Bahrain: Political prisoners tortured and summary justice for demonstrators
A young detainee has been transferred to hospital after his health deteriorated following extensive torture at the hands of the government agents. Ali Saeed Al Khabbaz, 22, from Sanabis has been taken three times to hospital since he was arrested two days ago. Concern has been raised about his physical health after his family was denied access to see him.
He is now at the military hospital and reports about his health from those who accidently saw him this morning described his health as poor. Human rights activists in Bahrain have called for an immediate investigation into allegation of torture and maltreatment of political prisoners. The country has been embroiled in serious troubles over the past two weeks in reaction to the decision by the ruling family to try three activists for their political views.
Another citizen, Hamid Yousif, in his mid-thirties, is also suffering extensive injuries to his body. He was tortured extensively at the hands of the death squads who attacked the peaceful demonstration in Sanabis on Sunday. An elderly woman who tried to fend off the attack on Hamid was threatened by members of the squads who were acting on orders from higher authorities.
The number of political prisoners has risen steadily in recent days. The known detainees are: Radhi Ali Radhi from Abu Saibe (sentenced to one year imprisonment for expressing his views), Jaffar Fardan, from Karranah (one year imprisonment for expressing his views), Majid Hussain Eid and Hussain Ali Baqir (both from Ma’amir), Ali Ahmad Hobail, from Sitra, Sayyed Alawi Sayyed Hadi Al Abbar and Sayyed Baqir Sayyed Sadiq Al Abbar (both from Nu’aim), Younis Ahmad Khamis (from Nuwaidrat), Aqeel Ahmad Mansoor, from Daih, and Saeed from Sanabis.
Meanwhile, the ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has ordered the rise of his Shura council (with both the elected and appointed chambers) at the end of this month. This means that the whole period of the convening of this council lasted only five months. In an interview with the Saudi daily, Al Sharaq Al Awsat today, a member of this council, Sheikh Ali Salman, summarised the achievement of this council during this period as zero.
Since the inception of this powerless body, the country has become embroiled in political and social tension and the public feelings have been marked by anger, mistrust and despair. The situation became even more acute following what has become to be known as the “Bandargate” in which a former advisor to the government exposed a secret organisation run by a member of the ruling Al Khalifa family, whose main aim is to sow discord among the people on sectarian level. Despite demonstrations, petitions and protests the ruler has failed to act in a responsible way. The majority of Bahrainis feel that they are being subjected to “sectarian cleansing” at the hands of the ruling family.
In the past three days demonstrations spread to many areas in protest against the policies of the ruling family especially the political naturalisation and discrimination on ethnic and sectarian lines. Eyewitnesses described the treatment of demonstrators as “aggressive and barbarian” with riot police using extreme force to disperse demonstrators.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
23/05/2007