Bahrain: Revolution in the making as Torturers judge political activists
In a flagrant attack on justice 23 Bahrainis were removed today from a court room where their torturers were asked to give “evidence” against them obtained under sever forms of torture.
The court drama started when the Al Khalifa-appointed judge asked the torturers to present their “evidence” against the Bahrainis and that a hand-picked team of lawyers be appointed to “defend” the Bahrainis who had repeatedly refused them. Some of these lawyers have already condemned their would be “clients” and made the task of the “judge” of announcing the ready-made verdicts and sentences easier. It was one of the most outrageous miscarriages of justice, officially committed and sanctioned in the presence of officials from the American, British and French embassies in Manama.
The silence of these officials and their governments on the injustices meted by the Al Khalifa on Bahrainis is deafening and defies the most basic expectations from those “democratic” countries. The victims stood up courageously and refused to remain in the court room with their torturers headed by the notorious criminal Bader Ibrahmim Al Ghaith. The families of the victims have appealed to the international human conscience to take a stand against these serious infringements of justice and human rights. How could the victim be allowed to be crushed so mercilessly by a gang of criminals? How could these “diplomats” opt to silence at a time when some factual words from them could tame the aggression of these criminals? Isn’t their silence making them accomplices in these crimes?
Despite the silence of those heatless witnesses, a veteran human rights campaigner stood up in the court and challenged the appointed team of lawyers. The “judge” who is also the enemy of the victims, immediately ordered his removal from the court, together with all the defendants. They were transferred to another room connected by TV screen and loudspeaker and forced to see and listen to their torturers as they presented their “evidence”! Both the US and UK embassies have a lot to answer for as they continue their propping up of the criminal Al Khalifa regime.
The public anti-regime feelings are rising by the day. This morning the youth of the town of Mhaza in Sitra expressed their outrage at the Al Khalifa regime with protests resulting in burning tyres on the main roads of the town. The riot police hurried to extinguish them as the regime becomes more worried about the appearance of anger and public outburst of protests following the popular revolution in Tunisia and Egypt.
Meanwhile more criminal attacks are carried out against Bahrainis. On 25th January boy of 14 years was severely wounded by members of the Death Squads using shotguns. Hassan Ali, 14, was leaving his home when he was called from behind. When he turned to see the caller he was struck with the shotgun. Images of his terrible wounds in the face and hands have shocked the people.
Yesterday Ahmad Mahdi Ramadhan appealed to the authorities to release his 12 years old son, Mundhir, who has been held and tortured since his arrest on Sunday 23rd January. He said that he had handed the boy to the police after they insisted to get him The father said that his son did not commit any crime despite the allegations that he had taken part in anti-regime activities. The boy is still behind bars with more than 100 children accused of anti-regime activities.
More Bahrainis have been arrested in recent days. The father of Ali Sa’ad, the blind young Bahraini who was arrested in September, has been arrested. Three other members of the family have also been detained, Mahdi, Sa’ad and Hassan. Almost all male members of the Sa’ad family are now in the hands of the Al Khalifa torturers although none of them has committed any crime.
On 24th January Freedom House issued a statement calling on the Government of Bahrain to release Mohammad Al Rashid, a political blogger and critic of the government. It said: Mr. Rashid’s alleged crimes include detailing human rights abuses by the government and spreading opposition statements.
The arrest of Mr. Rashid follows a pattern of government crackdowns against political opponents and comes in the wake of last year’s arrest of pro-democracy blogger Ali Abdulemam, who was arrested on charges of spreading “false news” in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections in October.
Censorship and repression are common features in Bahrain,an authoritarian country ruled by the Sunni al-Khalifa family, which has been at odds with the country’s Shiite majority for more than two centuries…. Freedom House condemns recent crackdown on political opposition, and calls on the Bahraini government to release Mr. Rashid as well as fellow political prisoners.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
27 January 2011
