Bahrain: Prison sentences for possessing political leaflets
A Kangaroo court today passed unlawful prison sentences against two Bahraini activists for possessing leaflets. A foreign judge, sentenced two citizens to one year and six months imprisonment for possessing leaflets calling for boycotting the illegal elections last November.
The two, Dr Mohammad Saeed Al Sahlawi and Hussain Al Habshi, were arrested on 16th November for possessing leaflets calling for the boycott of the elections of half the members of Sheikh Hamad’s shura (consultative) council. On Wednesday 31st January, the Egyptian judge, Ahmad Abdul Khaleq, on orders from the Al Khalifa ruling family, delivered the sentence in less than a minute. The court was packed with relatives, friends and human rights activists who were shocked by the verdict.
They chanted slogans against this summary justice and vowed to continue the struggle against the dictatorship of the Al Khalifa. The two prisoners of conscience were charged with two offences; possessing anti-regime leaflets and by inference, urging a regime change. Human rights activists who had followed the proceedings of the court appearances, ridiculed both charges and called for their immediate release. However, the Al Khalifa hereditary dictatorship is attempting to exploit this case in order to deter others from taking similar stands against their rule.
Their lawyer, Mohammad Ahmad had prepared a sound defence arguing that the leaflets they had in their possession during their arrest did not contain any violence and that there was simply no case against them. He said today’s verdict is intended to send a strong message to anyone contemplating to oppose the Al Khalifa even with peaceful means.
International Human Rights organisations have condemned the arrest of the two activists and called for their immediate release. Human Rights Watch called on the Bahraini government to drop charges against Mohamed Sa`id al-Sahlawi and Husain `Abd al-`Aziz al-Hibshi, and grant their immediate and unconditional release. “The imprisonment of two Bahrainis for trying to express nonviolent political opinions violates freedoms guaranteed under Bahrain’s international obligations and the kingdom’s own constitution,” said Sarah Leah WHitsson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Bahrain’s persecution of free expression makes a mockery of its membership in the UN Human Rights Council.” The statement concluded with a call to the government of Bahrain to reform its laws and bring them up to the international standards: “The Bahraini government should repeal its vague legal provisions on freedom of expression instead of using them to prosecute its critics,” said WHitsson. “The authorities should also respect peaceful protest instead of resorting to violence.”
Meanwhile, a young activist was today stopped by Egyptian police and returned to Bahrain. Mohammad Al Masqati was visiting Cairo to accompany his mother who was there as a tourist. He was told by the Egyptian authorities that his name was on the list of Bahraini activists prepared by the Bahraini authorities who had asked friendly governments to ban their entry to their lands. He had arrived at Cairo airport at 8.00 am, and was forced to return on the same flight which scheduled to return to Bahrain at 3.00 pm. The Al Khalifa regime had enlisted the help of other governments to counter the activities of the opposition to their illegitimate regime. Al Masqati, 19, is the President of Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights. This is yet another scam by the repressive regime of Bahrain.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
31st January 2007