Bahrain: 40 international bodies condemn attacks on freedom of expression
The past few days have witnessed more disturbances in several places, an indication of the failure of the ruling family to silence the people of Bahrain who demand serious political reforms. On Tuesday Death Squads roamed the roads of Bilad Al Qadeem, on the outskirts of Manama.
They emerged from their heavily-armoured carrier near Al Khamis roundabout, brandished their guns and induced terror in the hearts of the school children who were leaving school. They caused serious traffic jams during a period of intense car movements. The Al Zawraa restaurant was besieged for a while. No clear motive for this vicious attack was known, except to show that the ruling family was serious in its bloody attacks against Bahrainis.
The protests against the continued detention of Bahrainis for their political views have continued in several places. Earlier in the week protesters in Karzakkan burnt tyres in the main road to prevent Death Squads from storming the town. The people continued to demand the release of their children who are languishing in torture chambers. The Death Squads soon arrived and waged vicious attacks on the youth.
Meanwhile the attacks against citizens have continued. The protests continued for at least two consecutive nights.
A young Bahraini, Muhannad Marhoon, was arrested at the cause linking Bahrain and Saudi Arabia as he was returning with his father and uncle. Three hours later, the Death Squads stormed his house in a provocative way. They left after terrorising the youth and his family.
A similar raid was launched at 2.00 pm Tuesday against the house of Sayyed Aqeel Al mousawi in the village of Sar. The aggression was waged by Death Squads supported by the foreign-staffed riot police. The house was ransacked, its contents scattered on the floor and its occupants terrorised. The elderly mother of Sayyed Aqeel was harassed beyond belief. Sayyed Hassan Al Mousawi, the brother of Sayyed Aqeel was arrested for protesting against the barbaric attack on his family. Sayyed Aqeel is an outspoken critic of the Al Khalifa occupiers and has been subjected to various forms of intimidations.
The ruling family went as far as fabricating stories to defame his character as it has done with many others. The Al Khalifa have now realised the futility of mass arrests, torture and incarcerations as they have led to international outcry and castigated their regime as a human rights violator. They now have resorted to political assassination of the activists characters. Many unfounded allegations have been made in recent months against activists including accusations of sexual misbehaviour. None of these allegastions have ever been substantiated. In the words of a legal expert: “What the Al Khlalifa are doing is the worst form of exploiting the full weight of state powers against powerless individuals in these shameful ways”
On another level, forty local, regional and international organisations have protested against the attacks by the Al Khalifa against free expression in Bahrain. They signed a petition in which they said: “Authorities have waged a campaign against free expression, prosecuting writers, journalists and bloggers for practicing their profession, and preventing human rights defenders, activists and dissidents from addressing the public through media, internet and other fora. Moreover, the authorities have led defamation campaigns, through its controlled media, against activists and human rights defenders who express their dissenting views and openly discuss public affairs.” Since the present minister of information, Mai Al Khalifa, took her post last year, the attacks on freedom of expression have intensified. By the end of last years, Bahrain’s jails became crowded as scores of activists were detained and tortured for their peaceful expression of opinion.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
4th June 2009