| New information
BHR 001 / 0208 / OBS 017.1
Arbitrary detention / Judicial proceedings /
Ill-treatments / Torture
Bahrain
February 28, 2008
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), has received new information and requests
your urgent intervention in the following situation in Bahrain.
New information:
The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about new developments
concerning the trial of 18 persons in Bahrain, including Messrs. Maytham Bader
Jassim Al-Sheikh, Hassan Abdelnabi, Abdullah Mohsen Abdulah Saleh and Ahmad
Jaffar Mohammed Ali, members of the Unemployment Committee, Naji Al-Fateel,
member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), Mohammed Abdullah
Al-Sengais, Head of the Committee to Combat High Prices, and Ebrahim Mohamed
Amin Al-Arab, founding member of the Martyrs and Victims Committee.
According to the information received, on February 24, 2008, a new hearing took
place regarding 18 persons involved in the December demonstration, including the
above-mentioned defenders. The latter were only given 15 minutes to talk to
their lawyers before the hearing. Although the hearing was due to be open, the
police only allowed a few people to get into the judicial “complex” [1].
In the course of the session, Messrs. Al-Sheikh, Abdelnabi, Abdulah Saleh,
Mohammed Ali, Al-Fateel, Al-Sengais and Al-Arab pleaded not guilty on charges of
“illegal gathering” as well as “theft of a weapon and ammunition and possession
of weapon and ammunition without permission” that had been brought against them
in relation to the demonstration held on December 17, 2007 (See background
information). The defendants further complained about the acts of torture and
ill-treatment they have been enduring while in detention, such as being
prevented from sleeping, tied up for long periods and refusal of medical
attention. Some of them reiterated that they have been sexually abused.
Lawyers acting on behalf of the men urged the court to release them on bail or
at least to grant them access to a doctor and medical check-up, but Judge Shaikh
Mohammed bin Ali Al Khalifa dismissed these requests.
A new hearing was set to March 17, 2008 to allow defence lawyers time to get
prepared. After the hearing, the defendants were allowed to meet their relatives
briefly, before being transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Centre, in Muharraq.
The Observatory is highly preoccupied with these allegations of torture and
ill-treatments, which seem to aim at discouraging the Bahraini society to get
involved in human rights activities, and urges the Bahraini authorities to
guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of these
human rights defenders and release them immediately as their detention is
arbitrary.
The Observatory further deplores the decision of the Judge to refuse them access
to medical examination or to release them on bail, and recalls that despite
several denunciations of these arbitrary detentions and allegations of torture
and ill-treatments, the situation of the above-mentioned human rights defenders
has not improved. The Observatory will continue to follow-up the situation
closely, and particularly the recent commitment made by Bahrain to allow a
United Nations visit to review the record of the country on torture, as well as
to train official to human rights standards.
Background information:
On December 17, 2007, a peaceful demonstration at the occasion of the Martyrs’
Day, in the Sanabis area, aiming at paying tribute to victims of torture in the
past, was violently dispersed by members of the riot police and of the special
security force, who heavily resorted to tear gas and rubber bullets. Mr. Ali
Jassim Meki, a human rights defender close to the HAQ Movement of Liberties and
Democracy, who participated in the demonstration, died a few hours later.
Between December 21 and 28, 2007, members of the Special Security Forces began a
wave of arrests that targeted more than 60 activists. As of January 8, 2008, 28
remained in detention, including 11 human rights defenders. Allegedly, all human
rights defenders who were arrested had been involved in public protests during
the last few years that related to economic and social rights and restrictions
on freedoms. As of January 9, some of these human rights defenders have had
access to their lawyers and family, but none of the lawyers were given access to
their clients’ files.
The trial of Messrs. Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh, Hassan Abdelnabi, Abdullah
Mohsen Abdulah Saleh, Ahmad Jaffar Mohammed Ali, Naji Al Fateel, Mohammed
Abdullah Al Sengais and Ebrahim Mohamed Amin Al-Arab was scheduled to start
before the High Criminal Court on February 3, 2008, and later adjourned to
February 24, 2008.
On February 3 and 11, the prisoners were allowed to talk briefly to their
families, and reported that they had been subjected to torture and
ill-treatment, including sexual assault, in the framework of their detention.
Actions requested :
Please write to the authorities of Bahrain urging them to :
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of
Messrs. Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh, Hassan Abdelnabi, Abdullah Mohsen
Abdulah Saleh, Ahmad Jaffar Mohammed Ali, Naji Al Fateel, Mohammed Abdullah Al
Sengais and Ebrahim Mohamed Amin Al-Arab;
ii. Release them immediately and unconditionally, since their detention is
arbitrary as it seems to merely aim at sanctioning their human rights
activities;
iii. Guarantee unconditional access to their lawyers, families and any medical
treatment they may require;
iv. Order a thorough and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned
allegations of torture and ill-treatments, in order to identify all those
responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and
apply to them the penal sanctions provided by the law;
v. Put an end to all forms of harassment against human rights defenders in
Bahrain;
vi. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders,
adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, in
particular its Article 1, which provides that “everyone has the right,
individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the
protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the
national and international levels”, Article 11, which states that “everyone has
the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise
of his or her occupation or profession”, as well as Article 12(1) that provides
“everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to
participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and
fundamental freedoms”;
vii. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and
international instruments ratified by Bahrain.
Addresses:
• Cheikh Hamad bin Issa AL KHALIFA , King of Bahrain, Fax : +973 176 64 587
• Cheikh Khaled Bin Ahmad AL KHALIFA, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tel : +973
172 27 555; fax : +973 172 12 6032
• Cheikh Khalid bin Ali AL KHALIFA, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs, tél
: +973 175 31 333; fax : +973 175 31 284
• Permanent Mission of Bahrain to the United Nations in Geneva, 1 chemin
Jacques-Attenville, 1218 Grand-Saconnex, CP 39, 1292 Chambésy, Switzerland. Fax:
+ 41 22 758 96 50. Email: [email protected]
***
Paris-Geneva, February 28, 2008
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in
your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of
Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of
need. The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the
French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 1 43 55 20 11 / +33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29
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