Human Rights First: Torture and Unfair Trial of Protesters in Bahrain

May 12, 2011

Manama, Bahrain— Human Rights First is gravely concerned at today’s unfair trial in Bahrain of 21 suspects involved in recent protests calling for greater respect for human rights and democracy in the island kingdom.

Human Rights First was refused entry at the courtroom door this morning despite assurances from the Bahraini authorities that human rights organizations and other observers would be admitted. “Relatives of the defendants who were permitted access told us they looked in bad physical and mental shape,” said Brian Dooley of Human Rights First. “Several were limping and others have suffered drastic weight loss. They have not had adequate time to consult their lawyers, and there are credible reports of their torture in custody.”

The 21 suspects before the Lower National Safety Court today include prominent human rights defenders and opposition leaders. They have been charged with various national security crimes, including “insulting the army,” “organizing and managing a terrorist group for the overthrow and the change of the country’s constitution and the royal rule,” and “seeking and correspond[ing] with a terrorist organization abroad working for a foreign country to conduct heinous acts.” Some of these charges carry the death penalty.

“The hearing today was conducted in a heavily militarized atmosphere,” said Dooley. “The court buildings were full of armed soldiers, some wearing black masks.” Leading human rights defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja is among those charged. His wife and daughter Zeinab were allowed a 10-minute meeting with him on Sunday. Zeinab told Human Rights First that his face had been badly damaged with multiple fractures while in the custody of security forces. He had undergone a four-hour operation in the military hospital. “But when he was supposed to be recovering from the operation they tortured him again,” she said. …more

May 12, 2011, 6:03 pm
Bahrain’s Protesters Were Drugged, Official Claims
By ROBERT MACKEY

Adopting what might be called the Qaddafi defense, the head of Bahrain’s military claimed that the country’s brutal crackdown on dissent was entirely justified because the kingdom’s security forces had been confronted by young protesters under the influence of mind-altering drugs.

According to Bahrain’s state news agency, Sheik Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said on Wednesday that “young people were given pills which affected their minds and made them do unusual things.” He also claimed “that Bahrain had been the victim [of] a conspiracy involving foreign agents and financing.”

Bahrain’s Sunni Muslim royal family has claimed that protesters from the kingdom’s Shiite majority were terrorists sponsored by their coreligionists in Iran.

The commander of the Bahrain Defence Force said that the young people had been drugged at the Pearl Roundabout, a traffic circle in Manama, Bahrain’s capital, that was occupied by protesters until it was cleared by the security forces in a deadly raid. The area was later renamed the Gulf Cooperation Council Roundabout and given “a facelift,” which included the destruction of a monument on the site that had become an icon of the protest movement.

The Bahrain News Agency – which has a banner across the top of its Web site with a photograph of King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa and the text “We Are All Hamad” – also reported that Mr. Khalifa said that the Saudi-led force sent to Bahrain to help suppress the demonstrations will remain in Bahrain after the current state of emergency is lifted, “in anticipation of any foreign threat.” …source

Human Rights in Bahrain
Hearing Friday, May 13, 2011 10 AM B-318 Rayburn House Office Building

This hearing will take place at 10 AM on 5/13/2011, in B-318 Rayburn House Office Building.
The Hearing is open to members of Congress, congressional staff, the media and the interested public.
Date Friday, May 13, 2011
Time 10 AM
Location B-318 Rayburn House Office Building
Background *REVISED NOTICE*

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on the current human rights situation in Bahrain. Since mid-February, reports of human rights violations in Bahrain have increased significantly as Bahraini authorities have attempted to suppress anti-government protests. [Read more →]

Bahrain court adjourns high-profile trial; sentences man to 15 years for attempted murder
Manama : Bahrain | May 12, 2011
By yasirqazi

Manama: A Bahraini court on Thursday sentenced a man to 15 years for attempting to murder policemen.

The court, made up of one military and two civilian judges, found Mohammad Yusuf Kadhem guilty of the murder attempt, and sentenced him.
He now has 12 days to appeal the verdict.

Separate case adjourned

In a separate case, the court adjourned the high-profile trial of 21 defendants, including seven who are being tried in absentia, to May 16 after lawyers requested more time to study the charges and testimonies. Some of the lawyers appeared for the first time before the court. The court on its first session postponed the start of the pleadings after some defendants said that they did not appoint lawyers. The court gave them time to ask their families to find legal representatives. Under Bahrain’s laws, no case can proceed without at least one lawyer for the defendant.

Political regime

The 14 defendants present at the court on Thursday, including Ebrahim Shareef, the head of liberal society Waad and activist Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja, faced up to 12 charges, including incitement to topple the political regime.

A call by the lawyers to release them on bail during the investigation was rejected by the prosecutor who argued that the charges were too serious to allow them to go home regardless of the guarantees. In their opening remarks, the lawyers disputed the merit of the court, saying that it had no competence to look into the case.

Several activists were present at the trial and the judge allowed [some of] the defendants to meet their newly appointed lawyers and their relatives.

Defendants’ charges

The defendants are charged with establishing and managing terror groups to topple the state royal regime and change its constitution; intelligence with an overseas terrorist organisation to commit hostile acts against Bahrain; attempting to forcefully and change Bahrain’s constitution and toppling its political regime; inciting for the toppling of the political regime; collecting funds and paying terror groups, with knowledge of their terrorist activities; possessing documents and publications inciting the overthrow of the political regime; insulting the army; public incitement of hatred and contempt of the regime; disseminating false information, rumours and malicious propaganda that would disrupt public order and harm public interest; inciting non-compliance with laws and promoting a matter that is considered a crime; and taking part in rallies without notifying the competent authorities.

The defendants in custody are Abdul Wahab Hussain Ali Ahmad, Ebrahim Sharif Abdul Raheem Mussa, Hassan Ali Mushaima, Abdul Hadi Abdullah Al Khawaja, Abdul Jalil Abdullah Al Singees, Mohammad Habib Al Saffaf, Saeed Mirza Ahmad, Abdul Jalil Radhi Makki, Abdul Hadi Abdullah Hassan, Al Hur Yusuf Al Somaikh, Abdullah Eisa Al Mahroos, Salah Abdullah Hubail, Mohammad Hassan Jawad and Mohammad Ali Ridha Ismail.

The seven who are being tried in absentia are Sayyid Aqeel Ahmad Al Mahfoodh, Ali Hassan Abdul Imam, Abdul GhaniAbdul Ghani Eisa Ghanger, Saeed Abdulnabi Al Shehabi, Abdul Raoof Abdullah Al Shayeb, Abbas Nasser Omran and Ali Hassan Mushaima. …souce

Bahrain opposition leaders plead not guilty
May 12, 2011

Bahraini opposition leaders pleaded not guilty in court on Thursday of charges of belonging to a terrorist group and attempting to overthrow the monarchy, state news agency BNA reported. Fourteen out of a group of 21 defendants appeared before a special court set up in the wake of a mid-March crackdown on Shia-led protests demanding political reforms in the kingdom ruled by a Sunni royal family. The other defendants who are abroad are being tried in absentia.

“They all answered not guilty” to all charges, except for Abduljalil al-Muqdad, who “admitted taking part in unauthorized demonstrations,” BNA reported.

Among those on trial is also Ibrahim Sharif, the Sunni leader of the secular group Waed, who played a prominent role in the month-long protests.
Hassan Mashaima, the leader of the Shia opposition Haq movement, and Abdulwahab Hussein, the head of Shia Wafa Islamic Movement, as well as Shiite rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, are included in the group.

The trial was adjourned until May 16.

The accused are charged with “forming and directing a terrorist group aimed at overthrowing and changing the constitution of the state and the monarchy system,” according to the charge sheet. They are also accused of “having contact with a terrorist group abroad that operates in the interest of a foreign country by conducting hostile acts against the kingdom of Bahrain,” in reference to Shia Iran.

The charges also include “raising funds for the terrorist group.” Bahraini authorities say 24 people including four policemen were killed in the unrest, and they turned over 405 detainees to military courts and have released 312 others.

A special court has already sentenced four Shia to death and three others to life in jail after convicting them of killing two policemen who were allegedly run over by cars. Another was sentenced to seven years in prison for the attempted murder of policemen during the protests.

Bahrain has come under strong criticism from international human rights organizations for its heavy-handed crackdown on the Gulf state’s majority Shia, including medical staff. …source

Bahrain court adjourns high-profile trial; sentences man to 15 years for attempted murder

Court on its first session postponed the start of the pleadings after some defendants said that they did not appoint lawyers
by Habib Toumi, Bureau chief – Published: 19:05 May 12, 2011 – Gulf News

Manama: A Bahraini court on Thursday sentenced a detainee to 15 years on charges of attempting to murder policemen. The court, made up of one military and two civilian judges, found Mohammad Yusuf Kadhem guilty of the murder bid and sentenced him. He now has 12 days to appeal the verdict.

In a separate case, the court adjourned the high-profile trial of 21 defendants, including seven who are being tried in absentia, to May 16 after lawyers requested more time to study the charges and testimonies. Some of the lawyers appeared for the first time before the court. The court on its first session postponed the start of the pleadings after some defendants said that they did not appoint lawyers. The court gave them time to ask their families to find legal representatives.

Under Bahrain’s laws, no case can proceed without at least one lawyer for the defendant.

The 14 defendants present at the court on Thursday, including Ebrahim Shareef, the head of liberal society Waad and activist Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja, faced up to 12 charges, including incitement to topple the political regime. A call by the lawyers to release them on bail during the investigation was rejected by the prosecutor who argued that the charges were too serious to allow them to go home regardless of the guarantees. In their opening remarks, the lawyers disputed the merit of the court, saying that it had no competence to look into the case. Several activists were present at the trial and the judge allowed the defendants to meet their newly appointed lawyers and their relatives. The defendants are charged with establishing and managing terror groups to topple the state royal regime and change its constitution; intelligence with an overseas terrorist organisation to commit hostile acts against Bahrain; attempting to forcefully and change Bahrain’s constitution and toppling its political regime; inciting for the toppling of the political regime; collecting funds and paying terror groups, with knowledge of their terrorist activities; possessing documents and publications inciting the overthrow of the political regime; insulting the army; public incitement of hatred and contempt of the regime; disseminating false information, rumours and malicious propaganda that would disrupt public order and harm public interest; inciting non-compliance with laws and promoting a matter that is considered a crime; and taking part in rallies without notifying the competent authorities.

The defendants in custody are Abdul Wahab Hussain Ali Ahmad, Ebrahim Sharif Abdul Raheem Mussa, Hassan Ali Mushaima, Abdul Hadi Abdullah Al Khawaja, Abdul Jalil Abdullah Al Singees, Mohammad Habib Al Saffaf, Saeed Mirza Ahmad, Abdul Jalil Radhi Makki, Abdul Hadi Abdullah Hassan, Al Hur Yusuf Al Somaikh, Abdullah Eisa Al Mahroos, Salah Abdullah Hubail, Mohammad Hassan Jawad and Mohammad Ali Ridha Ismail. The seven who are being tried in absentia are Sayyid Aqeel Ahmad Al Mahfoodh, Ali Hassan Abdul Imam, Abdul Ghani Eisa Ghanger, Saeed Abdulnabi Al Shehabi, Abdul Raoof Abdullah Al Shayeb, Abbas Nasser Omran and Ali Hassan Mushaima.
…source

Bahrain military chief says Gulf troops to stay on
(AP)

12 May 2011, 4:18 PM
Saudi-led forces sent to Bahrain to help crush anti-government protests will remain even after emergency rule is lifted next month, the head of the kingdom’s military said. Saudi-led forces sent to Bahrain to help crush anti-government protests will remain even after emergency rule is lifted next month, the head of the kingdom’s military said in a move that is likely to deepen regional tensions with Iran.

In response, Gulf leaders have sharply warned Iran to stay out of their affairs and accused Bahrain’s protesters of having links to groups such as the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. The Bahrain military commander, Sheik Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, also threatened even harsher crackdowns if demonstrators return to the streets in the strategic US ally, which is home to the Navy’s 5th Fleet.

“I say to those who did not get the message, ‘If you return we will come back, stronger this time,’” Sheik Ahmed was quoted as saying late Wednesday by the official Bahrain News Agency. Meanwhile, the expected resumption of a trial against 21 opposition leaders and human rights activists was adjourned until May 16. The activists are accused of plotting against the state and having links to foreign factions — an apparent reference to Hezbollah.

Fourteen of the suspects are in custody and the rest are being tried in absentia in a special security court set up under martial law-style rule imposed in March. Separately, the same court also convicted another opposition supporter on charges of attempted murder of a police officer and participation in a protest aimed at disrupting public order, a report by the state-run Bahrain News Agency said Thursday. It added that the protester, Hamad Yousef Kazim, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Kazim’s court-appointed lawyer can appeal the sentence, the report also said.

Bahrain’s king said the emergency rule will be lifted June 1. But the military chief’s statements suggest a heavy security presence will remain along with the Saudi-led troops. Bahrain’s Shias comprise about 70 percent of the population, but claim widespread discrimination and abuses at the hands of the 200-year-old ruling Sunni dynasty. …more

Editors note: at todays trial, May 12 2011 – Breaking News – “Unlike others, AbdulHadi Alkhawaja was not allowed to meet his family after trial today, probably to prevent revealing more torture marks.” ….more to follow.

Story 9 May 2011
Bahrain: Serious concerns about torture and fair trial of former Front Line Protection Coordinator Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja

Front Line expressed its shock and horror at the physical condition of its former Protection Coordinator Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja when he was presented for trial in Manama on Sunday 8 May 2011. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja had visibly been brutally beaten and had reportedly been taken to the military hospital to undergo a 4-hour operation during his period in incommunicado detention. Witnesses to the opening of the trial process reported he bore the evidence of having endured severe torture. He was reportedly the victim of 4 fractures to the side of his face and continues to have problems eating.

Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was one of 21 individuals presented for trial charged with a variety of charges including ”organising and managing a terrorist organisation” and “attempt to overthrow the government by force and in liaison with a terrorist organisation working for a foreign country.”

Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and was until February 2011 employed by Front Line as its Middle East and North Africa Protection Coordinator. He stepped down from this international role with Front Line to engage with the peaceful protests in Bahrain. Front Line is profoundly shocked by the violent treatment Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja has received, and calls for an urgent independent inquiry into his treatment and for those responsible to be brought to justice. More than 120 human rights defenders across the Middle East and North Africa have called for Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja’s release. …more

CONTACT: Jessica Rosenblum, Human Rights First,
C: 202-279-0005, W: 202-265-3000 | Jessica@rabinowitz-dorf.com
“When he was recovering from the operation they tortured him again,” Torture and Unfair Trial of Protesters in Bahrain
For Immediate Release: May 12, 2011

Manama, Bahrain— Human Rights First is gravely concerned at today’s unfair trial in Bahrain of 21 suspects involved in recent protests calling for greater respect for human rights and democracy in the island kingdom.

Human Rights First was refused entry at the courtroom door this morning despite assurances from the Bahraini authorities that human rights organizations and other observers would be admitted. “Relatives of the defendants who were permitted access told us they looked in bad physical and mental shape,” said Brian Dooley of Human Rights First. “Several were limping and others have suffered drastic weight loss. They have not had adequate time to consult their lawyers, and there are credible reports of their torture in custody.”

The 21 suspects before the Lower National Safety Court today include prominent human rights defenders and opposition leaders. They have been charged with various national security crimes, including “insulting the army,” “organizing and managing a terrorist group for the overthrow and the change of the country’s constitution and the royal rule,” and “seeking and correspond[ing] with a terrorist organization abroad working for a foreign country to conduct heinous acts.” Some of these charges carry the death penalty.

“The hearing today was conducted in a heavily militarized atmosphere,” said Dooley. “The court buildings were full of armed soldiers, some wearing black masks.” Leading human rights defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja is among those charged. His wife and daughter Zeinab were allowed a 10-minute meeting with him on Sunday. Zeinab told Human Rights First that his face had been badly damaged with multiple fractures while in the custody of security forces. He had undergone a four-hour operation in the military hospital. “But when he was supposed to be recovering from the operation they tortured him again,” she said. …more