Criminalising peaceful protest in Bahrain, AI urges Saudis to free prisoners
The first anniversary of the martyrdom of Hussain Al Ramram (from Duraz town) was marked by several protests especially in Duraz, the birth town of the martyr. A demonstration in the town was attacked by the regime’s forces causing injuries and arrests. Two natives were detained: Jaffar Mohammed Adam (from Bani Jamra) and Reda Hossam from Duraz. The attackers used chemical and tear gases to disperse the demonstrators. Banners were raised condemning the violation and ill-treatment in the khalifi jails and calling for a proper investigation of the martyrdom of Al Ramram who died in custody on 25th March 2024. The security forces closed several roads leading to Duraz to prevent the spread of protests to other areas. Also Ahmed Al Dakhil from was detained on 25th March in the aftermath of the protest in Duraz. He had come from his town of Samaheej to participate in the peaceful event.
On Sunday 30th March three political prisoners at Bloc 3 of Jau Prison were injured when the prison was raided. Regime’s security forces carried out a cruel attack on the building and targeted the inmates. One prisoner, Mahmood Abdul Aziz was taken to hospital for treatment. Two others, Hussain Hilal Al Zaaki and Ali Al Mutawwa were treated at the prison. The inmates were reciting the final chapter of the holy Quran when the security forces stormed Blocs 1 & 2 and scuffled with the worshippers. The mayhem continued as the attackers insisted on moving some prisoners to isolation cells. The inmates at Bloc 3 joined in and insisted on transferring the injured to the clinic. Only then they returned to their cells.
On the 14th anniversary of the arrest of the senior figures of Bahrain’s Revolution, several delegations visited the homes of Ayatullah Sheikh Abdul Jalil Al Miqdad, Sheikh Mohammed Habib Al Miqdad, Sheikh Mirza Al Mahroos and others. Under the theme “Steadfast with the leaders” the delegates undertook several visits to express solidarity with their families. Those leaders have been in jail since March 2011.
On 27th March human rights activist, Maryam Al Khawaja tweeted: My father, Bahraini Danish citizen and prisoner of conscience, started a water only hunger strike this morning in protest of the permanent suspension of his video calls.
Several towns and villages witnessed big demonstrations on Friday 28th March in solidarity with the Palestinian people who are on the receiving end of daily Israeli bombing. People of Duraz, Bani Jamra, Sitra and other towns took to the streets in defiance of the regime’s ban on peaceful protests of any nature. Pictures of Jerusalem with its golden-dome mosque were raised alongside banners expressing outrage at the Israeli daily killings and unrestricted aggression. They also called on the khalifi tribal rule to end its recognition of the occupation and sever its links with Israel.
The protests by former Bahraini political prisoners calling for housing have continued unabated. The khalifi regime has imposed a ban on their right for housing. For the past few weeks, many of them poured into the streets against this decision and also demanding the right to work and establish new lives after their years of incarceration. Meanwhile the families of the political prisoners have been disappointed by the dictator’s decision to release 630 inmates to mark Eid Al Fitr (celebrating the end of the fasting month of Ramadan). Despite the initial hope of the families, it turned out that none of the political prisoners has been among them and the releases were confined to common law criminals.
Amnesty International has urged Saudi authorities to release all detainees who had been arbitrarily locked up. It also called for lifting the travel ban imposed on former prisoners. It said that Eid Al Fitr is an occasion to bring the families together.
Saudi human rights activists have approached the diplomatic core in Bulgaria requesting them to grant a visa to a Saudi refugee who is threatened with extradition to Riyadh. In a letter they said: We approach you with utmost urgency and extreme concern to request a humanitarian visa for the Saudi dissident Abdulrahman al-Khalidi in relation to the outrageous final Decision 14 by the Bulgarian Administrative Court of 21/10/2024 imposing his expulsion and banning his entry and residence on the territory of EU Member States on the basis of Article 46(2)(3) of the Aliens in Bulgaria Act. They added: The ruling comes following three long years of unprecedented illegal detention, institutional abuse and flagrant violation of Abdulrahman’s basic human rights, raising suspicions of collusion between Bulgarian authorities and Saudi secret services, as well as serious concerns about Bulgaria’s commitment to democracy and international law.
A Lebanese pilgrim who was released by the Saudi authorities yesterday has spent three years in their jail. Haidar Saleem’s crime was raising a religious slogan common among the Shia Muslims while performing the hajj (pilgrimage). He was detained and given a long prison sentence. Back in Beirut his family has been exerting pressure on the Lebanese government to intervene. It took three years for all kinds of pressure on the Saudis to achieve his release.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
2nd April 2025
