Posts from — June 2011

Kuwait: Free Speech and Assembly Under Attack
Some Protections Promised for Non-Citizens
January 31, 2011

This year, Kuwait’s government grew more and more comfortable harassing Kuwaitis who dared criticize the government. Watching what’s happening in the streets of Egypt and Tunisia, the Kuwaiti government should think long and hard about depriving people of their basic human rights to free speech and assembly.
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch

(Kuwait City) – Kuwait carried out a major crackdown on freedom of expression and assembly during 2010, Human Rights Watch said today, in issuing its World Report 2011.

The 649-page report, the organization’s 21st annual review of human rights practices around the globe, summarizes major human rights issues in more than 90 countries worldwide. During 2010, the government tightened restrictions on public gatherings and began using violent methods of enforcement, Human Rights Watch said. Kuwait should allow activists to assemble peacefully and halt both state security cases and criminal defamation prosecutions against peaceful political activists, Human Rights Watch said.

“This year, Kuwait’s government grew more and more comfortable harassing Kuwaitis who dared criticize the government,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Watching what’s happening in the streets of Egypt and Tunisia, the Kuwaiti government should think long and hard about depriving people of their basic human rights to free speech and assembly.” …more

Kuwait: Dozens Injured, Arrested in Bidun Crackdown
State Security Disperses Hundreds of Stateless Residents
February 20, 2011

Kuwaiti authorities should look around the neighborhood to see that violent attacks on demonstrators only fuel the protests. The government should allow demonstrators to speak and assemble freely – as is their right.
Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch

(New York) – Hundreds of stateless residents of Kuwait took to the streets on February 18, 2011, to demand their rights, with dozens seeking treatment for injuries in local hospitals and dozens more detained by state security, Human Rights Watch said today.

Human Rights Watch called on Kuwaiti authorities to release the “Bidun” protesters or charge them with a criminal offence and bring them immediately before an independent judge.

The Kuwait government has issued repeated warnings that people should not gather in public, despite the country’s commitment under international law to protect the right to peaceful assembly.

Kuwait: Stateless ‘Bidun’ Denied Rights
Fifty Years of Waiting, but Government Offers Only Handouts
June 13, 2011

During February and March 2011, hundreds of stateless Bidun took to the streets in Kuwait to demand government action on their claims for citizenship, as well as access to other rights.

For 50 years, Kuwait has dawdled in reviewing Bidun citizenship claims, while creating a straightjacket of regulations that leave them in poverty and extreme uncertainty. Kuwait has every resource it needs to solve this problem, but chooses to stall instead.

Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch

(Kuwait City) – Kuwait has not made good on its decades of promises to address citizenship claims for more than 106,000 stateless Bidun residents, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.

The 63-page report, “Prisoners of the Past: Kuwaiti Bidun and the Burden of Statelessness,” describes how in Kuwait, one of the world’s richest countries, the Bidun live under the radar of normal society, vulnerable and without protection. Many live in poverty. Kuwait considers the Bidun “illegal residents.” The government has denied them essential documentation, including birth, marriage, and death certificates, as well as access to free government schools and legal employment opportunities. …more

Kuwait Workers death due to heat stroke; Human rights request investigation
Posted on 6/14/2011

Chairman of the basics of Human rights committee Dr Adel Al-Damkhi has requested to open an investigation into the death of an unidentified worker who allegedly feel down from atop a telecommunication tower in Ahmedi due to heat stroke so that officers responsible for his death are punished, reports local daily.

Al Damkhi added the death of the worker proves human rights of workers are still being violated.

It also proves the law issued by ministry of social affairs and labor to prevent people working under direct heat of the sun between 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm is not being implemented by some companies. …source

Kuwaiti Twitter user arrested for criticizing Bahrain, Saudi Arabia
Nasser Abul, a Shi’ite Muslim, tweeted information about anti-government protests in Bahrain; this is not the first time a blogger has been detained in Kuwait.

A young Kuwaiti man was detained recently for his criticism of the Bahraini and Saudi royal families.
Bahrain mosque – AP – June 10 2011

Nasser Abul, a Shi’ite Muslim, published the critical remarks via his Twitter feed, at a very high frequency, until June 7. Notable among his tweets was information about the recent anti-government protests in Bahrain. He also uploaded photographs of people killed in the protests. In most of the cases, he re-tweeted other users’ messages via his own feed.

This is not the first time that a blogger has been detained in Kuwait. Three months ago, a local blogger was released from a two-month stint in prison for slandering the name of the prime minister. ...more

[success!!! – Zainab tweets – @angryarabiya: We have been released!!! :) ]

[latest update – The three girls have now been moved to the public prosecution’s office. On Wed, Jun 15, 2011 at 6:41 PM]

[follow-up, Asma Darwish,Sawsan Jawad and Zainab Alkhawaja – Sit-in – see previous post]
This is the statement by the Ministry of Interior saying:

Following a tip-off by Bahrain-based UN office, legal measures have been
taken today against three women who entered the UN premises after the
official work time and refused to leave when asked to do so, the Director
General of the Capital Governorate Police Directorate said.

A police report has been written about the incident which is considered as a
crime punishable by the law, he added.

URGENT APPEAL: relatives of the detainees in Bahrain protesting inside the UN building
June 15th, 2011

Families of detainees in Bahrain, told Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) that they are now ( 1 pm – Bahrain Time- 15 June 2011) sit in the United Nations building to demand the release of detainees and urgent investigation into violations of human rights.

Asma Darwish,Sawsan Jawad and Zainab Alkhawaja, sent to the BYSHR the letter, which will be handed over to the UN office in Bahrain. ( Attached )

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) calls for urgent actions to protect the families of detainees by the United Nations. …more

Mexico Anti-Violence Protesters Arrive in U.S., Demand Change from American People, Government

A caravan of Mexican anti-violence protesters arrived in the United States over the weekend. Mexican poet, Javier Sicilia, led the traveling protest, which began last week south of Mexico City and ended in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday. Sicilia demanded the United States end the Merida Initiative, which provides training and support for the Mexican army in its “war on drugs.” The Mexican military has been criticized for contributing to the nation’s violence since President Felipe Calderón militarized the drug war in 2006. Sicilia also called on the American people to recognize their own role in fueling drug violence by purchasing and consuming narcotics. To date, more than 35,000 people have died in Mexico as drug cartels and the Mexican government struggle for control of the region. Javier Sicilia began speaking out after the murder of his son.

Javier Sicilia, Mexican poet and peace convoy leader: “We are asking for a national security law for the whole country and also for different forms of taking care of our own citizens, of which there are many ways. We are also asking for more money and investment into our students and for more opportunities for our students. We need to stop feeding violence and start feeding education and culture.” …source

FBI probe could be headache for President Obama
By REID J. EPSTEIN | 6/14/11 7:26 AM EDT

President Barack Obama’s Midwestern labor supporters are angry about a growing FBI investigation targeting peace and union activists in the Midwest, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The probe – which the report says could cause “political discomfort” for the president as he gears up for re-election – dates to the 2008 protests at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota and has led to subpoenas issued to 23 people, all of whom are vocal critics of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and South America.

Backed by a coalition of labor – which includes local and statewide affiliates of key Democratic allies like AFSCME, the SEIU – a group calling itself the Committee to Stop FBI Repression has organized to protest the investigation. On its website, the group posted letters of support from seven members of Congress, including Obama allies like Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

Schakowsky wrote in April to Attorney General Eric Holder to “convey concerns raised with me” about a September FBI raid that targeted antiwar activists in Chicago and Minneapolis.

The seven-term Chicago Democrat shared with Holder a letter from attorney Michael E. Deutsch of the People’s Law Office in Chicago claiming those targeted in the probe are being investigated because they have spoken out against U.S. foreign policy. …more

[Editor Note: cannot be independently verified at this time]

iReport —

Severely Tortured Bahraini “Jaber Ibrahim al-Alawiat” Martyred A “severely tortured” Bahraini anti-regime activist has martyred a day after he was released from jail, witnesses say. Witnesses say Jaber Ibrahim al-Alawiat was “severely tortured” by Bahraini regime forces while in detention. The activist had been imprisoned for taking part in anti-government protests that have been brutally suppressed by the Saudi-backed security forces in Bahrain. According to rights groups, including Amnesty International, at least 500 people have been detained in crackdowns since the country-wide protests began in mid-February. On Monday, a Bahraini military court tried 48 doctors, nurses and paramedics that were accused of supporting anti-government protesters. They face a whole host of charges, including an attempt to overthrow the monarchy, possessing weapons and stealing medicine. Rights groups have reportedly expressed concern about the military court proceedings, which have either been held behind closed doors or with only select media and family members allowed to observe.
…source

The Media Line:

Bahrain Backtracks on Workers’ Rights Reform
Written by Rachelle Kliger
Published Monday, June 15, 2009
BCHR
Bahrain has decided not to revoke a system that has been criticized for violating the rights of foreign workers.

The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) said it would not be canceling the sponsorship system, which stipulates that foreign workers in the Gulf country must be sponsored by an employee in order to obtain a work visa and cannot switch jobs freely.

The decision to cancel the sponsorship system was announced last month and was praised by human right activists and labor organizations. But the BCCI is now saying the sponsorship system will remain intact. Under discussion instead are considerations that will allow workers to switch employers more freely, the BCCI said.

“There’s a lot of pressure from the business community and many of the business [people] are big officials in the government,” Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights told The Media Line.

Contrary to some reports, Rajab said the sponsorship system was never abolished but said “the government tried to market it that way.” Restrictions were alleviated to make it easier for the workers to change employers and this was indeed welcomed by human rights organizations, he said. …more

Journalists in Bahrain: The Murder of Free Speech and the Siege of Freedom
More than 68 journalists have been subjected to lay-off, arrest and threats because of their work
Bahraini journalists call for a helping hand and for the adoption of measures to insure their safety.
BCHR – 3 May 2011

Since the 14th of February 2011, Bahrain has seen a political movement demanding freedom, democracy, and the revival of communal partnership in the framework of the civil movements seeking freedom which are currently overrunning Arab countries. This was followed by brutal security crackdowns and the entry of the Peninsula Shield forces (Military units of 6 Gulf countries) into Bahrain. Journalists engaged in this event with daily coverage through both their jobs at local newspapers, through their announcements on satellite television stations, by writing to Arabic newspapers in the framework of their presence at the site of action, and via effective action through online social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter. Because of that, journalists have been subjected to a campaign of lay-offs and collective arrests affecting more than 68 journalists, while many have received different threats originating from the Bahraini authorities, its associated organizations, and affiliated parties. The online activist Zakariya Al Aushayri has been killed in detention and Reporters without Borders have released an official statement demanding an investigation into the incident, indeed the reporters Faisal Hayyat, Hayder Mohammad, Ali Jawad, and other bloggers and e-activist have been arrested. Warrants have been issued for others as well, causing some to leave Bahrain, in fear of their personal safety.

Bahrain is currently considered a dangerous zone for the freedom of press and journalists. Bahraini journalists are hoping for a helping hand and for the adoption of measures to insure their safety. We firmly believe that any journalist arrested by the Bahraini government could die in view of the current security laws (the emergency law) implemented in the country, the severity of the situation, and the arbitrary procedures that the country has seen on multiple levels that go up against the international commitments concerning human rights; especially with the rise in the number of people killed in Bahraini interrogation centers to 4, asides from the 35 dead during the demonstrations so far, all in a country with a population that does not exceed 570 thousand people. …source

IAA to Take Legal Action against The Independent

Manama, June 14 (BNA)Bahrain has today decided to sue the British Independent newspaper for repeatedly publishing wrong and defamatory information to tarnish its image. The Information Affairs Authority has commissioned a UK-based legal firm to file a case against the British daily. “The Independent has deliberately published a series of unrealistic and provocative articles targeting Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”, Publications director-general and acting press and external media director-general Nawaf Mohammed Al-Maawda said.

He accused the British daily of orchestrating a defamatory and premeditated media campaign against both countries, failing to abide by professional impartiality and credibility in its one-sided news-coverage and reports. In this regard, he cited particularly leading Independent Middle-East based reporter Robert Fisk. Mr. Al-Maawda called upon all media to observe accuracy and objectivity and project the true image, adding that all doors remain open to visit Bahrain and gauge the real situation on the ground as the Kingdom is steadily regaining normality and stability. AHN ..source

Sanctions now against brutal Bahraini tyranny
14/06/2011 – 5:30 p | Hits: 8
by Peter Tatchell
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011

The international community has failed in its duty to protect the civilian population of Bahrain. It has sat back and done nothing to rein in the regime of King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa.

He stands accused of terrorising his own people, resorting to mass arrest, detention without trial, torture and murder
If the duty to protect civilians applies in Libya, why not in Bahrain?

In defence of the human rights of the Bahraini people, the United Nations, European Union, United States, United Kingdom and Arab League should work together to impose targeted sanctions: halt all arms sales to Bahrain, cease military co-operation, suspend the operation of the US naval base, institute a travel ban and assets-freeze on top regime officials and prohibit the export to Bahrain of luxury items for the rich ruling elite.

They should also refer Bahrain’s leaders to the International Criminal Court and the UN Human Rights Council on charges of torture and crimes against humanity, and report Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to the UN Security Council for their interference in the internal affairs of Bahrain and the role of their troops in the violent suppression of the democracy protests

The protesters in Bahrain are demanding democracy and human rights, especially for the Shia Muslim majority who comprises more than 60 per cent of the population. Shias are excluded from political power by the pro-Sunni monarchy and government. They suffer sustained discrimination, especially in housing and jobs

Human rights activists in Bahrain report that at least 30 civilians have been killed, including four people who have died in custody after beatings and torture. Around 400 democracy protesters have been injured. Doctors and nurses who treated the wounded and spoke publicly about their injuries have been arrested, beaten and tortured. Forty-seven of them are being put on trial.

Already four protesters have been sentenced to death, following military trials held behind closed doors.

Close to 1,000 Bahrainis have been arrested since the start of protests in February, although about 300 of these have since been released. Twenty-one opposition activists and human rights defenders are being prosecuted on trumped up charges. …more

Radical Souq

The expulsion of more than 30 students from Bahrain Polytechnic is beyond disgusting. There is no doubt that the Government of Bahrain, (Or is it the Saudi Government? Who is really running the country?) could not have stooped any lower. The ruling class is seeking loyalty by offering education as a reward in an attempt to gain control over the country’s youthful population. This compares well with the Nazi’s policy of harnessing support from Germany’s youth which was seen to be vital pillar of their legitimacy. As Hans Schemm, founder of the National Socialist Teachers’ Federation put it “Those who have the youth on their side control the future.” Education in Bahrain has become, not a universal right, but a reward for people who swear allegiance to the tribe.

The recent series of intimidation and expulsion of around 200 students at Bahrain’s universities is is very likely to be part of a post-marital law retribution policy. It is clear that the government intends to punish as many people as it possibly can before ‘National Dialogue’ commences. Seemingly, therefore, it is very unlikely that this will be a permanent feature of Bahrain’s society. Indeed, with the world media coverage and Obama’s personal, albeit limited, attention towards the country it seems hardly a viable long-term plan. The bigger challenge is not just to return these students back to their respective universities, rather it is to hold those who created this havoc accountable. …source

Iraq’s Sadr asks Bahrain to pardon Shia
June 14, 2011 share

Radical Iraqi Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Tuesday called on Bahrain to pardon two Shia protesters sentenced to death over the killing of two policemen in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

“I ask the government of Bahrain to grant an amnesty for the two young people sentenced to death for participating in peaceful demonstrations,” he said in a statement from his movement’s headquarters in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf.

On May 22, a special Bahrain court upheld death sentences for the two, Ali Abdullah Hasan al-Singace and Abdul Aziz Abdullah Ibrahim Hussein, despite international calls for them to be spared.

The pair, and five others who received life sentences, were accused of running over two policemen during pro-reform protests earlier this year.

“These things put distance between the government and the people,” Sadr said in the statement. “The government must get closer to the people, and work for their interests.”

Shia, who form a majority in the Sunni-ruled kingdom, began demonstrations in Bahrain on February 14 but were crushed by security forces the following month.

Authorities said 24 people, including four policemen, were killed in the unrest.
-AFP/NOW Lebanon …source

Bahrain: UPDATE – Human rights lawyer Mohammed Al-Tajir is brought before a military court following five weeks of incommunicado detention
Posted on 2011/06/13

Front Line is concerned about the bringing to trial before a military court of a prominent Bahraini lawyer and human rights defender. On 12 June Mohammed Al-Tajir was brought before the Bahraini Lower National Safety Court in Manama to face a number of charges including publicly inciting hatred of the system of government in Bahrain; spreading malicious news and propaganda; and publicly inciting the abduction and harming of security men.
Further Information

The sudden appearance of Mohammed Al-Tajir before the military court came after more than five weeks of incommunicado detention in an unknown location. During this period Mohammed Al -Tajir had been held without access to his lawyers and family and it is feared that the charges brought against him may have been based on confessions extracted under duress. There are also fears that he may have been forced to incriminate himself. The military prosecution told the court that it had concluded that the statements obtained from the accused during the interrogations are sufficient as evidence to indict him, and that the prosecution shall reserve the right to present its closing remarks on the case.

Mohammed Al -Tajir who was not allowed access to legal counsel during the interrogation denied all charges brought against him. The trial was adjourned until 16 June 2011. There have been credible reports of torture and ill-treatment of human rights defenders and other prisoners currently being tried by the military court. The court has so far failed to investigate claims of torture and ill-treatment brought before it by the accused.

Mohammed Al-Tajir was the subject of a Front Line urgent appeal dated 18 April 2011. Front Line reiterates its calls on the Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mohammed Al-Tajir and to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against him as it is believed that his arrest, detention and the charges brought against him are solely related to his legitimate and peaceful work in defence of human rights and his lawful pursuit of his profession as a lawyer. …more

Despite Crackdown, Bahraini Human Rights Defenders Continue to Fight for Democracy

6-13-2011
By Brian Dooley
Director, Human Rights Defenders

Nabeel Rajab is a bit of a hero in Bahrain. In the streets, people recognize him and gather round him; he’s a local celebrity. But when a camera appears, the crowds scatter, laughing – no-one wants to be photographed with a man so openly critical of the Bahrain government. Not these days.

Nabeel, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, is one of a handful of human rights defenders operating in Bahrain. Others have been detained during the government’s crackdown on dissent in recent months, and his house has been attacked with tear gas and sound bombs. He has been beaten up, and is unable to leave the country because the government won’t let him travel.

He’s been speaking out against human rights abuses committed by the Bahraini government for years, including the recent spate of mass detentions, the disappearances, the deaths in custody, the widespread torture, the military trials, the mass sackings of Shias and the destruction of their mosques. Harassed, arrested, beaten and smeared as a terrorist, Rajab continues to document and publicize human rights violations by the Bahraini government.

The King of Bahrain lifted the country’s emergency laws (officially if oxymoronically known as the State of National Safety) two weeks ago, on June 1. It’s hard to notice the difference. The Saudi troops – sent in to support the military crackdown on protestors in mid-March – remain. People are still being arrested. Military courts continue to condemn men, women and children to prison. Last week 15 year-old Mohammed Salman Majid Hassan was sentenced to two years imprisonment for protesting and rioting. His family say he was ill-treated during his detention. …more

I.H.T. Op-Ed Contributor
Bahrain Blowback
By GRAHAM E. FULLER | GLOBAL VIEWPOINT

Graham E. Fuller, former vice-chairman of the National Intelligence Council at the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, is adjunct professor of history at Simon Fraser University. His latest book is “A World Without Islam.”
Published: February 16, 2011

WASHINGTON — Where’s the next place to blow in the Arab revolution? Candidates are many, but there’s one whose geopolitical impact vastly exceeds its diminutive size — the island of Bahrain.

This is a place run by an oppressive and corrupt little regime, long coddled by Washington because the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is headquartered there. The future of the base is far from secure if the regime falls.

A few hard facts about the island that should give pause for thought:

First, Bahrain is a Shiite island. You won’t see it described that way, but it is — 70 percent of the population, more than the percentage of Shiites in Iraq. And like Iraq under Saddam Hussein, these Arab Shiites have been systematically discriminated against, repressed, and denied meaningful roles by a Sunni tribal government determined to maintain its solid grip on the country. The emergence of real democracy, as in Iraq, will push the country over into the Shiite column — sending shivers down the spines of other Gulf rulers, and especially in Riyadh.

Appearances are deceiving. Go to Bahrain and on the surface you won’t feel the same heavy hand that dominates so many other Arab authoritarian states. The island is liberal in its social freedoms. Expats feel at home — you can get a drink, go to nightclubs, go to the beach, party.

But if you look behind the Western and elite-populated high-rises you’ll encounter the Shiite ghettoes — poor and neglected, with high unemployment, walls smeared with anti-regime graffiti.

Free market? Sure, except the regime imports politically neutered laborers from passive, apolitical states that need the money: Filipinos, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans and other South Asians who won’t make waves or they’re on the next plane out.

The regime also imports its thugs. The ranks of the police are heavily staffed with expat police who often speak no Arabic, have no attachments to the country and who will beat, jail, torture and shoot Bahraini protestors with impunity.

Like other Shiite populations, clerics figure heavily among the leaders. But many are liberal and open, reflecting the culturally open character of the island. Most Bahraini Shiites would look to Ayatollah Sistani in Iraq rather than to Iran for religious guidance.

Typically, however, just like most other tyrants across the region, the al-Khalifa regime in Bahrain will whip up anti-Shiite, anti-Iranian fears to gain Western backing — and they usually get it. …more

POSTED: Monday, Jun. 13, 2011
Bahrain’s government tries dissidents while calling for dialogue
Roy Gutman – McClatchy Newspapers

BAGHDAD — Bahrain’s military court Monday pressed the government’s case against 47 doctors and nurses, ordering the medics to plead guilty or not guilty to felony or lesser charges but prohibiting any mention of mistreatment while in detention.

The hearing, which was attended by Stephanie Williams, the top U.S. diplomat in Bahrain, was the latest sign of the continuing crackdown against mainly Shiite protesters who in February started an “Arab Spring” uprising against the minority Sunni government in the small Gulf kingdom.

Apparently emboldened by the presence of a top U.S. representative, Dr. Ali al Ekri, an orthopedic surgeon, and Rula al Saffar, the head of the nursing society, said their confessions were extracted after they’d been tortured. They said they had to sign the papers while blindfolded.

But the military judge said the only response permitted was “guilty” or “not guilty,” according to family members who witnessed the hearing.

When Dr. Zahra al Sammak, an anesthesiologist, insisted in describing the torture to which she’d been subjected, she was ordered escorted from the hearing. Dentist Nada Dhaif tried in vain for permission to have her lawyer speak to the judge on her behalf.

The trial of the medics, which major international human rights groups have condemned, stems from the protests in February and March when protesters wounded while demonstrating thronged the hospitals for treatment. Some of the doctors who took care of them are charged with killing and mistreating non-Shiite patients, while others have been accused of taking part in illegal demonstrations.

Those accused of felonies were told to return to court on June 20. Those facing misdemeanors said their cases would be heard on June 27.

The court hearing came one day after the government leveled new charges against two leading opposition politicians who’ve been in custody since May 2 and sentenced a 20-year-old female poet to a year in prison for reciting anti-government verse during the demonstrations.

The government charged the two moderate politicians, Jawad Fairooz and Mattar Ebrahim Mattar, both Shiites who quit their seats in parliament to protest the government crackdown, with inciting hatred against the regime and speaking to the news media. But the case may be shaky because the alleged crimes occurred before their resignations were accepted by the Sunni parliament, so they would have had parliamentary immunity. …more

Bahrain doctors deny stealing medicines or stockpiling arms

Accused doctors plead not guilty to charges relating to period of unrest in February as Bahrain continues controversial trial

Bahrain has defied international criticism by continuing the military trial of dozens of medical personnel accused of trying to topple the government. Twenty doctors pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges ranging from stealing medicines to stockpiling weapons during the unprecedented unrest that erupted in the small Gulf island state in February, between the uprisings that overthrew the presidents of Tunisia and then Egypt.

A second part of the hearing, where the defence could have cross-examined prosecution witnesses, was deferred until next week over legal challenges to the court’s jurisdiction and requests for independent medical examinations.

The defendants looked healthier and better dressed than during a previous court appearance, but several of them wept as they told the judge they had been tortured and forced to sign false confessions, a relative told the Guardian. …more

Robert Fisk: I saw these brave doctors trying to save lives – these charges are a pack of lies

Eyewitness: Bahrain didn’t invite the Saudis to send their troops; the Saudis invaded and received a post-dated invitation.

Has the Khalifa family gone mad? Yesterday, the Bahraini royal family started an utterly fraudulent trial of 48 surgeons, doctors, paramedics and nurses, accusing them of trying to topple the tin-pot monarchy of this Sunni minority emirate. The defendants in this flagrantly unfair military court are, of course, members of the majority Shia people of Bahrain. And since I was a witness to their heroic efforts to save lives in February, I can say – let us speak with a frankness that the Bahraini rulers would normally demand – that the charges are a pack of lies.

Doctors I saw, drenched in their patients’ blood, desperately trying to staunch the bullet wounds of pro-democracy demonstrators shot in cold blood by Bahraini soldiers and police, are now on trial. I watched armed policemen refusing to allow ambulances to collect the wounded from the roads where they had been cut down.

These are the very same doctors and nurses I stood beside four months ago in the Sulaimaniya emergency room, some of them weeping as they tried to deal with gunshot wounds the like of which they had never seen before.

“How could they do this to these people?” one of them asked me. “We have never dealt with trauma wounds like these before.” Next to us lay a man with bullet wounds in the chest and thigh, coughing blood on to the floor.

The surgeons were frightened that they did not have the skills to save these victims of police violence. Now the police have accused the doctors and staff of killing the patients whom the police themselves shot.

How could these fine medical men and women have been trying to “topple” the monarchy? …more