Saudi-led alliance blacklisted by UN, Bahrainis persecuted by Alkhalifa
The United Nations has added the Saudi-led alliance waging war on Yemen to the list of countries violating children rights in areas of conflict. The report considered the alliance responsible for hitting 600 children 370 of whom were killed. The total number of children who have been killed by the Saudi and Emirati aggressors over the past 40 months is much higher. According to Human Rights Watch 87 percent of the attacks by the unholy alliance have been illegal, hitting civilian targets. Out of about 500,000 sorties, 435,000 constitute war crimes.
Under the title “Saudi Arabia: Do not execute protesters” Reprieve has called on the Saudi dictators to stop killing innocent people for their activism. It said: 18 young people could be beheaded at any time for the ‘crime’ of protesting against the Saudi government. Some were sentenced to death for attending protests when they were children. All were brutally tortured into confessing. Saudi Arabia claims to be reforming under its Vision 2030 programme, but these executions could come at any time. Reprieve has asked people to “urge Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to commute their death sentences”. It also urged people to sign a petition to stop eminent executions of innocent people.
Following the outburst of international anger against UAE forces for torturing Yemeni prisoners, some victims have been released. But the anger has continued especially as the invaders insist on throttling the Yemenis by cutting off all outside aid to millions of starving and sick Yemenis. The Guantenamo-style prison facilities hold hundreds of Yemenis opposed to the invasion and occupation of their country. Calls are rising for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of the invaders.
The Saudi regime has come under intense criticism for detaining human rights activists. The world’s NGOs are united in their condemnation despite the regime’s attempts to claim credit for allowing Saudi women to drive. This token gesture is ridiculed as scores of women activist remain behind bars. Among them are: Loujain Al-Hathloul, a well-known women’s rights defender on social media who was arrested on 15 May; Dr. Eman Al-Nafjan, founder and author of the Saudiwoman’s Weblog, who had previously protested the driving ban; Aziza Al-Yousef, a prominent campaigner for women’s rights; Dr. Ibrahim Al-Modaimegh, a lawyer and human rights defender; writer Mohammad Al-Rabea; Abdulaziz Al-Mesha’al, businessman and board member of a women’s rights NGO; and Ibrahim Fahad Al-Nafjan.
On Monday 25th June regime’s court sentenced Bahraini woman activist, Najah Ahmad Yousuf Al Sheikh to three years in jail for anti-regime stands. She sustained horrific forms of torture, sexually assaulted and abused by the officers of the National Security Agency (NSA). She has been in detention since April 2017 for tweeting against holding the Formula 1 race in Bahrain. Another man was also given three years for the same offence. The regime failed to produce any criminalising evidence that could stand at a court of law.
After banning members of the political societies from standing for elections to the dictator’s “parliament” Bahrain’s tyrant has now also banned them from standing for any office with the civil society organisations. Alkhalifa “democracy” dictates that the dictator is the source of all legislations; anyone who does not conform finds himself behind bars undergoing extensive and cruel forms of torture.
The country is holding its breath and praying for the health of the most prominent religious and political leader. Sheikh Isa Qassim, 80, was taken to hospital on Sunday night after suffering hip and leg problems that are making it difficult for him to walk. Qassim could be deported at any time after authorities stripped his citizenship in June 2016 over false accusations by Alkhalifa occupiers who are cracking down on all dissent on the Shiite-majority island, imprisoning or forcing politicians and activists into exile.
In the past few days Bahrain’s dictator has become a laughing stock in the financial markets as the national currency (Bahraini Dinar) lost grounds against the dollar to hit 17 year-low. Also the servicing of the country’s debts have reached record high as the dictator continued his lavish lifestyle, high spending on PR companies and buying off mercenaries at every level; from torturers, riot police journalists and politicians including some British MPs. The cost of insuring Bahrain’s debt against default for five years jumped 170 basis points on Monday, the most since records began in 2008, to 609. That’s the highest among emerging-market peers after Lebanon. Two months ago the regime had claimed that the largest oil reserve in the world had been discovered in the country. How could the two contradictory events be reconciled? While the down trend of the Bahraini Dinar is a fact, the earlier claim was a dream by a morally and financially bankrupt hereditary dictatorship. He is now waiting for another bailout by Saudis and Emiratis in return for handing them sovereignty over Bahrain.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
27th June 2018 (info@vob.org, www.vob.org)