Freedom House - 28 July 2005

Political Rights: 5
Civil Liberties: 5
Status: Partly Free
Population: 700,000
GNI/Capita: $11,130
Life Expectancy: 74
Religious Groups: Shi'a Muslim (70 percent), Sunni Muslim (30 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Bahraini (63 percent), Asian (19 percent), other Arab (10 percent), Iranian (8 percent)
Capital: Manama

Human Rights Watch

(Washington, July 22, 2005) — The Bahraini government should immediately investigate security personnel who severely beat people assembling to monitor or participate in a demonstration, Human Rights Watch said today.

The attack occurred on July 15 when police moved to prevent people from gathering to protest the state budget for 2005-2006, just passed by the National Assembly. The organizers of the protest claimed that the measure failed to include provisions for unemployed workers. Unemployment is a major problem in Bahrain.

Among those attacked and injured by police were prominent human rights activists `Abd al-Hadi al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab, president and vice-president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights respectively, and labor rights activist `Abbas al-`Umran. Rajab told Human Rights Watch that at least 30 persons required hospital treatment for injuries they had sustained.

Italy - Venice - 21-23 July 2005

Intervention by Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, president , Bahrain center for Human Rights:

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Public Statement

AI Index: MDE 11/003/2005 (Public)
News Service No: 196

Amnesty International is deeply disturbed at the reported use of excessive and unnecessary force by Bahraini security forces against people preparing for a peaceful demonstration. On 15 July 2005 a group of 15 people, including five women, and two leading human rights activists, ‘Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab, of the dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), arrived at the scene of a planned demonstration against unemployment. The authorities had reportedly been informed of the demonstration a week earlier. However, before all demonstrators had gathered security forces charged at the 15, and others who had joined them, beating them. A total of 32 people were said to have been beaten and needed hospital treatment. Nabeel Rajab is said to have sustained a fractured arm, a head injury and a broken finger while others suffered bruising on various parts of their bodies. No arrests were made.

Front Line - 16 July 2005

Front Line is seriously concerned by the reported assault and ill-treatment of human rights defenders, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab, President and Vice-president of Bahrain Center for Human Rights, respectively.

On 15 July 2005, in Manama, the two human rights defenders were monitoring preparations for a peaceful demonstration by the Committee for the Unemployed to protest against the government's management of current unemployment levels. Shortly before it was due to begin the security police arrived and allegedly began beating individuals, many of whom were not actually participating in the demonstration.