Bahrain’s ban on Friday prayers continues, Saudis execute four
Anger is mounting among the native Bahrainis against the khalifi tribal rulers for banning the main Friday prayers in the country. For a month now, the weekly congregation on Friday at Imam Sadeq Mosque in Duraz has not taken place. Police cars cordoned off the mosque and prevented people from outside the area reaching the mosque. The prayer leader, Sheikh Ali Al Sadadi has been in detention for the past few weeks. This is an outrageous attack on the religious rights of the overwhelming majority of the population by the ruling junta. On 11th November the senior religious scholars in the country signed a statement condemning this act saying that no one has the right to ban the prayers. “No one has the religious or common law mandate to issue orders to stop it”, they said. The statement was signed by Sayed Abdulla Al Ghuraifi, Sheikh Mohammed Saleh Al Rabi’ei, Sheikh Mohammed Sangoor, Sheikh Mahmood Al Aali and Sheikh Ali Al Sadadi.
A former Bahraini exile has been arrested. On Monday 11th November, Mohammed Hassan Al Hamar, from Dair town, returned home from abroad, but he was stopped at the airport, interrogated and detained. Two Bahraini former exiles were also detained upon their return on 7th November: Jassim Mohammed Saleh and Hassan Al-Shaikh. Regime’s prosecutors have extended the detention Sayed Hadi Mohsin, from Bilad Al Qadeem for 15 more days. He was detained on 21st October after he had been summoned by the CID department. Also Sajjad Mohammed from Duraz as well as Ahmed Mirza from Bilad Al Qadeem have had their detention extended for15 more days. Fadel Abbas, a prominent opponent was detained yesterday.
Another political prisoner “disappeared” from Bloc 6 of Jau Prison. On Monday 4th November Jassim Mohammed Salman Ayyad, from Barbar town, was taken to the prison’s clinic but was not brought back to his cell. This is a practice by the prison officials to punish those who participate in actions by the prisoners. On Sunday 10th November, a political prisoner was transferred to hospital after his health rapidly deteriorated. Sayed Hameed Ali Yousuf Al Qadami has been suffering heart problems and needed a procedure to deal blocked veins but it has not been done. He was detained on 14th October on the Bahrain-Saudi causeway. He did not have any medical problem before.
Despite their predicaments, Bahraini political prisoners continue their support of the oppressed people outside. On Friday 8th November the prisoners at Bloc 9 of the notorious Jau prison demonstrated outside their cells in solidarity with the people of Palestine and Lebanon. They were also protesting the khalifi normalisation with the occupiers of Palestine. The following day, the prisoners at Bloc 7 also demonstrated for the same cause.
On Sunday 10th November, more than 250 political prisoners at Blocs 6,7,8 and 9 of Jau prison refused to receive their meals in solidarity with those on death row. Mohammed Ramadan, who is on death row said that tension is rising in the wing of the death row prisoners some of whom have worn the death shroud (kafan).These political prisoners have recently been targeted for serious abuse including being moved to isolation cells, denial of food rations and drinking water as well as stopping family contacts. On Monday a big banner was displayed at the top of Bloc 9 saying: “Prisoners on the way of Quds”. Another one said: “Victory is coming”. A third one said: “The right is taken (not given)”.
On 11 November 2024, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa met with King Charles III in Windsor. The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) and Reprieve sent a letter to King Charles urging him to raise pressing human rights concerns. Bahraini activists staged a protest in Windsor, holding signs stating “Bahrain Tyrant: NOT Welcome in the UK” and “King Charles don’t Host Bahrain Torturers.” Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Advocacy Director for the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, commenting stated: “Inviting Bahrain’s dictator is a grave error of judgment, as his victims continue to languish unjustly behind bars in Bahraini prisons. Disregarding human rights only emboldens further abuses and will send a clear signal that impunity prevails. We urge King Charles to raise the issue of political prisoners with King Hamad.”
Yesterday, Saudi Interior Ministry confirmed the execution of four more people: two Saudis and two Jordanians in two separate cases. They accused the two natives, Faisal bin Mesfer Al Masood and Moayyad bin Sulaiman AlShwaiman of dealing in Amphetamine drugs. They were tried, convicted and sentenced to death. The Specialised Criminal Court confirmed the sentence which was carried out yesterday. The two were beheaded. The two Jordanians, Mohammed Zaidan Al-Nawasra and Sa’ad Mlaihan Al-Nawasra were also convicted of dealing with the same drugs. They were also beheaded.
This week woman human rights activist Salma Al Shehab from Qatif, Eastern Arabia, celebrated her birthday, but behind bars. She is serving a 27-year sentence for her human rights activism. Her supporters including Alqst for human rights wrote: Happy Birthday, dear Salma. We celebrate you today and every day, and we won’t stop fighting for you until you’re free. #FreeSalma
Media Part newspaper published an article titled: Saudi activist threatened with expulsion by Bulgaria: “Saudi Arabia has a long arm in Europe”. It said: Bulgaria has just validated an expulsion order to Saudi Arabia for human rights defender, political opponent and journalist Abdulrahman al-Khalidi. “I am deeply hurt and humiliated by the way I am treated by the Bulgarian authorities,” he reacts from his prison. The newspaper quoted an official saying: “I’ve worked on several cases of refusal of political asylum: this is the first case in which an EU member state is so directly complicit”.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
13th November 2024
