Bahraini youths detained, UN raise Saudi women case

In the early hours of this morning regime’s arms militias snatched a young native Bahraini citizen. Ali Marhoon, from Sanabis town was in his car when he was pursued relentlessly by regime’s agents dressed in civilian clothes. He was stopped in the street and taken away at high speed. No news has been heard about him since. His family remains fearful for his fate especially the exposure to torture and ill-treatment.

On Friday 23rd May regime’s forces arrested Hassan Abdulla Ahmed Abdul Hay from Sanabis while he was walking in a street in Duraz town. The town had witnessed protests to mark the regime’s crimes against Ayatullah Sheikh Isa Qassim in May 2017 including the cold-blooded murder of six people outside his house.

On Monday 24th May regime’s kangaroo court imposed a one-year prison sentence on four under-aged children for taking part in a peaceful funeral of a leading religious figure last year. The four: Ahmed Abdulla Al Abbassi (from Karzakkan town), Ali Hussain Al Zaaki (from Maqaba town), Sayed Mohsin Hashim (from Abu Saiba town) and Ali Mohammed Mirza (from Barbar town) were arrested in February and March.

On the same day, the High Criminal Court in Manama adjourned the trial of five political prisoners (all from Samaheej town) till next Monday 2nd June. The four: Abdullah Yousuf Al Mo’athen, Hassan Mas’ood, Ali Yousuf Al Habib, Ahmed Abdul Latif and Ali Reda Mashakheel were tortured severely to obtain false confessions. The court dismissed the torture claims and is likely to pass harsh sentences against these innocent people who committed no crime punishable by law.

Last week, political prisoner, Hassan Abdul Karim was transferred from his torture cell to Salmaniya Hospital after fainting in the Dry Dock Prison. He suffered loss of oxygen and was kept under observation. Doctors fear that his lung fibrosis has reached the other lung. He is now in a serious condition having lost weight and become pale. The two lungs may have retained large amounts of liquid.

The people of Markh town have continued their protests calling for the release of the political prisoners. On Monday 26th May they roamed in the town writing slogans calling for political transformation in addition to the release of the prisoners. Another demonstration was staged at Abu Saiba’ town on 24th May to express solidarity with the political prisoners and defend Ayatullah Sheikh Isa Qassim.

Three native young Bahrainis have been forcibly disappeared. On 21st May the three youths: Sayed Jaffar Yousuf (from Saar town), Reda Abbas (from Duraz) and Sayed Hassan Isa Al Mousawi (from Markh) were taken to the CID torture centre for torture and interrogation. No news has been received by their families who are extremely worried and anxious to know their fate.  The recent arrests and detentions also included Sayed Hashim Ra’id, Nasrullah Jaffar, Yahya Abdul Hassan, Mohammed Hussain and Mohammed Aqil.

The Saudi regime has taken pre-emptive actions as the pilgrimage season approaches. Several people including a senior Iranian cleric have been detained while performing Umrah rituals. Apparently, he had criticised Saudi harsh measures against the pilgrims.

Saudi officials have responded to a letter from UN experts regarding the continued detention and ill-treatment of women’s rights activist Manahel al-Otaibi. The reply is a mixture of denial, misleading assertions, and demonising language. Her recent trial has been adjourned till 25th June. She was sentenced secretly to 11 years for her activism. A petition calling for her release has attracted almost 20,000 signatures.

At least nine young men in Saudi Arabia are at risk of execution for alleged crimes committed as minors, in total contradiction with official claims to have ended this violation of international human rights law. Due to lack of transparency, the number of individuals on death row for offences committed as minors may be even higher. All sentences followed unfair trials, solely based on confessions obtained under torture. Human Rights organizations report that minors were psychologically and physically abused following their arrests, including through beatings, drowning, electrocution, and solitary confinement.

A campaign has been launched to stop the execution of under-aged children by the Saudi regime. Those involved in the campaign said that Saudi Arabia should implement UN recommendations and stop applying the death penalty for crimes committed by children. The campaign aims to save young people facing death row for sentences they received as children. At least nine young men in Saudi Arabia are at risk of execution for alleged crimes committed as minors, in total contradiction with official claims to have ended this violation of international human rights law. Due to lack of transparency, the number of individuals on death row for offences committed as minors may be even higher. All sentences followed unfair trials, allegedly based on confessions obtained under torture. Human Rights organizations report that minors were psychologically and physically abused following their arrests, including through beatings, drowning, electrocution, and solitary confinement.

Bahrain Freedom Movement

28th May 2025