Bahrain: Al Khalifa Torture Chambers receive more innocent Bahrainis
The political crisis in Bahrain is deepening following the decision by the Al Khalifa rulers to open up their notorious prisons to Bahraini political activists. Six were snatched yesterday by their death squads, while three others were detained and interrogated at the Bahrain-Saudi causeway.
Meanwhile, protests have continued against the detention of the two prisoners of conscience, Dr Moahammad Saeed Al Sahlawi and Hussain Abdul Aziz Al Habshi. Both are reported to be subjected to ill-treatment by their jailers.
On Saturday night (10th February) a demonstration at Tubli village was viciously attacked by the Al Khalifa mercenaries who used tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful protesters. Scores were injured and at least six were arrested. They are: Mohammad Abdulla, 24, Mohammad Ahmad Al Ammar, 19, Mohammad Ali Al Ammar, 17, SAyyed Ibrahim Sayyed Hussain, 19, all from Tubli, Abdulla Ali Ne’mach, 20 from Saddad village, and Muhsin Al Miqdad, 40 from Jid Ali. He is a member of the National Committee of Martyrs and Torture Victims. They were severely tortured. The Al Khalifa-appointed prosecutor ordered their detention for one week. Mr Al Miqdad was later released.
Protests have continued in other areas of the country to demand the immediate release of the two prisoners of conscience and the arrest of their torturers.
In a separate development, three Bahrainis were detained upon their return from Saudi Arabia via the Bahrain-Saudi causeway. The three are members of the National Committee of the Unemployed: Abdul Amir Madan, from Sitra, Hassan Abdul Nabi, from Ma’amir and Ahmad Jaffar, from Daih. They were subjected to inhumane treatment, interrogated and searched. They were stopped for more than five hours as part of the psychological torture. Two of them, Abdul Amir Madan and Hassan Abdul Nabi had been imprisoned for nine months last year following the Airport protest in December 2005. Their fate remains unknown, for fear for their safety is growing.
On Friday night, 9th February, a peaceful demonstration was held outside the village of Karranah to protest the political naturalization process being implemented by the Al Khalifa hereditary dictatorship. In the past two years, they are thought to have granted Bahraini citizenship to thousands of former Ba’thists who fled Iraq after the downfall of Saddam’s regime. Fires were seen burning near the main road as foreign-staffed riot police engaged the Bahrainis in the area before leaving to attend another protest at Bani Jamra. Eyewitnesses reported deafening sounds of exploding gas cylinders in the area.
Similar protests were held in Sanabis, Duraz and Bani Jamra against the continued detention of the two prisoners of conscience and the Al Khalifa policy of political naturalization.
On Friday evening, another protest near the village of jid Ali was mercilessly attacked. The demonstrators fled the area, only to regroup near the Tubli roundabout. They raised their slogans against the dictatorial regime and for the immediate release of Bahrain’s prisoners of conscience. In the past ten days, Bahrain has witnessed scenes reminiscent of the days of the popular uprising a decade ago. Politicians in Washington were questioning the validity of Sheikh Hamad’s programme which has led only to more political polarization, sectarianism and human rights violations.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
12th February 2007
