EP slams Saudis on executions, PM escalates persecution of Bahrainis
On Monday 12th July khalifi court upheld a 15-year prison sentence against an individual who was convicted in a mass trial and was subjected to sexual abuse, torture and forced confession. The court upheld the prison sentence against Fawaz Abdulnabi despite pleas for his release from UK parliamentarians. Abdulnabi was convicted along with 52 others in November 2020 on baseless charges. In testimony published last week by Bahrain’s Office of the Public Prosecutor, Abdulnabi said he only confessed to the charge after being tortured at the country’s Royal Academy of Policing (RAP). The torture included sexual assault, beating and punching in the stomach, being forced to stand in a room with freezing temperatures and waterboarding. “He was beating and slapping me on the face. They wanted me to give confessions. They kept me on the floor and were throwing water on my body as if he was trying to drown me,” Abdulnabi said. “Did you make any confessions against yourself?” Abdulnabi was asked near the end of his testimony. “Yes,” he replied.
In response to the allegations of abuses at Bahrain’s RAP, rights groups have called on the University of Huddersfield to end its partnership with the academy. Since 2018, the university has been providing a master’s degree programme in Security Science to officers at RAP. In recent months, dozens of MPs sent a letter to the university asking them to scrap the programme.
Yesterday Hajji Somood, 70, was summoned for interrogation for the second time in three days. This elderly native had been repeatedly jailed and abused for joining the pro-democracy movement. Meanwhile more than 50 native Bahrainis were summoned on orders of “high office” for marking the martyrdom anniversary of a Shia Muslim Imam. The participants in the traditional mourning service had observed the safety rules on the pandemic when they mourned Imam Mohammad Al Jawad who had been martyred in 811 AD. Two underaged children were also summoned yesterday. Faris Hassan Habib, 17 and Hussain Abdul Rasool Al Manami, 16 were ill-treated by khalifi officers. Torturers also summoned Hajji Ali Baddou, his wife and his autistic son for interrogation. The elderly man was detained for demanding his son’s release from the torture chambers.
Yesterday, Bloc 15 of the notorious Jau prison was stormed by khalifi security officers and its occupants were terrorized. The attack was led by Ahmad Al Amadi, notorious for his abuse of prisoners. One of the political prisoners, Hani Al Mo’min was led away to a torture dungeon. After four years of jail in most unhealthy environment native political prisoner, Qassim Abbas Salman, 23 has developed serious illness in his Colon. He is in hospital and calls have been made for his release so that he gets proper medical treatment.
On 11th July Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace, a senior figure of the opposition began an open hunger strike in protest against the inhumane treatment by one the regime’s torturers. The Gulf Centre for Human Rights said that Mohammad Yousef Fakhro has been ill-treating this respectable academic and intellectual. He has consistently denied Al Singace’s requests and had confiscated his research earlier this year, instead of handing it over to his family. Al-Singace spent four years working on his research and he is now distraught that it has been confiscated. Al-Singace, who is totally disabled has repeatedly protested poor medical care, including the denial of rubber ferrules for his crutches, which he needs to walk due to post-polio syndrome. He often fell down.
On 8th July khalifi court issued two-year prison sentence on Mohammad Al Zayani for exercising his right to express his opinion. He had criticized the khalifi judiciary arguing that it is not free.
Yesterday, Reprieve highlighted the case of two native Bahrainis condemned to death by the khalifis. It said: “Today marks one year since Bahrain’s highest court upheld the death sentences of Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa. Husain was tortured so severely that he wished for death. His torturers in Bahrain didn’t stop until he ‘confessed’. That so-called ‘confession’ was used to sentence him – and Mohammed – to death. Minister for Middle East and North Africa James Cleverly MP committed to publicly opposing the death sentences of these two men. But he’s staying silent. The UK and Bahrain are allies and James Cleverly can speak with Bahrain’s decision makers – including the King. That’s why it’s so important to make sure he sticks to his promise. Mohammed and Husain could be executed any day. We’re fighting to stop their executions.”
On 8th July the European parliament passed a resolution condemning Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty, particularly against children. The resolution, passed with an overwhelmingly majority, partly focused on the cases of Mustafa Hashem al-Darwish and Abdullah al-Howaiti. Darwish, who was arrested in 2015, was executed last month over charges relating to protests in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province which he joined when he was 17. Howaiti, who is still on death row, was arrested when he was 14 and sentenced to death at 17. His case is currently being considered by Saudi Supreme Court – after which his execution could be imminent.
Last week Saudi police raided the home of Dr. Mohmmed bin Ali Al-Haazmi and took him to an unknown location. The authorities did not explain why he was detained. He has also been denied access to a lawyer of his choice and his family.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
14th July 2021