Widespread arrests in Bahrain, Saudis continue executions
On Monday 20th January three native Bahrainis from Samaheej town were detained. Ali Yousuf Ahmed, Ali Reda and Ahmed Abdul Latif were summoned by the CID to appear at Sitra police station. They were kept in custody for one week, which could be extended. On Friday 17th January regime forces arrested Bahraini youth Hussain Al Qaidoom (from the town of Sqayya) while he was walking in his town, Sanabis. He was remanded in custody for seven days. The alleged crime? Taking part in a peaceful rally.
Four political prisoners are continuing their hunger strike at the Dry Dock prison. Hussain Al Samaheeji, Sayed Qassim Sayed Ali Al Alawi, Ali Abd Ali Al Baqqali and Ahmed Abdul Hussain Shahin are protesting their illegal detention and demanding a speedy trial in order to pursue their academic studies. Their sugar levels have dropped sharply. On Monday 20th January Sayed Hashim Ali Hashim Al Alawi from Ghuraifa town was detained. In 2019 he was sentenced to three years in jail. As soon as he entered the court hall to appeal the sentence, he was detained and denied the right of appeal.
The health of political prisoner Sayed Daher Habib Mohammed Isa has deteriorated in the past few days. The Enzymes in his liver have risen to dangerous levels. The doctors who examined him said that his condition is serious and that there is serious infection in his liver which indicate serious disease that demands immediate treatment. Political prisoner Abbas Nooh Al Saeed has been suffering severe pain in his stomach. Last week he was diagnosed with a rare infection. He has been waiting for his turn for treatment. He is serving a total of 48 years imposed on him after his arrest on 22nd March 2017. The health of former political prisoner, Mohammed Al Daqqaq (from the town of Karbabad) who was released last Thursday 16th January has deteriorated rapidly. Since his arrest on 7th January he has been in hospital due to low blood level. Despite his severe illness he was dragged from his hospital bed only to be returned to hospital.
The Jau prison management, in liaison with government hospitals have conducted medical tests for 50 political prisoners at Jau. The tests have revealed that more than 90 percent suffer from various illnesses, mostly linked to lack of vitamins and minerals due to the shortage of food. Many suffer from skin diseases. Only five were found to be free from disease.
Regime forces have intensified their ill treatment of the political prisoners at Jau prison. Five of them: Hussain Ali Mahdi, Zuhair Ibrahim, Salman Isa, Maher Al Khabbaz and Moosa Abdulla have been banned from contacting their families. They were also denied their daily outing to the open court yard. This is a punishment for the prisoners who protest their ill treatment and denial of basic needs.
On the same day two other youths from Samaheej were arrested. Detectives in plain clothes snatched Hassan Jaffar Masood while he was driving his car at Al Ekr town. They also detained Abdulla Yousuf Al Mo’athen near his father’s house in Samaheej town.
The Saudi authorities started the New Year with a spate of executions. The first was carried out on Saturday 18th January. A Shia Muslim citizen, Abdulla Al Salim from the Eastern Province was beheaded on trumped up charges. He was falsely accused of terrorist acts including possessing firearms and explosives and that he had received training outside the country. Last year the number of executions reached 330. On 16th January two people were also beheaded. Subhi Sayed Moosa, an Egyptian and Mohammed Hussain Adam, a Sudanese were both killed after being charged with committing murders. A third person, Dakhilullah Al Ruwaili, a Saudi national, was also beheaded for dealing with Amphetamines drug tablets.
Newcastle United Fans Against Saudi Sportswashing have been highlighting human rights abuses carried out by the Saudi dictatorship, which owns 80% of our club for 3 years. They have protested at matches, have a website and produced 4 fanzines in support of Saudi citizens imprisoned by the regime using the club to divert attention away from their many crimes and abuses. At the moment activists at the club are highlighting the cases of Salma al-Shehab and Manahel al-Otaibi, Saudi women imprisoned and abused, simply for using social media to advocate for women’s rights. They also publicised the cases of Saudi men condemned to death when they were minors. In the past they exposed the behind-the-scenes collaboration of Newcastle City Council with the Saudi state owners of the club. The regime has spent £500 million on sports washing in Newcastle.
A previous council leader even asked the Saudi state to finance school meals in Newcastle. Recently the North East Mayor visited Saudi Arabia with Keir Starmer where the PM invited the person who ordered the murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi to a football match!
Bahrain Freedom Movement
22nd January 2025
