Abdul Wahab Hussain and Mohammed Hassan Al Raml who have been behind bars for over 13 years. They also want the release of all sick prisoners and ending the practice of isolating those who are taken to the clinic or the court outside the prison. The prison management has responded by depriving the prisoners of food, reducing the amounts of meals and depriving some prisoners of their daily rations. The prison upheaval is a serious consequence of the regime’s brutality. On Monday protesting detainees were not given breakfast as a punishment. Inmates at bloc 7 have been repeatedly denied meals since 26th March. Others at blocs 3, 5, 8,9 and 10 were also punished by being denied meals. Starving the political inmates has become the latest weapon used by the khalifi regime against the natives who oppose its absolute dictatorship.
Bahraini citizen Hussain Abbas Hassan Ali, 42, was detained and taken into custody upon his return from abroad. Regime torturers claimed that there was a jail sentence against him imposed by the military courts in 2011. He is suffering various ailments for which he needs medications. He was not allowed to take these medicines with him when he was arrested. Another young Bahraini has been arrested as part of the regime’s crackdown on dissent. Ali Yasser Dhaif was detained after being ordered to appear for questioning by police on Thursday 28th June.
On Thursday 27th June, regime’s forces arrested four citizens from the town of Karzakkan. The four had been released by a royal pardon less than three months ago. Ali Yasser Jaffar Mohammed Dhaif, 17, Mohammed Mirza Mohammed Ali Abu Hassan, 16, Ali Naji Abbas Hassan Mohammed, 17 and Jassim Mohmmed Taher Al Jabal were released on 9th April, one day before Eid Al Fitr which marks the end of Ramadan. They were summoned to the police station and told that there was a three-month prison sentence against them.
Protests and demonstrations have continued in various parts of the country. On 28th June people marched in the town of Karbabad calling for the unconditional and immediate release of the political prisoners and in support of the people of Gaza. Another demonstration was held in Duraz on the same day. Other protests were held in Sitra and Karzakkan. In Sanabis protests continued on the main road with the same core themes; the release of political prisoners and in support of the people of Palestine especially those in Gaza.
A new disease is rapidly spreading among the political prisoners who were moved to isolation cells. Tuberculosis (TB) has infected several detainees but the regime’s officials are ignoring calls to take it seriously. Initially a common law criminal was infected but was left in his place with other prisoners including those on political charges. Among those at risk is Mujtaba Al Majed who was moved to isolation with other common law criminals. His family fears that he may be infected with this serious disease. His mother has recently spoken to human rights activist, Ibtisam Al Sayegh expressing sorrow and dismay about the way her son is treated. She calls for his immediate release together with other prisoners.
On Sunday 30th June the Saudi regime committed another crime of killing an innocent man from the Eastern Province. Mohammed As’ad Al Shakhouri was beheaded for opposing the Saudi dictatorship. This is the sixth crime of killing innocent people this year. Three of his family members are languishing in Saudi jails; his brothers Adnan and Mahdi, as well as Adnan’s son, As’ad. Adnan was also sentenced to death and is awaiting execution at any moment. Midway through 2024, the Saudi authorities have executed at least 85 people. This includes 20 on terrorism charges, that in some cases include charges such as “disrupting public order”. And it includes 3 for drug smuggling. The execution is carried out by ta’zir (the judge’s discretion), which involves beheading the condemned.
Following the conclusion of the Interactive Dialogue with the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, two NGOs are calling for the release of Saudi prisoners. ALQST and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) call for the release of detained Huwaitat tribe members, an investigation into Neom-related human rights abuses and corporate due diligence. The tribe has been targeted for refusing to leave their homes near the NEOM project.
A public petition has been prepared for signature by the public. It calls on the Saudi authorities to release several political prisoners who are jailed for peacefully expressing their views. They include: Manahel al-Otaibi, Mohammed al-Qahtani, Mohammad bin Nasser al-Ghamdi, Salma al-Shehab and Abdulrahman al-Sadhan. The organisers of the petition said: Join us to stop Saudi Arabia’s PR machine from burying the stories of those unjustly detained merely for expressing their opinions, Raise your voices for Saudi Arabia’s detainees and Sign the petition calling for their immediate and unconditional release.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
3rd July 2024