Syrian events impact on people of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
The events in Syria have reverberated in the four corners of the world. The mood has been generally positive as an un-elected regime was brought to an abrupt end. It is hoped that this is the beginning of a new dawn in the Arab World heralding a new era of freedom, democracy and respect of human rights. The Syrian regime was dictatorial, brutal and despotic. Opponents were either killed or detained as they expressed opposition to the hereditary dictatorship of the Assad household. When the people burst in anger and decided to change the situation, the regime crumbled within days. But the ongoing Israeli bombing of Syria has muted the celebratory mood of many. They have eradicated its military power and turned it into a “demilitarise zone”. The people of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia took notice of the inevitability of the downfall of dictatorships. Like the Syrians, they were part of the Arab Spring in 2011 and have since continued to call for an end to the hereditary dictatorship. They deserve to achieve victory and determine their own fate.
On Thursday 5th December a native Bahraini man was martyred in the notorious Jau prison. Hussain Ali Aman, 41 from the town of Adari passed away after falling down while exercising in the courtyard of the prison. He was left to die before being transferred to hospital The political prisoners accused the authorities of intentional negligence. He was left unattended for more than ten minutes. This is the second martyr this year. In March Hussain Al Ramram was also martyred as a result of the institutionalised negligence of the khalifi regime.
A young Bahraini man has been re-arrested for asking to be removed from the travel ban list. Ghaith Mohammed Al Durazi was detained yesterday at the Central District police station. On 12th April 2023 he started his “alternative sentence” after spending five of his six year sentence behind bars. He was told that he should serve the remaining year outside prison. He had been detained on 23rd January.
Meanwhile arrests and detentions have continued. Mr Hussin Eid has been remanded in custody for one week without giving reasons. Another citizen, Ali Al Majed was arrested in a raid on his home to serve a prison sentence of three years. Mahmood Ali Qambar was summoned for interrogation and was detained. Also Ali Hussain Matar was arrested when he responded to a summons by the torture officers. On 5th December regime’s forces detained native Bahraini citizen, Jassim Mohammed. He was crossing the Bahrain-Saudi causeway when he was snatched by the regime’s torturers and taken to an unknown place. On 3rd December native youth Sayed Mustafa Al Sahlawi was detained after regime’s prosecutors ordered a seven days detention. He was crossing the causeway when he was stopped and asked to appear at the CID headquarters, where he was detained. Also, Ali Hussain Ibrahim Fakhar, 29 was arrested on 4th December on his return from visiting holy shrines in Iraq.
On 2nd December regime’s courts issued prison sentences for two months on three native Bahranis: Sayed Ahmed Al Falla, Mohammed Moosa and Ali Reda Jaffar had participated in peaceful protests.
Medical care of the political prisoners has continued to deteriorate. Ammar Abdul Ghani is a prisoner of conscience and has been suffering from a skin disease, possibly Eczema. One year ago, he caught the disease during his detention at an isolation unit. Despite attending the prison clinic as well as Salmaniya hospital his condition continued to deteriorate with the disease spreading to other areas of the skin. The specialists have said that the present medication is not working but he has been denied a different treatment
Popular protests are continuing in Bahrain, calling for the release of the political prisoners and a fundamental political change in the country. On Mondy 9th December the people of Samaheej, Duraz, Al-Markh and Bani Jamra participated in big protests.
Food is being used as a weapon by the khalifi dictator against native Bahrainis. Sixty nine political prisoners at Bloc 7 of the notorious Jau prison were subjected to collective punishment. They were denied food from last Friday until Tuesday. They were punished for protesting inside their prison following the martyrdom of Hussain Ali Aman. The regime’s forces attacked several blocs 6, 7, 8 and 10
Calls have been raised for the cancellation of the World Cup event in Saudi Arabia in 2034. Human rights bodies have confirmed that Saudi Arabia’s escalating use of the death penalty has reached horrifying levels in 2024, with at least 309 individuals executed as of 8 December, the highest known figure in Saudi history. This grim milestone illustrates the Saudi authorities’ callous disregard for the right to life and contradicts their own pledges to limit use of the death penalty. Of the 309 individuals executed so far in 2024, according to data from the official Saudi Press Agency, 189 (61%) were Saudi nationals. The 120 foreign nationals executed were from 14 Asian and African countries.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
11th December 2024
