As the year ends, Bahrainis and Saudis languish under dictatorship

Political prisoner, Rajaei Ali Mohsin Baddao, 31 (from Duraz town) is suffering serious health condition but is not receiving adequate medical treatment. He experiences low blood sugar, pains in the chest and serious pain in the heart. He is not able to breathe normally. He was taken to the prison clinic where he was told of the seriousness of his condition, but did not do much to help. He needs proper treatment at a specialised hospital. He has been behind bars since 15th September 2015.

On Monday 23rd December a khalifi court postponed the trial of three children until 30th December. Abbas Muslim Abd Ali, 17, Ali Hussain Nasser Al Matrook, 15 and Abdul Aziz Hussain Jaffar Al Hamadi, 15 (all from Karranah town) are accused of illegal gathering and protest. The children were detained in August and October. The postponement has been condemned by human rights activists who also called for immediate and unconditional discharge of all the political prisoners.

Scores of political prisoners at the notorious Jau prison have refused to communicate with their families and friends in protest at the ill-treatment and abuse by the prison officers. Often the prisoners are moved from their cells to another room to make the call and in the process they face extensive and humiliating abuse, With their latest action the political prisoners hope to send a message that they are not in a good situation which has been deteriorating since the martyrdom of Hussain Amaan several weeks ago.

The protests against the khalifi regime have continued. On Friday 20th December there were protests in several towns and villages. The people of Abu Saiba town responded to the call to highlight the plight of the political prisoners. Also, the people of Sanabis held a rally attended by scores of angry citizens. In Duraz, many people participated in a protest after the Friday prayers. The people of Saar town also took part in a protest calling for the release of the political prisoners.

Native Bahraini citizen, Hamed Al Mahfood is facing yet another basket of false charges without a shred of evidence. He was released in April after completing 10 years behind bars on trumped up charges. Despite the attempts by his lawyer to prove his innocence, the regime had taken the decision to jail him. He faces a similar fate this time. He has lost confidence in the khalifi judicial system and he recently refused to see an officer of the prosecution office. He believes that he would face arbitrary charges as before.

Another prisoner is facing severe persecution. Mahmood Abdul Rasool who is held at Bloc 7 at Jau Prison is facing extreme humanitarian conditions. He has not contacted his family for years and has been denied food and drinks for two weeks. Despite promises of change by some members of the regime’s parliament he has not yet been able to call his family.

The main Jau prison in Bahrain is facing a mutiny by the political prisoners who have been subjected to most humiliating treatment by the officers and their superiors. Many inmates have confirmed that those officers are adopting sectarian policies and extreme forms of bullying to end the eight months protest. When Shia Muslim inmates ask for religious books or prayers materials they are faced with threats and humiliation. The inmates are often threatened with physical and psychological torture. The prisoners said that they are aware of the motives behind these violations and that the regime’s officers hope to break the will of the prisoners.

On Sunday 22nd December the Saudi Interior Ministry announced the execution of two Saudi nationals. It said that the two had “betrayed” their country. The victims: Ahmed bin Saleh bin Abdulla Al Ku’aibi and Aayed bin Hayel bin Hindi El Enezi were falsely accused of carrying out criminal acts that imply treachery, association with terrorist groups, supporting and financing terrorism and terrorist acts, protecting terrorist elements and possessing firearms that they had “hidden” in a farm. They were “tried” by the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) which issued the verdict of execution, which was then ratified by the High Court. Saudi courts have consistently been criticised by international human rights bodies of holding unfair trials that are short of the international standards of fairness. Last Thursday the Saudi authorities beheaded four Jordanians: Mahmood Abdulla Hjaij, Najeh Meshen Bkheit, Sulaiman Abed Sulaiman and Attaullah Ali Salem. They were accused of smuggling Amphetamine tablets into the country.

Concerns over Saudi Arabia hosting the 2024 IGF were confirmed when two panels on human rights were hacked and deleted, and materials removed from an exhibition. ⁦The Saudi human rights body, Alqst, condemned this apparent censorship at the UN-sponsored event in Riyadh.

25th December 2024