Document - Bahrain: Concerns about recent arrests and allegations of torture

30 January 2009

AI Index: MDE 11/001/2009

Amnesty International has written to the Bahraini government expressing serious concern about the continuing detention of two prominent Shi’a opposition activists and about allegations that 13 people arrested in December 2008 were tortured and otherwise ill-treated before their "confessions" were broadcast on television.

Date: 28 January 2009
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) has learned that three young men aged 19 and 20 were summoned on 8 January 2009 to renew their detention for an extra 15 days on charges of writing graffiti and sticking posters on the walls of the Ras Rumman area in the capital, Manama.

25 January 2009

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its deep concern regarding the health and life of the young Maythem Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh (33 years), the activist in the Unemployed and Low-waged Committee, due to him being infected with Multiple Sclerosis disease. He is believed to be infected with this disease as a result of the torture he was exposed to after his arrest from his house at dawn on 21 December 2007.

Bahrain: Alarming Deterioration in Human Rights Situation:

Detaining Two Prominent Activists while Releasing a Third on Bail and Ban of Travel
Interrogation Issues: Internet Articles, Speeches, Assembly and Association
Charges Based on Terrorism Law punishable up to Life Imprisonment

Assaulting relatives of the detainees at the General Prosecution Office
Fear of Casualties and More Arrests Following Protests in Many Villages
Abbas Al-Murshed, a Columnist, Hit by a Rubber Bullet in the Eye

Abbas Al-Murshed, 35 years, columnist and Journalist known to be critical of government policies and Ruling elite, hit by a rubber bullet 27 Jan 2008

Bahraini Shiite activists charged
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© AP

3 Bahraini Shiite activists charged
-
© AP
2009-01-28 00:55:02 -

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) - Police fired tear gas at dozens of rioters in various parts of Bahrain on Tuesday as the county's public prosecutor charged three prominent Shiite activists with promoting regime change.
Rioters hurled stones and burned tires and trash cans, causing traffic jams in several areas outside the capital, Manama, witnesses said. Several

Bahrain Shiite activists accused of aiding terrorism
13 hours ago

MANAMA (AFP) — Three Shiite opposition activists in Bahrain who were arrested on Monday were accused on Tuesday of training and financing a terror group, trying to overthrow the regime and inciting opposition, a lawyer told AFP.

Jalila al-Sayed, who is defending Hassan Mesheima, the head of the opposition group Haq ('Rights' in Arabic), said the three charges are based on offences in Sunni-ruled state's anti-terrorism law.

Bahrain arrests spark rioting
MANAMA, Bahrain - Police fired tear gas at dozens of rioters in Bahrain yesterday as the public prosecutor charged three Shiite Muslim activists with promoting a coup.
The island in the Persian Gulf is a close U.S. ally and hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. The country's Shiite majority last month staged widespread protests fueled in part by economic disparities between them and the predominantly Sunni ruling elite.

In an International Study to evaluate the performance of the State members in the UN’s Human Rights Council:

Bahrain adopts a wholesale of negative positions towards the promotion of human rights at the international level

Bahrain displayed negative results in its positions in human rights issues at the international level. Bahrain, as a member State in the UN’s Human Rights Council, took an opposing position towards 9 of 11 key issues regarding the promotion of human rights at the international level. While it declined taking a positive position in the remaining two issues.

Posted on : 2009-01-27 | Author : DPA
News Category : World

Manama, Bahrain - Bahraini authorities charged three opposition figures early Tuesday with attempting to overthrow the government, and their arrest sparked wide spread clashes between supporters and police across the Gulf island. The secretary general of the opposition Haq Movement for Liberty and Democracy, Hasan Mushaima; human rights committee head and Haq spokesman, AbdulJalil al-Singace; and Sheikh Mohammad Habib al-Miqdad were all charged with conspiring to overthrow the Bahraini government.

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Terrorists appeal to clear names
By NOOR TOORANI
Published: 26th January 2009

THREE convicted terrorists appeared in court yesterday to clear their names.

The Bahrainis, who were charged with supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan, were sentenced to six months in prison by the High Criminal Court last January.

However, they were released after remaining in custody for the period of the jail term.

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Activists rap web clamp
By rebecca torr
Published: 26th January 2009

BAHRAIN's new war on porn has been used as cover to silence a host of political websites containing non-sexual content, according to activists.

The Culture and Information Ministry has blocked access to a raft of pornographic websites since last week - including proxy sites that traditionally allowed users to bypass web restrictions.

Relatives: Bahrain arrests 3 Shiite activists

Associated Press
2009-01-26 07:25 PM

Relatives say Bahrain's Sunni-led government has arrested three prominent Shiite activists.
The relatives say those arrested by security forces early Monday morning included Hasan Mushaima, head of the HAQ Movement for Liberty and Democracy; Abdul Jalil Sengace, the group's spokesman; and Sheik Mohammed Habib al-Moqdad, a cleric who has repeatedly called for protests against the government over alleged discrimination against Bahrain's majority Shiites.

Riots erupt in Bahrain over activist arrests
The Associated PressPublished: January 26, 2009

MANAMA, Bahrain: Riots erupted across the tiny Persian Gulf monarchy of Bahrain on Monday following the arrest of three prominent Shiite activists.

Riot police fired tear gas at knots of youths hurling stones and burning car tires in protest over the early morning arrests.

There was no official count on the number of protesters, but the demonstrations erupted in Shiite villages across the small island kingdom, a close U.S.-ally and home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

Bahrain: Strengthening the Security Apparatus Warns of further Repression;
Granting the National Security Apparatus the authority of public security, the power of General Attorney and immunity from prosecution before Civil Courts
Ignoring the legislative and judiciary and taking advantage of the Lawyers Association
Targeting human rights defenders
Campaign of raids and arrests continues in three Shiite villages

Bahrain | 22.01.2009

Reporters Without Borders deplores the directive which the information ministry sent to Internet Service Providers on 14 January ordering them to block access to certain political and commercial websites and warning that only the information ministry could take the decision to unblock a website. At least 25 sites have been blocked since the directive was issued.

King of Bahrain

Bahraini Shi’ites Protest Mosque Closure
Written by The Media Line Staff
Published Tuesday, January 20, 2009
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Spiritual leaders of Bahrain’s Shi’ite community on Monday condemned the closure by the Sunni-led government of a Shi’ite mosque in the capital Manama, the Bahraini daily The Gulf reported.

“I reject the official policy of hegemony and guardianship over mosques, imams and preachers,” president of the Islamic Scholars Council (ISC), Majid Mash’al, told the paper.

BCHR listing of the blocked website by Bahrain Ministry of Information

The Situation
of Women Migrant Domestic Workers in Bahrain

Report submitted to the 42nd session of the CEDAW Committee
October 2008

Table of contents
I. Introduction 3
1. Overview of the major violations of women's rights in Bahrain 3
2. The particular vulnerability of women migrant domestic workers 3

II. The situation of women migrant domestic workers 5
1. Lack of legal protection and the kafala system 5
2. Violence against women migrant domestic workers 7
3. Lack of access to justice 7
4. Trafficking 10

III. Recommendations 12

IV. Annex 14
1. Relevant provisions of CEDAW 14
2. Sources 16

2009/01/17 -
Front Line is deeply concerned following information received regarding an alleged harassment campaign against Ghada Jamsheer, a woman human rights defender. Ghada Jamsheer is the president of the Women's Petition Committee, an organisation which campaigns for the rights and dignity of women in the shari'ah family courts.

(BCHR/IFEX) - On 14 January 2009, local newspapers disclosed a ministerial order by the new minister of culture and information and a member of the royal family, Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, addressed to all telecommunications companies and Internet service providers, calling on them to prevent access to websites that were banned by the ministry.

Human Rights watch -Bahrain
Events of 2008
Human rights conditions in Bahrain deteriorated in 2008. Despite the important reforms that the king, Shaikh Hamad bin `Isa al-Khalifa, adopted in 2001-02, the government has done little to institutionalize human rights protections in law. The government continues to subject freedom of expression, assembly, and association to arbitrary restrictions. People detained after demonstrators and security forces clashed in Manama in December 2007 alleged they were tortured.

Bahrain
Events of 2008
Human rights conditions in Bahrain deteriorated in 2008. Despite the important reforms that the king, Shaikh Hamad bin `Isa al-Khalifa, adopted in 2001-02, the government has done little to institutionalize human rights protections in law. The government continues to subject freedom of expression, assembly, and association to arbitrary restrictions. People detained after demonstrators and security forces clashed in Manama in December 2007 alleged they were tortured.

Several injured in clash outside Bahraini courthouse
Posted : Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:27:12 GMT
Author : DPA
Category : World
Manama, Bahrain - At least six people, mainly women, were injured on Monday after police clashed with protesters near a Bahraini courthouse shortly after the court adjourned a controversial case over the killing of a policeman. The clashes erupted as family members of 19 defendants surrounded police buses getting ready to transport the defendant back to their detention centres.

Bahrain: Security Authorities return to the use of torture by “falaqa” and electrocution to extract confessions from detainees

The detainees were unaware that they were being filmed while stating their confessions in a pre-prepared film to convict them and to mislead public opinion

Date: 13 January

(BCHR/IFEX) - For two weeks in a row, reforms activist Hasan Mushaima has been prevented from reaching the Al-Sadeq mosque in the capital city of Manama, where he used to deliver a speech after the Friday evening prayers. Heavily armed foreign mercenaries were deployed to take over the area of the mosque, preventing its caretaker from opening it for prayers and blocking those who attend the mosque from entering its parking lot.

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'Deal' to free arson three
Published: 13th January 2009

DEFENCE lawyers representing 13 men accused of arson yesterday claimed police had cut a deal to release three of their clients.

However, they said the men were still in police custody and there was no indication of when they would be released.

The lawyers are now demanding to know what was in documents allegedly signed by three of their clients - and which 10 of them allegedly refused to sign.

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Families in new court clash
By NOOR TOORANI
Published: 13th January 2009

FAMILIES of 19 men accused of murdering a policeman clashed with riot police in the Diplomatic Area yesterday. Traffic was brought to a standstill after the men's relatives chased a minibus carrying them back to jail following their appearance in the High Criminal Court.

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Police murder trial to resume
Published: 12th January 2008

EIGHTEEN lawyers have agreed to appear in court today to defend 19 men accused of murdering a Pakistani policeman.

They previously boycotted the high-profile trial, but will appear today despite several of their demands being turned down.

The defendants refused to be represented by other attorneys during a High Criminal Court hearing on December 1 when all of their lawyers failed to show up.

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Activist denies the evidence
Published: 11th January 2009

MANAMA: There has been a new twist in the case of an activist accused of inciting unrest against the kingdom's rulers.Abdulhadi Al Khwaja, secretary-general of the dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, had denied making an inflammatory speech in a Manama street during Ashoora - using bad words to discredit the kingdom and create hatred.

Bahrain: Human Rights Defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja released on bail

Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, has been informed that Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and now Protection Coordinator for the Middle East at Front Line (excluding Bahrain), has been interrogated for several hours at the Public Prosecutors Office (PPO) in Bahrain on the 9th of January 2009.

Former BCHR President Released on Bail
Targeting of Activists Continues in Violation of Freedom of Expression
Media Defamation Campaign Continues Against Activists

TV 'confessions' against the law
By BASMA MOHAMMED
Published: 7th January 2009

LAWYERS for the 14 Bahrainis arrested over the alleged National Day terror plot are to complain to judicial authorities over a television broadcast purportedly showing them confessing. The broadcast and release to the print media of the men's alleged confessions are against the law, said Mohammed Ahmed, one of the four-man defence team for the 14 accused.

He said he would be filing a complaint with the Supreme Judicial Council.

Bahraini prosecutors interrogate activist
45 minutes ago

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — A leading Shiite human rights activist in Bahrain said he was summoned Friday by Bahrain's state prosecutors on suspicion of inciting against the kingdom's Sunni rulers.

Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja said he was interrogated for four hours but that he isn't certain whether charges would follow.

A prosecution official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with official policies in Bahrain, later said in a statement that al-Khawaja is also accused of promoting the use of violence against the regime.

Bahrain: Arbitrary detention of human rights defender Abdul-Redha Hassan Al-Saffar
Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that the Bahrainian authorities have refused to disclose the whereabouts of human rights defender, Mr Abdul-Redha Hassan Al-Saffar, who was arbitrarily arrested, early in the morning of 21 December 2008, from his residence in Mahooze village by state security forces despite there being no arrest warrant against him. No reason has been given for his arrest and his whereabouts are as yet unknown.

Bahrain
January 7, 2009

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Bahrain.

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Lawyers protest
By NOOR TOORANI
Published: 5th January 2009

LAWYERS yesterday demanded the right to meet 14 Bahrainis accused of the National Day terror plot without police sitting in. Part of the defence team was allowed to visit six of the men yesterday, but immediately filed an objection to police being present, saying it was against the law.

A lawyer and several assistants met clients at the Public Prosecution in the presence of police, said defence team member Mohammed Al Jishi.

Bahraini parties say religious freedom infringed
13 hours ago

MANAMA (AFP) — Political parties in Bahrain accused the interior ministry on Sunday of infringing religious freedoms after it prevented a Shiite cleric from speaking at a mosque.

The five political parties, two of them Shiite, issued a statement condemning interior ministry intervention in matters of prayer and sermons, after officials prevented Hassan Mesheima from giving a speech in a mosque on Friday.

Bahraini Authorities stepping up in targeting Shiite citizens

Bahrain- 2009-01-03

Sh Ali Makki was attacked by the riot police

Bahrain: A New Wave of Arrests Justified By The Uncovering A “Terror Plot”
Broadcasting “Confessions” on Government TV-Cannel before Legal Charging or Trial
Defaming Campaign against Activists and Leading Human Rights Defenders
Detention of Human Rights Defender Abdul-Redha Al-Saffar

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Helping fight terror
By MOHAMMED AL A'ALI
Published: 1st JANUARY 2009

MANAMA: Bahrain is working in tandem with security forces in Syria and the UK to bring to book those behind the National Day terror plot, it was revealed yesterday.

Investigations are continuing here and abroad, Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa told MPs and Shura members.

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UK and Syria help Bahrain fight terror
By MOHAMMED AL A'ALI
Published: 1st JANUARY 2009

THE hunt is on here and abroad for more people involved in the National Day terror plot, it was revealed yesterday.

Bahrain is working in tandem with security forces in Syria and the UK to bring to book those behind the plot, it was revealed yesterday.

Investigations are continuing here and abroad, Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa told MPs and Shura Council members.