Bahrain: Senior human rights activist interrogated for calling for change

The political crisis in Bahrain is taking new dimensions as the situation becomes more polarised between the people and the Al Khalifa rulers. As the number of political prisoners increases, the spectre of more serious encounters between the two sides becomes more probable, especially as the news of severe torture on detainees become widespread.

Moreover, the frustration among the people has led to a new generation of Bahrainis who express openly their hope that the Al Khalifa rule would come to an end. On Tuesday night (5th January), Mr Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja, a leading human rights activist in Bahrain, delivered a speech to a large crowd in the capital, Manama in which he called for fundamental political changes in the country including the removal of the present regime which had become more despotic, reactionary and corrupt. On Thursday, he was interrogated by Al Khalifa agents who fabricated charges against him alleging that he had incited violence and called for using force to remove the dictatorial hereditary regime. He refused to answer their question, insisting that he would continue his calls for peaceful political change to prevent the country slipping into anarchy and violence. He had been targeted by the regime for the past three years for his human rights activities but he has refused to back down in his calls for reforms.

The situation is becoming more volatile as the news from behind bars speak of serious violations of human rights. As the number of political prisoners accumulate, there is a disturbing pattern of torture that aims at breaking the will of the brave men and women who insist on resisting dictatorship, despotism and corruption. It has now been established that the latest group of Bahrainis who had been taken hostage by the ruling family have been subjected to various forms of maltreatment. Their daily ordeals often start with swearing and humiliation to undermine their psychological steadfastness. Then they are made to remain standing blindfolded for hours, with their hands in chains and their feet in shackles.

Among the widely used method of torture is the deprivation of sleep and denying them the use of toilets or bathrooms. Many of the political prisoners have been hanged from the ceiling for hours. They are subjected to regular beating on all parts of the body especially the sensitive parts. Among the most common method of torture is the insertion of   (in what is called the chicken position in which a wooden pole is inserted behind the two knees and the two chained hands and raising the body between two desks or chairs. The victims are left in this position for hours while the torturers take turns to beat the victims on their bodies. Some of them have been held in incommunicado detention for long periods.

Electric shocks have also been used against the detainees while blindfolded and shackled. The electric shocks are often directed at armpits, the lower part of the back and the men’s genitals.

 As the repression policies take hold in the country, the ruling family has taken many steps to criminalise civil activities that do not conform to its policies. Last week, three young men (aged 19 and 20 years) who had been in jail since 16th December had their detention extended for another two weeks for “writing graffiti” on the walls. The Bahraini youth have, in recent years, resorted to writing their slogans and demands on the walls as the media are totally nationalised and directed by officials at the royal court. The three were accused of writing slogans and sticking posters on the walls in their neighbourhood of Ras Rumman in Manama. The posters had the pictures of the martyrs who had been killed by the death squads employed by the royal court.

The public fury is deepening as the ruling family started targeting the places of worship of the majority Shia Muslims, and attempting to scrutinize the imams and prayer leaders such as Hassan Mushaime. He has now officially been “banned” in the same way the Apartheid regime of South Africa had imposed banning orders on anti-Apartheid activists. Mr Mushaime is now officially “banned”, i.e. he cannot lead prayers or deliver lectures.

Bahrain Freedom Movement
11th January 2009