Bahraini Juveniles detained, Saudi killings continue
Yesterday, Bahrain’s security forces detained Ahmed Mahmood Dhahi from Sitra town. He was summoned by the CID officials. On 4th February young native Muqtada Jaffar Al Kuwaiti (from Kharjiyah town) was arrested. He was summoned by the CID to appear at Sitra police station from where he was detained. On 30th January, armed police arrested under-aged Jaber Saeed AlJareesh, 15 from the streets of Sitra. The regime’s prosecutors have remanded him in custody for seven days. He is accused of taking part in a peaceful protest calling for democratic rights.
Regime’s courts have imposed a one-year jail sentence on two natives (from Karzakkan town): Hassan Abbas Ali and Sayed Mohammed Sayed Kadem. They had participated in a peaceful protest and detained on 28th September which was attacked by heavily armed police.
More political prisoners at Jau prison have been transferred to isolation because they participated in religious rituals in recent weeks. Their families have become more anxious about the welfare of their sons who are being punished for peaceful exercise of their religious rights. Another political prisoner, Abdul Jabbar Isa has been moved to isolation cell. He suffers serious skin disease.
Regime forces have arrested a number of citizens who protested outside the offices of The Social Security Commission. Their protest came after the government had arbitrarily stopped their pensions for more than a year. They have been left without income or work. Their debts have been increasing as a direct result. Since the beginning of this year the monthly payments to 1280 pensioners have been stopped.
Bahraini political prisoners are facing undisciplined judiciary that plays around with their emotions. On 3rd February a regime court adjourned the trial of Jassim Mohammed Salem from Abu Quwwa until 25th February. He was detained on 13th October. Also the trial of two young Bahraini from Samheej town was adjourned until 10th February. Abbas Awn and Hussain Al Samaheeji were arrested on 29th September shortly after taking part in a peaceful protest at the town. Five others had their trials adjourned: Qassim Ali Al Alawi, Sayed Hassan Hadi Al Ghuraifi, Faisal Mohammed Ramadan, Muqtada Riyad Al Makhlouq and Yasser Saeed Al Sahhaf.
Under-aged Ali Hussain Al Matrook has been put on trial at the Lower Criminal Court alongside other juveniles. They include Abdul Aziz Al Hamadi, Hussain Ali Mahdi and Abbas Al Majed. They have languished behind bars for several months and denied access to their academic studies. All are aged under 15. While on trial they detailed their extensive torture ordeals at the hands of their jailers. Their detention is in contravention to article 37 of the UN Children protocols.
The political prisoners at Al Grain prison are facing a new clampdown. Sayed Alawi AlMousawi, Mohammed Abdul Hussain Al Mutaghawwi, Sayed Fadel Radhi and Mubarak Adel have been isolated from the world. Rarely anyone talks about this military prison which has become a dumping place for native activists.
Zainab Ebrahim, the wife of Mohamed Ramadhan, who is on death row in Bahrain, stated the following about what happened to her husband, Mohamed Ramadhan, who is sentenced to death: On Wednesday, January 29, at 10:00 AM during the sun exposure period, officer Yousef, who is the secretary of Captain Abdulrahman Al-Khashram, came and ordered my husband, Mohamed Ramadhan (who is on death row), to accept a criminal inmate suffering from a severe mental illness and known for dangerous behaviour that has affected numerous inmates. My husband responded, “This individual has a serious mental illness; we cannot place him in our room.” The officer replied, “Handle him however you see fit—even if it means beating him. Do whatever it takes, even if you have to use force—he must be placed with you.” My husband replied, “It is unjust to beat him. He is mentally ill, and he should be in a psychiatric facility, not with us”.
MENA Solidarity Network has published a new article on the reduction of Saudi woman activist, Salma al-Shehab’s prison sentence, highlighting the injustice of her imprisonment and joining the calls for her immediate release. She has been in jail since her arrest in January 2021.
Four years ago, Saudi authorities arrested Maha al-Huwaiti after she posted on X about the cost of living and publicly mourned Abdul Rahim al-Huwaiti, who was killed during the forced evictions to make way for Neom. She was later sentenced to 23 years in prison. She remains behind bars.
On 3rd February the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR) said that the Saudi regime started this year with a spate of killings. First six Iranians were executed allegedly for drug trafficking. Then came two mass executions in which 13 people were killed for alleged drug trafficking as On 30th January a Saudi citizen was beheaded. Qassim bin Mohammed bin Ahmed Sa’an was executed for allegedly murdering another person. Another person was also beheaded on Sunday 2nd February. Khalid Thenin Ali Hindi was accused of trafficking in Amphetamine drug tablets.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
5th February 2025
