Tension rises as more Bahrainis detained, Saudi women travel ban raised
Political arrests have continued unabated in Bahrain. Yesterday (Tuesday 21st May) three young people from Bilad Al Qadeem and Al Musalla towns were detained. They had been summoned by the CID officers for interrogation. The three: Nasrallah Jaffar, Sayed Hashim Ra’id (both from Bilad Al Qadeem town) and Yahya Abdul Hassan (from Musalla town) were incarcerated without charge or trial.
The eighth anniversary of the “Battle of sacrifice” in Bahrain was marked with demonstrations and protests. On 17th May 2017 the forces of the khalifi regime opened fire on a group of native Bahrainis around the house of the most prominent religious figure, Sheikh Isa Qassim, in Duraz, killing six people. It was a turning point in the struggle of the Bahraini people who have been calling for a modern democratic transformation in the country. Those taking part in the anniversary raised banners insisting on the people’s demands and the release of political prisoners. They exhibited a spirit of defiance, steadfastness and seriousness against the hereditary dictatorship.
Political prisoner, Mohammed Abdul Razzaq Salman has started a hunger strike in protest at the persecution he has suffered since his detention almost one years ago. He has not been charged, tried or told the grounds of his detention. His health has been deteriorating for some time.
The health of political prisoner Hassan Abdul Karim has deteriorated in recent weeks. He is held at the Dry Dock prison and has been denied proper medical care. He suffers from lung fibrosis and has been ignored for ten months. He returned from exile only to find himself persecuted behind bars. He said that the prison environment in addition to the lack of medical care and proper medication contributed to the deterioration of his health. He said he was taken to the hospital once and had X-rays, but not further action was taken, thus his health deteriorated further. Last year, Hassan returned to Bahrain from exile.
On Monday 19th May the trial of five political prisoners from Samaheej town was adjourned, once again, this time for one week. Abdulla Yousuf Al Mo’athen, Hassan Masood, Ali Yousuf Al Habib, Ahmed Abdul Latif and Ali Reda Mashakheel were detained last September and falsely accused of baseless crimes.
From his prison cell, senior political leader, Mr Abdul Wahab Hussain issued a statement urging people to show solidarity with the political prisoners. He said many of them are sick and suffering various illnesses. They deserve your support and care.
On Monday 19th May the people of Jidhafs town staged a protest calling for the release of the political prisoners. On Sunday 18th May the people of El-Ekr town protested in solidarity with the political prisoners. They called for their immediate and unconditional release. Pictures of the prisoners lined the roads of the town as well as slogans calling for political freedom and rights. This activity is one of many organised by the Committee of the Bahraini Prisoners which calls for the 463 political detainees to be set free from the khalifi torture cells.
On Friday 16th several demonstrations were held in various parts of the country. In Karranah town the protesters called for the prisoners release. Also, the people of Aali town took part in a similar protest. In Karbabad town, the participants in a peaceful protest on Friday raised the pictures of some political prisoners highlighting their predicament. In Bilad Al Qadeem town a rally was held to call for the released of the political prisoners. Banners and pictures were raised along the streets of the town calling for an immediate end to arbitrary detention. A similar activity was held at Bani Jamra town.
This week a cross-party group of 10 UK parliamentarians has written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy urging the UK government to use all available diplomatic tools to address the cases of Saudi sisters Manahel and Maryam al-Otaibi, along with other women facing arbitrary imprisonment and travel bans in Saudi Arabia. The letter presents the sisters’ cases as emblematic of the contradictions in the official narrative of women’s empowerment in Saudi Arabia. Their plight highlights the continuing repression of women’s rights advocates in the country despite a number of recent reforms. The signatories called on the UK government, as a close ally of Saudi Arabia, to use its diplomatic leverage to press for Manahel’s immediate release, the lifting of Maryam’s travel ban, and the release of other women detained or facing similar restrictions for exercising their basic freedoms.
Human rights activists have called for the immediate and unconditional release of all detainees from Saudi jails and lift all imposed restrictions on them. This followed the release of medical student Sara al-Jaar who had been sentenced to 27 years in prison and a travel ban of the same length for exercising her right to free speech. While her release has been welcomed, she should not have been detained in the first place.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
21st May 2025