Juma's mercy plea for fellow detainee
By Geoffrey bew
Published: 1 June 2007

DESPITE suffering terrible conditions in Guantanamo Bay, Bahraini detainee Juma Al Dossary has pleaded with US authorities to show mercy to an Algerian captive held near his own cell.

After his latest visit to the Cuba-based facility, legal team head Joshua Colangelo-Bryan said the 33-year-old did not mention his own situation, but expressed anxiety about the other captive held near him in the mental health unit.

He told the GDN his client had given back some of his few comfort items, such as a book, in protest at the treatment of Abdul and often pleads with the guards to show mercy on him.

Plea to approve new Press laws
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 1 June 2007

AN international organisation that campaigns for Press freedom has called on Bahrain's government and MPs to approve amendments to the country's publications law.

Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontieres) has thrown its support behind the amendments, which would scrap prison sentences for journalists.

It describes them as landmark legislation that could encourage other countries in the region to follow suit.

The amendments were approved by the country's Shura Council at its meeting on Monday.

However, the amended legislation must first make it past the Cabinet and through parliament before going back to the Shura Council to be passed.

Bahraini Minister claims no human trafficking problem in BahrainBahraini

Development Minister Dr Fatima Al Balooshi has denied that the country has a problem with human trafficking. The minister claimed that the Bahraini government had taken all legal measures against human trafficking and had set up a social protection network to avoid it. The claim was made despite the fact that Bahrain has yet to enact a law against human trafficking, a measure which is still being discussed. The minister argued that since only five expatriate women had come to a shelter set up for them two months ago, there cannot really be a problem. It is, of course, possible that fear and constraint may prevent women coming to the shelter.

‘Data can be shared through Smart Card’
Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter

Al Wefaq Deputy Jassim Hussein yesterday expressed fears that the Smart Card might violate personal freedoms.
He also lamented the inefficient process for the applicants to obtain their cards.
“Several applicants have complained to me that they had to wait for a long time. They also expressed doubts that their confidential profiles were shared through the cards,” Hussein claimed.
The unique 64kb card stores the holder’s data including the details of the passport, driving licence and the Central Population Registry (CPR) as well as medical and educational information. The deputy proposed the inclusion of mobile phone numbers and blood type in the CPR.

Death demanded for murderers
Published: 28th May 2007

A PROSECUTION appeal for the death sentence for two Bangladeshis, serving life terms for their part in the murder of their countryman Risar Mian, has been adjourned until October 9.

The death sentence was handed down in January to a third Bangladeshi, who actually strangled Mr Mian.

He was said to have wrapped a cloth around the victim's neck and strangled him to death in October 2005 in Janusan.

One of his two accomplices pressed a towel over his mouth to suffocate him and the third held his legs to stop him from moving.

The police medical report found that he struggled so much that he suffered several injuries to his body before he died.

Family plea to free detainee
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 28th May 2007

A BAHRAINI family is seeking answers from Saudi authorities as to why their Emirati relative Khalil Al Janahi was arrested last month, along with 171 others suspected of planning terrorist attacks.

The 172 suspects were arrested in Saudi Arabia on April 27 for allegedly planning to carry out an attack on oil facilities and military bases.

Mr Al Janahi, in his late 30s, was born in Bahrain and was on his way to Bahrain when he was arrested at Riyadh airport, said his Bahraini attorney and legal advisor Abdulla Hashim.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10127994.html

05/26/2007 11:40 PM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief

Manama: The US authorities are exerting psychological pressure on Juma Al Dossari, a Bahraini detained at Guantanamo Bay who attempted to kill himself 13 times, by placing him near a man who thinks he is Jesus Christ and another man who spends most of his time yelling incoherently, his lawyer has said.

"[Al Dossari] is being held in horrific conditions at Guantanamo's Mental Heath Unit [MHU] as he has been for over a year. At MHU, Juma has almost no opportunities for meaningful human interaction," Joshua Colangelo-Bryan said.

Protesters demand release of detainee
By GEOFFREY BEW
Published: 26th May 2007

MORE than 50 people staged a protest in Ghufool yesterday, demanding the release of a Bahraini detainee.

They gathered outside the family home of Bahrain Training Institute student Ali Saeed Al Khabbaz, 22, who was arrested last Sunday in Sanabis when security forces tried to break up a demonstration near the house of a political activist.

However, the protesters were told by riot police to disperse, as they had not applied for permission to hold the demonstration.

"He has been missing since he went out to buy food for his grandmother. He was attacked by riot policemen and was taken to hospital suffering from severe injuries," the family claimed citing witness accounts.

Bahraini citizen Sayed Abbas Sayed Mahdi, who was passing by the house of the political activist Hassan Mushaima last Sunday May 20, while people were gathering in relation to solidarity with him, when he was stopped by the police. He was beaten severely by the Foreign Special Security Forces that works for the ministry of interior.They beaten him continuously all over his body,and kicked his head and hit it against the ground till he started bleeding.

Until this moment, Sayed Abbas does not know why it happen.

April 27, 2007

Re: Candidacy of Belarus for the UN Human Rights Council

Your Excellency,

On May 17, your government will cast a vote in the UN General Assembly (GA) for members of the UN Human Rights Council. No country can be elected unless an absolute majority of the UN General Assembly—97 members—affirmatively writes in the name of that candidate on the ballot.

Belarus, which fails to cooperate with United Nations human rights mechanisms and has one of the worst human rights records in Europe, is running for election to the Human Rights Council from the Eastern European Group. We write to urge your government to commit itself to opposing Belarus’ election to the Council, and to encourage other governments to also oppose Belarus. Your opposition would mean that you would not write in the name of Belarus on its secret ballot in the May 17 election, but instead leave the line blank or vote for another candidate.

Bahrain defends naturalisation policy
http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10127504.html

05/25/2007 12:15 AM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief

Manama: Bahrain has granted the kingdom's nationality to 6,323 people in the last four years, said the Interior Minister.

According to Shaikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, 52 per cent of those who were naturalised were born in Bahrain.

But the minister, who was answering a question from Al Wefaq deputy Hasan Sultan about the status and figures of naturalisation in Bahrain in the last four years, refused to divulge the names of the newly-naturalised Bahrainis.

Family plea to free detainee
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 25th May 2007

FAMILY members and friends of a 22-year-old Bahraini, who is allegedly being held in the UAE without trial, yesterday demonstrated outside the National Assembly, Adliya.

Fifty demonstrators later marched to the adjoining UAE Embassy and demanded the immediate release of Adel Abdulkhaleq, who was detained when he visited UAE on January 14 this year on alleged terror links.

MP Mohammed Khaled, who was at the demonstration, told the GDN he had already submitted a petition to parliament on the issue a week ago.

"We are going to debate the petition very soon, but I have again submitted another one from the family members," he said.

يساور مركز البحرين لحقوق الإنسان قلق بالغ ازاء صحة وسلامة المواطن البحريني علي سعيد الخباز البالغ من العمر 22 عاما من منطقة القفول. فقد ذكر شاهد عيان لمركز البحرين لحقوق الإنسان بأنه شاهد الخباز وهو يتعرض لضرب مبرح من قبل أكثر من عشرة عناصر من قوات الشرطة الخاصة التي كانت غالبيتهم من غير البحرينيين.

MANAMA, Bahrain, May 21--At least one opposition activist was injured by rubber bullets when security forces opened fire Monday at a political rally east of the Bahraini capital.

The activist, Ibrahim Sharif, said he was injured in the leg after anti-riot security forces broke into a rally by opposition groups protesting a government crackdown.

Sharif said police fired at the rally when hundreds of participants refused orders to disperse.

"They started shooting and I felt heat in my legs,'' he told The Associated Press.

The meeting was organized by opposition groups to celebrate a decision by the king to drop the government's case against three rights activists.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10126939.html

05/21/2007 10:01 PM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief

Manama: Bahraini activists yesterday reacted angrily against what they termed 'excessive use of force by police to disperse a peaceful meeting' amid speculation that a politician who suffered injuries would sue the interior ministry.

"The strong intervention by the public security forces to disperse a peaceful meeting in Nuwaidrat village and their use of rubber bullets and tear gas could put people's lives in danger and violate their rights to life," Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS) said in a statement.

From Monsters and Critics.com
Head of Bahrain's second-largest opposition group hurt in clashes
By DPA
May 20, 2007, 2:39 GMT

Nuwaidrat, Bahrain - Ibrahim Shareef, general secretary of Bahrain's second-largest opposition group, the National Democratic Action Society, or Waad (Promise), was injured Saturday night during clashes with police.

Shareef was treated at a local hospital for knee and shoulder injuries after police stormed a solidarity ceremony for two opposition figures. The gathering was held at a site in Nuwaidrat, east of the capital, Manama.

Shareef told the Arabic daily al-Waqt that the injuries he suffered were the result of rubber bullets and that he was planning to file a complaint Sunday with the public prosecutor against the Interior Ministry.

Bahraini king drops case against rights activists

The Associated Press
Friday, May 18, 2007
MANAMA, Bahrain: Bahrain's king dropped the government's case against three Shiite rights activists on Friday who had been charged with trying to illegally change the kingdom's political system, the country's official news agency reported.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's decision followed two days of clashes in Bahrain's capital, Manama, between local police and Shiite youths who demanded an end to the case against Hassan Mushaima'a, the leader of the Haq rights group; Abdul-Hadi al-Khawaja, head of the Bahraini Center for Human Rights; and Shaker Abdul-Hussein, an independent activist.

Published: 19th May 2007

MANAMA: His Majesty King Hamad yesterday ordered the Public Prosecution to withdraw a court case against Hassan Mushaima, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja and Shaker Abdulhussain.

The three political activists were due to appear in court on Monday to face charges of inciting hatred, encouraging people to break the law and publicising false news during Ashoora in Manama in January.

Charges of insulting the leadership had earlier been dropped.

The order came as His Majesty received Al Wefaq secretary-general Sheikh Ali Salman in recognition of the group's political role and support for the reform project.

Let me die pleads Juma
Published: 18th May 2007

A BAHRAINI prisoner at Guantanamo Bay has begged to be allowed to kill himself in a harrowing letter to his lawyer.

Juma Al Dossary says inmates are being tortured physically and psychologically on a regular basis and their life is no longer worth living.

He said detainees are also unable to complain to anyone inside the prison camp - alleging it was those in charge of the facility who are abusing them.

"We die here hundred times a day and I swear to God if I have the opportunity, I would end the life of misery, torture and terror I live at the hands of those people," writes Al Dossary.

Bahrain: Al-Wefaq and the challenges of participation
By Abd Al-Nabi al-Ekry
Commentary by
Friday, May 18, 2007

In a country where political parties are not permitted, Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society has been the backbone of the Bahraini Shiite opposition since its leaders returned from exile after King Hamad succeeded his father in 1999. Al-Wefaq initially supported Hamad's National Action Charter, which appeared to promise significant reforms. But the 2002 constitution weakened the powers of the elected Council of Deputies and provoked opposition from Al-Wefaq and other groups. Ever since, Al-Wefaq has faced a series of difficult decisions about whether to participate in electoral politics under unfavorable conditions - and how to maintain its popular support if it does so.

Bahraini in US jail talks of his ordeal
http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10125983.html

05/18/2007 12:16 AM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief

Manama: A Bahraini held at Guantanamo Bay has drawn a painfully bleak picture of his conditions in the US-run prison camp, saying that he was earnestly looking forward to his death.

"I can say that life and death here are equal, but death has become my greatest hope to end my misery, suffering and sad life. Now, we are in psychotherapy unit facing different kinds of regular torture at the hands of the officers and physicians. Even the physician of the clinic whom every one calls Flintstone excelled in criminality," Juma Al Dossari has written in an emotional letter to his US lawyer, Joshua Colangelo-Bryan.

Indian housemaid in Bahrain was critically injured after she jumped from the third floor of an apartment building, allegedly to escape an abusive employer.

The woman who has been identified as Nagamani hails from Andhra Pradesh. She broke her back and suffered multiple fractures after her fall on Monday, the Gulf Daily News reported.

"She has been critically injured. She has her spine fractured in a few places and there are fractures on her legs as well. She is otherwise stable," said a doctor attending her.

Nagamani arrived in the country in January through an agency with the promise of a salary of 40 Bahraini dinars every month. But she says her ordeal started soon after.

Bid to free prisoners
By GEOFFREY BEW
Published: 16th May 2007

TWO of the six prisoners who attempted suicide at the Hidd Detention Centre could be sent home within a week.

Sources told the GDN yesterday that the move was in the pipeline after the detainees were taken to the Public Prosecutor to present their cases on Monday.

"I was told that two of them will be leaving shortly, possibly within a week," said an official, who declined to be identified.

"We are still waiting for news about the others.

"I hope they will do it for all the other men too and that will be the end of it.

Security Watch - breaking news from around the world
and intelligent analysis of the key issues (http://www.isn.ethz.ch)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 May 2007
Bahrain in transition, from blog to street
When Bahrain Online founder Ali Abdulemam and his partners were arrested in February 2005 for hosting a critical United Nations human-rights report about Bahrain, fittingly enough the first to respond were colleagues in the Bahraini blogosphere. From Arab Media & Society.
By Lucas F Schleusener for Arab Media & Society (15/05/07)

By SARA SAMI

A WOMAN who claims she was locked up and sexually assaulted for eight months has been arrested after she showed up at a police station.

The 28-year-old Sri Lankan housemaid claimed she was held prisoner by a man she turned to for help after fleeing from a prostitution den, a Public Prosecution spokesman told the GDN yesterday.

She said she was locked up by the 54-year-old man, also from Sri Lanka, after he offered her a place to stay.

A warrant has now been issued for the man's arrest, added the spokesman.

"She stayed with him for a while until he kicked her out for causing a lot of disturbance and for always yelling at him," he said.

By rebecca torr
Published: 15th May 2007

A BAHRAINI campaigner has joined forces with former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, among others, to launch a new body to promote the role and rights of Muslim women.

Women's Petition Committee head Ghada Jamsheer is one of 10 activists who met in Norway to launch the new forum.

It aims to promote rights, equality, democracy and peace for women and to spread awareness about their role in development.

It also serves as an important platform that women can use to discuss changes to laws that prevent them from enjoying their full rights and how they can be active in the decision-making process of their country.

Rights issues in spotlight
Published: 14th May 2007

HUMAN rights issues in Bahrain and the rest of the Gulf are reportedly being discussed in a series of high-level meetings in Europe.

Talks on why the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) was closed, as well as updates on issues relating to alleged ethnic and sectarian discrimination, political naturalisation, freedom of expression, women's and children's rights, family law and the plight of migrant workers in Bahrain, are included in the conference between the centre, EU stakeholders and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

By GEOFFREY BEW
Published: 13th May 2007

TWO prisoners stranded for almost two years in Bahrain's deportation centre slashed their wrists in apparent suicide attempts yesterday.

The men, an Indian and a Sri Lankan, were taken to the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) after slashing their wrists at around 11.30am.

Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty confirmed the incident and said the men had been treated for their injuries and were "out of danger".

"Two men tried to slash their wrists in the morning but were seen by other prisoners and were taken to hospital," he told the GDN.

Cairo seeks to blog websites

Bahrain society hires lawyers to fight case

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights has appointed three lawyers to represent the case filed by the Egyptian authorities seeking to block the society’s websites.
The president of the society, Mohammed Al Maskati, told the Tribune, “The Egyptian authorities have filed a case in a court in Egypt to bloc our and Takamol Arab Youth Association’s websites. They have alleged that the websites are harming Egypt’s reputation and promoting terrorism in that country.”
Maskati said they had carried statements by human rights activists in Egypt on their websites. “The Takamol Arab Youth Association had posted my statement after the government did not allow me to enter Egypt on the ground that I was on their blacklist. I was sent back to Bahrain. “The issue was posted on the Takamol websites which is why they are also under the scanner. We are taking legal action and have appointed three lawyers to fight our case.” Sandeep Singh Grewal

Quota for women
Rights activists call for greater participation in decision-making process
Titus Filio
Contributor

Rights activists yesterday called on the government to implement quota for women in ministerial jobs and the legislature to ensure more and more women are involved in the decision-making process.
The activists said Bahrain and the other GCC countries should provide quota for women and gradually increase it based on the increasing number of women in political affairs.
The call was issued by some 45 human rights and women activists on the concluding day of a three-day forum on women’s political participation.

200 Thais fleeing pimps every year
By EUNICE del ROSARIO
Published: 13th May 2007

AN average of over 200 Thai women, forced into prostitution in Bahrain, escape their pimps and are sent back to Thailand each year, it was revealed yesterday.

The Thai government reportedly spends 20 million Bhats (about BD222,000) each year to bring home Thai women who escape the sex trade in Bahrain, according to a Bangkok Post report.

"A large number of Thai women enter Bahrain to become sex workers and cost the (Thai) government millions each year," it says.

Four Thai women have just arrived back from Bahrain showing clear signs of physical and mental distress, says the report.

http://archive.gulfnews.com/region/Bahrain/10124175.html

05/09/2007 09:49 PM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief

Manama: A human rights watchdog will hold a rally near Bahrain's biggest shopping complex today to demand greater official efforts to help free two Bahraini citizens at Guantanamo Bay.

"We are holding the protest to demand that the Bahraini government work hard to close this sad chapter for the Bahraini families who have been waiting for more than five years for the return of their relatives," the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights yesterday said in a statement.

By GEOFFREY BEW
Published: 10th May 2007

TWO human rights activists will have their hands and legs cuffed and don notorious orange suits similar to those worn by Guantanamo Bay detainees for a public protest taking place today.

The symbolic protest is taking place near Seef Mall at 5pm to highlight the plight of Bahrain's two remaining detainees at the infamous detention centre in Cuba.

The men, whose identities have not been revealed, will stand at a set of traffic lights leading to the shopping centre.

Their protest has been organised by the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) to remind people of the plight of Bahraini detainees Juma Al Dossary and Isa Al Murbati.

On the occasion of the Universal Day of Freedom of Press and Expression, May 3rd, Movement of Liberties and Democracy "HAQ" issued a special report entitled " BAHRAIN: Press and Freedom of Expression on Trial". HAQ has substantiated the issuance of this report on the growing phenomenon of the trial of journalists in Bahrain, in an attempt to clamp down on freedom of expression that exceeded printed press to include electronic forums, newspapers, sites of intellect and culture, and without sparing private blogs.

In appreciation of the importance of freedom of press and expression, HAQ documented in its report the places of violations under the following headings, and kept within the past year, between the previous and current day of Universal Day of Freedom of Press (May 3 rd, 2006- May 2nd,2007):

Four Thai women forced into prostitution after being tricked by pimps to travel to Bahrain for phantom jobs are on their way home, according to the Gulf Daily News newspaper said.

The newspaper quoted a Thai Embassy spokesman as saying that the women were likely to return to Thailand on Monday or Tuesday.

Two are reportedly injured after jumping from a second-floor apartment in Bahrain to escape the brothel where they were imprisoned.

"Investigations are still under way in regards to these women's individual cases," the newspaper quoted the embassy official.

"It is the embassy's job to protect its citizens and we are very concerned about this problem involving the exploitation of Thai women."

Another worker jumps from flat

By Titus Filio
Contributor

Jumping off flats remain a disturbing phenomenon among distressed workers. At the Salmaniya Medical Centre, hospital staff are still treating a 26-year old Thai woman who injured her left leg after jumping off from a flat last week.
Details on her case are still sketchy but a volunteers group working for migrant workers in the hospital said the Thai woman is recovering but appeared to have been traumatised.
“She is improving but there is information we can get from her,” one volunteer said.
It is not clear what kind of work the Thai woman was in. Thai Embassy officials could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Cultural clashes common complaints in old neighbourhoods
Bader Al Saeed

Cultural clashes between citizens and expatriate labourers in old neighbourhoods constitute the majority of police complaints in Muharraq.
Conservative Bahraini residents find the labourers’ lifestyle disturbing, according to the General Director of Muharraq Governorate Police, Col. Dawood Saleh.
“We have been receiving complaints from locals about shirtless labourers or those who sit outside their labour camps staring at neighbours’ doors or windows,” he said. “Loud music at night is another complaint.”

Address to His Majesty, King of Bahrain, concerning failures of the Supreme Council for Women

His Majesty, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, may God bless him

King of Bahrain

The Women Petition Committee pays tributes of greetings and reverence, wishing your Majesty success in all endeavours in favour of welfare an wellbeing of this country.

Your Majesty,

We have entertained fear of the repercussions on the outcome of the conditions of citizens, in general, and women, in particular, in recent years until last elections, which clearly revealed the inability of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) in confronting plots of some official circles, led by the Royal Court, and in execution of a hidden agenda, and preventing women from entering parliament through the election.

THAI SEX WORKER IN BAHRAIN SEEKS TO EXTRICATE FRIENDS CAUGHT IN CATCH 22 SITUATION
A Thai woman, Uoom, 36, lured to Bahrain as a sex worker, managed to escape back to Thailand, recently, vowing to have her 2 friends still there repatriated with the help of the Pavena Foundation.
The 3 women, Uoom from Sa Kaeo, Bao from Ubon Ratchathani and Tong from Loei had originally been recruited in Pattaya by a Bahrain mamasan, P'Oai, aka Sofia.

Uoom told the reporter "I want to warn other women. If you were convinced by someone who promised you a well-paid job in Bahrain, don't trust them. They will tell you of a dream-like city, but what you'll face is like a hell.”

Unions demand better conditions for workers for
Published: 2 May 2007

A TOP Bahraini trade unionist has complained that unions are not being taken seriously by employers - despite some managing to secure better deals for their members.

Alba Employees Union chairman Ali Albinali says spiraling costs of living demand higher wages, but added many companies are not prepared to cough up.

"We feel that even now, unions are not taken seriously," he told the GDN on the occasion of Labour Day, which was marked around the globe yesterday.

"Our unity has not been shown because many fear to show their resistance to current practices.

بمناسبة اليوم العالمي للعمال: البحرين جنة الأغنياء والمستثمرين، فيما العمال يعانون الفقر والتمييز تقرير بالحقائق والأرقام: إصدار مركز البحرين لحقوق الإنسان - للنشر 1 مايو 2007

2/5/2007

ملخص التقرير:

وزارة العمل تجبر البحرينيين ليصبحوا عمالة رخيصة للقطاع الخاص، بدون شروط عمل ملائمة