Bahrain faces fresh torture claims over health workers’ trial

Most of the medical staff facing trial work at Manama’s Salmaniya Medical Complex

The Bahraini authorities must independently investigate fresh claims that dozens of doctors and nurses on trial before a military court were tortured in detention and made to sign false confessions, Amnesty International said today.



Relatives of the accused have alleged to Amnesty International that security officials at Bahrain’s Criminal Investigations Directorate forced detainees to stand for long periods, deprived them of sleep, beat them with rubber hoses and wooden boards containing nails, and made them sign papers while blindfolded.

One of the detainees, who was bailed last month, was slapped in the face while blindfolded, insulted and threatened: “if you don’t confess I’ll take you to someone who will make you confess”.

The same detainee was forced to remain standing for hours, denied sleep and placed in front of a cold air conditioning unit all night and then interrogated again the next morning while still blindfolded.

“I was so tired that I kept quiet and only answered yes or no,” he told Amnesty International.

“After a while he gave me some papers and made me sign them while I was still blindfolded. I did not see what I signed, but I signed on eight or nine papers.”

The trial of the 48 medical staff, most of whom worked at the Salmaniya Medical Complex, opened at a military court in Manama on Monday but was adjourned until 13 June. Some of the defendants have been released on bail but others remain in prison.

The doctors and nurses face a range of charges arising from their involvement in treating people injured when security forces violently crushed mass pro-reform protests in February and March. They are accused of misusing their positions at Salmaniya hospital to make false allegations of security force violence, to have operated on some patients unnecessarily causing their deaths and to have denied medical treatment to others for sectarian reasons, as well as a string of related offences.

A relative of one of the accused who attended the court yesterday told Amnesty International that the prisoners’ heads had been shaved and most had lost a lot of weight since their arrest weeks ago. The men among them were made to stand in the hot sun for around 30 minutes before the session began: “They were blindfolded and handcuffed, and these were only removed when the session began.” …more

Euromoney Country Risk June results: MENA and Eurozone slide in global rankings
07 June 2011
Andrew Mortimer

Bahrain now ranks 54th in the table, 17 places below its peak. The kingdom, which economists had previously ranked alongside Spain, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia in the table, needed $10 billion of financial support from the Gulf Co-operation Council in March to avert a financial crisis after mass demonstrations in March.

But political unrest in the country is far from over. The lifting of emergency laws on June 1 was immediately followed by clashes between security forces and protesters. King Hamad has called for a national dialogue to begin on July 1, but opposition parties warn that discussions cannot take place without concessions over political reform. “Bahrain remains vulnerable to unrest among the civilian population, and we expect to see more flashpoints during the second half of 2011,” says Said.

The military intervention in Bahrain by Saudi security forces on March 14 also increased tensions between Saudi Arabia (down three places) and Iran (unchanged). Meir Javedanfar, founder of the Middle East Economic and Political Analysis Company (MEEPAS), says: “The entry of Saudi armed forces into Bahrain has opened a new phase in the cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and has intensified the conflict between the two. The repercussions will be felt in the region for years to come.”

Egypt falls by one place to 96th in the overall table, a cumulative fall of 24 places since January. Egypt now has a lower survey score than Lebanon, Nigeria and Venezuela. The results could indicate a potential overcorrection by economists. CDS spreads on 5-year sovereign debt have been on a downward trend since May, while the country remains relatively stable. The Supreme Military Council has demonstrated a willingness to co-operate with secular opposition movements. The IMF’s decision to grant a $3 billion standby credit facility is a further boost to the beleaguered country.

Said points out that “significant political developments have occurred [in Egypt]: the creation of new political parties, the constitutional referendum vote, dissolving the National Democratic Party and announcements by key figures of their plans to run for the presidential election – most notably Mohamed El Baradei and Amr Moussa”.

But she warns: “The transition will be messy if things continue at their current pace, with dire economic repercussions that could further hamper the transition phase.” …see full article charts

Business standstill hits Bahrain economy
Farah Halime
Apr 10, 2011

Billions of dollars have been wiped off the value of Bahrain’s economy in the month of protests that brought business there to a virtual standstill, top banking executives in Manama say.

“Definitely there is an impact on growth … but the impact cannot be more than 10 to 15 per cent impact of Bahrain’s GDP,” said Yousif Taqi, the chief executive of the sharia-compliant Al Salam Bank in Manama.

“As a financial centre there will be challenges for the government. I’d be surprised if it was more than 15 per cent.”

Mr Taqi estimated losses of at least US$3 billion (Dh11.01bn) from Bahrain’s GDP of $22.9bn last year. The Bahraini economy accelerated in the final quarter of last year from the previous three months, and grew 4.5 per cent for the whole year, data from the government showed.

The small oil exporter, which is not a member of Opec, grew 1.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, up from a revised 0.9 per cent rise in the third quarter.

Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Bahraini crown prince, said the kingdom’s economy had experienced “painful losses” worth hundreds of millions of dinars during the unrest.

In a speech on Bahraini TV last week, Sheikh Salman said the protests had “escalated beyond all limits”, forcing the security forces and government to step in.

“Bahrain’s progress and prosperity cannot be ruined by a few that wanted to make it fail,” he said. “The main challenge … is to work for the continuation of the process of building, modernising and development in this country.” …more

Is Bahrain Creating a New Terrorist Threat?
By leaving no room for peaceful dissent, the Bahraini monarchy is creating the conditions for a violent revolt.
BY HUSSEIN IBISH | APRIL 14, 2011
[excerpt]
A campaign of violence by opposition extremists might seek and receive support from Iran or other regional Shiite powers such as the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. But it would not require it. Iran and Hezbollah might, for their own reasons, strongly urge any Bahraini Shiites considering such action to restrain themselves. But would all of them heed such a call? Modern urban terrorism only requires a tiny handful of people with rudimentary knowledge, armed with a combination of readily available household items and both deep ruthlessness and extreme recklessness, to begin the process.

Such a movement need not initially be particularly ambitious in its destructive acts to have a powerful impact. A handful of people with crude devices acting around the same time in strategic locations is capable of stoking extreme panic. The goal of a modest opening salvo of urban terrorism is typically to provoke an overreaction on the part of the authorities, and in this case that seems virtually guaranteed. The calculus would then be that the overreaction would seem to justify these violent acts in the eyes of many people who otherwise might have been disapproving, allowing the movement to gain strength and develop over time to the point that it becomes a real threat to national security and political stability. The Bahraini government and its allies have already succeeded in turning what should have been a manageable political situation into an unmanageable one. How likely is it that they would react in a more rational and prudent manner to a violent security threat, however limited and symbolic?

The total crackdown in Bahrain has plainly opened the door for just such a scenario. If this situation continues for an extended period of time, it is probably more a matter of when rather than if some group eventually walks through that door. Largely because of their own actions, all the worst fears of Bahrain’s royal family and the Sunnis of both the island and the rest of the Gulf are perfectly positioned to begin to come true, and the opportunity to avoid this is dwindling by the day. …full article

High oil prices not a panacea for Gulf economic woes
By Damian Reilly
Tuesday, 29 March 2011 10:37 AM

High oil prices will hurt Gulf economies’ prospects of recovering from the global economic downturn, forcing up the cost of imports to the region, Nick Bullman, founder and CEO of London-based consultancy firm CheckRisk said on Monday.

Speaking to Arabian Business, Bullman said: “A high oil price is of course good for the Gulf economies, but anyone who thinks it is a cure-all for all economic problems there is mistaken. The cost of oil is factored into everything. Fuel is used to import foodstuffs and building materials. The higher the oil price, the higher those fuel costs, the higher the prices at market.”

He added the optimum oil price for Gulf economies was around $80 a barrel.

“$80 is the price that puts a smile on everyone’s face. It doesn’t scare buyers away, it doesn’t cause the cost of filling cars in the West to rocket, and it’s twice the price upon which most GCC states’ fiscal budgets are predicated. If we could keep the price at $80, everyone wins,” he said. …more

Winning the Battle, Losing the (Media) War: Formula 1 Edition
It seems that Bahrain’s authorities have spent a bit too much time recently attacking the U.S. and Embassy Manama (in the press) and Shi’a religious processions (in real life) and not enough time convincing the international community that “Business-friendly Bahrain” is indeed back in business. Just days after apparently reinstating the Bahrain Grand Prix, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone now says the race is “not on.” And, as the BBC aptly summarizes,

If, as Bernie Ecclestone accepts, the Bahrain Grand Prix will not go ahead in October, it will be a huge and humiliating blow to the tiny Arabian island.

Indeed. It will also mark the utter failure of what Simon Henderson in a great piece in Foreign Policy today describes as “Bahrain’s diplomatic charm offensive,” an effort doomed by the apparent assumption that somehow the world would pay attention only to government press releases and not to actual events in Bahrain.

For, as Henderson outlines in systematic fashion, the days following the end of martial law on June 1 and King Hamad’s coinciding “National Dialogue Initiative, Part Deux” have witnessed a Bahrain that has hoped to win over international observers at the same time that it “declares war on protesters back home.” …more

Posted on Monday, June 6, 2011
Bahrain media charge that U.S. backs regime’s overthrow

By Roy Gutman | McClatchy Newspapers

BAGHDAD — As Bahrain’s reformist Crown Prince headed to Washington Monday for top-level talks, official news media in the Gulf state stepped up a drumbeat of anti-American attacks, some even accusing of the U.S. administration of colluding with opposition leaders they claim are trying to overthrow the state.

Al Wasat, the onetime opposition paper now under direct control of the Sunni minority government, carried an editorial with possible racial overtones Monday that claimed that “American black fingers are aiming to weaken the Gulf” states so the U.S. can create its own “Greater Middle East.”

Media attacks have also been directed against individuals at the U.S. Embassy, first the human rights officer, who departed early, and now against the acting head of mission, Stephanie Williams, a foreign service officer.

The Akhbar Al Khaleej newspaper on Sunday accused Williams of “collusion” with the moderate opposition group, Al Wefaq, and adopting what it said was the group’s “sectarian Shiite agenda.”

Another paper, Al Ayyam, charged in a column Monday that the U.S. is in an “evil alliance” with the opposition group.

The government ostensibly lifted martial law on June 1, but it’s still rushing highly dubious cases to its military tribunal. On Monday, 47 doctors and nurses were formally charged with a variety of crimes, from the murder of patients to attempting the overthrow of the regime, as well as some lesser offenses, such as taking part in an unauthorized public gathering.

In a May 19 speech on the “Arab Spring,” President Barack Obama called for Bahrain to release political leaders now in jail. “You can’t have a real dialogue when parts of the peaceful opposition are in jail,” he said.

But more than a month after arresting two former members of parliament, the Bahrain government hasn’t allowed them to see their families or consult lawyers, and seems to be preparing to bring them before the military tribunal.

It’s out of this cauldron of shrill rhetoric that Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa, 41, a graduate of American University in Washington, is coming to call on members of the Obama administration, which has done its best to avoid public criticism of Bahrain, with the exception of the Obama speech. …more

Bahraini poet set to face verdict for protest reading
Ayat al-Qarmezi has reportedly been tortured in prison.
8 June 2011

A Bahraini poet faces possible imprisonment for reading out a poem criticizing the country’s King when a military court rules on her case next Sunday.

Ayat al-Qarmezi, 20, a poet and student was arrested in March for reading out a poem at a pro-reform rally in the capital Manama. She has been charged with “incitement to hatred of the regime” and has reportedly been tortured while in detention.

“Ayat al-Qarmezi has been put on trial merely for expressing her opinion, peacefully and openly. Her case represents an appalling and sinister attack on free speech. The charges against her should be dropped and she should be released immediately,” said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“If convicted, Ayat al-Qarmezi could face a long prison sentence. If she is imprisoned, she will be the first woman prisoner of conscience to be locked up in Bahrain for peacefully expressing her views,” he added.

While attending a pro-reform rally in Manama’s Pearl Roundabout in February, Ayat al-Qarmezi read out a poem which she said was addressed to King Hamad bin ‘Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s head of state.

Its lyrics include the lines “We are the people who will kill humiliation and assassinate misery/ Don’t you hear their cries, don’t you hear their screams?”.

She was forced to turn herself in to the authorities on 30 March after masked police raided her parents’ house repeatedly and reportedly threatened to kill her brothers unless she did so.

She was held incommunicado for the first 15 days of her detention and since then has only been permitted to see her family twice.
[Read more →]

BCHR Letter on the Deterioration of Laborers’ Rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain

08 June 2011
Mr. Juan Somavia
Director General, International Labor Organization

Greetings,

Sub: Letter on the Deterioration of Laborers’ Rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain

We would like first of all to cordially extend our thanks for your precise follow-up on the laborers’ conditions in Bahrain; for the tremendous efforts as reflected in the various statements in which you declared your deep concern on the deteriorating situation of the Bahraini workforce; and for the ILO Delegation that visited Bahrain at the end of April to look into the working conditions of laborers. This led to the assembly of a committee chaired by the Labor Minister to address the issues pertaining to the cases of mass lay-offs.

Although such a committee was formed, the number of laborers being laid off is accelerating day after day. The estimates released by The General Federation of Workers Trade Unions in Bahrain show that, as of May 29, 2011 the total number of sacked laborers reached 1724 [1]. The actual number, however, is even greater than this as it incorporates only the laborers who reported their cases to the Union and not the total number who have actually been laid off. According to the same statistics, Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) and Bahrain Aluminum (Alba), of which the government of Bahrain owns 100% and 70% respectively, have topped the list for layoffs, accounting for around 40% of the total number of sacked laborers in Bahrain.

ALBA has dismissed 364 laborers. About 250 of these were dismissed without any Interrogation. ALBA alleges that the main reason for dismissal was due to participation in the strike which was called by the company’s Trade Union as well as the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions in solidarity with the protesters who were violently oppressed. However, Bahrain Center of Human Rights (BCHR) received several testimonies from some ALBA laborers that they were not absent from work but were still dismissed. Other laborers said that they were absent from work due to the deteriorating security situation, or due to annual or sick leave however they were also dismissed. BCHR has documented a case in which an ALBA laborer was arrested from his workplace and dismissed under the pretext of an absence of more than 10 consecutive days. Other employees were given the option of either resignation, demotion or immediate dismissal [2]. …more

Planned Talks Bring Hope for Peace
By Suad Hamada

MANAMA, Jun 8, 2011 (IPS) – A national dialogue with no preconditions could bring the situation in Bahrain back to normal after a military crackdown that followed months of unrest.

Three opposition groups – the Democratic Nationalist Rally, the Democratic Progressive Tribune and the National Democratic Action Society (Waad) – have welcomed the dialogue slated to start Jul. 1. The Al Wefaq National Islamic Society that led protests in February and March before the declaration of a three-month state of emergency also hinted that it approved of the talks.

In a statement issued early this month, Al Wefaq welcomed a comprehensive dialogue based on a national consensus to achieve the demands and aspirations of Bahrainis. The group hinted that its engagement in the talks would depend on the involvement of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who suggested the idea at the height of the unrest in February.

The protests in Bahrain, inspired by the political movements in Egypt and Tunisia, started on Feb. 14 with calls for better housing services and living conditions, and escalated to demand the overthrow of the regime.

The unrest has affected people’s lives and the economy. One example was the postponement of the Formula One race that had been scheduled for March. The announcement of the dialogue might have influenced the FIA Grand Prix’s decision to agree to hold the games in October. …more

The ProPublica Blog
White House Makes Nice With Bahrain as Detentions and Prosecutions Continue
by Marian Wang
ProPublica, June 8, 2011, 11:42 a.m.

As the Bahraini government continued its crackdown on largely Shiite pro-democracy groups, the Obama administration reaffirmed its friendship with Bahrain this week.

More Shiites were arrested and about 50 medical workers were charged by the Bahraini government this week. The government has accused the doctors and nurses of supporting the pro-democracy protests that the government has been trying for months to stop. Reuters reported yesterday that the medics have been denied access to their attorneys.

The Crown Prince of Bahrain, Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, paid a visit to the White House yesterday and met with State Department officials as well as President Obama. There, the Obama administration’s soft touch on Bahrain continued, with Obama urging the Sunni monarch to “hold accountable” those responsible for human rights abuses without specifying who be held accountable, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Bahrain, of course, has long been a close ally of the United States, which has in turn benefitted from the Persian Gulf country’s willingness to host the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. As we’ve noted, the U.S. has kept its criticism muted in the face of a slew of alleged abuses—mass arrests of protesters, activists and medical workers; torture; abuse of Shiite women and girls and the destruction of at least 47 Shiite mosques.

The strongest condemnation came in President Obama’s Middle East speech last month, when he cited Bahrain’s “mass arrests and brute force,” calling them “at odds with the universal rights of Bahrain’s citizens.” But words of partnership and friendship have remained at the forefront. (Read the White House’s account of the Crown Prince’s visit with the president.)

“Bahrain is a partner, and a very important one, to the United States,” Hillary Clinton said in remarks yesterday. “We are supportive of a national dialogue and the kinds of important work that the Crown Prince has been doing in his nation, and we look forward to it continuing.”
[Read more →]

Bahrain accepts U.N. rights mission
Published: June 8, 2011 at 11:59 AM

GENEVA, Switzerland, June 8 (UPI) — Bahrain has accepted a U.N. mission in the country to examine reports of human rights violations during pro-reform demonstrations, the United Nations said.

Bahrain is facing international criticism for its response to a Shiite uprising in the country. The governing body of Formula One racing said Wednesday it was canceling a race in Bahrain because of security concerns expressed by the teams.

Rupert Colville, a spokesman for U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, said Manama had agreed to let a U.N. mission examine alleged violations in the country. “The mission has been accepted in principle by the Bahraini government but no dates have yet been set,” he said in a statement.

Pillay’s office Tuesday complained her recent comments in the official news agency of Bahrain about the conflict were “blatantly” misrepresented. Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa said in Washington during talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the uprising was a challenge for his country.

“It is a great test, but also a great opportunity to drive the nation forward,” he said in a statement.

Bahrain is a key strategic ally to the United States, hosting the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.
…source

Bahrain: Crackdown on teachers Society due to it is active role in protecting the rights of those working in educational institution
June 8th, 2011

On 8 June 2011, The first hearing was held at the National Safety court ( Military court) for Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS).The case has been adjourned till 15 June, 2011.

The defendants were present at the trial :

1- Mr. Mahdi Isa Abu Dheeb – Chairman, Bahrain Teachers Society

2-Ms. Jalila Mohammed Ridha Al Salman – Deputy Chair, Bahrain Teachers Society

Charges:

1-inciting others to commit crimes;
2-calling for the hatred and overthrow of the ruling system;
3-holding pamphlets, disseminating fabricated stories and information;
4-leaving work on purpose and encouraging others to do so;
5-taking part at illegal gatherings.

The Society was founded in 2002, previously called for improvement in teachers working conditions, and contributed to the protests since February 14, 2011.

BTS: Activities”2009″

On 13 March 2011, The BTS issued a statement criticizing the violations by the security forces in schools and called for a strike. (Ref: http://www.bhteachers.org/portal/news.php?action=view&id=61)

On 23 March 2011, Issued a statement to suspend strike. (Ref: http://www.bhteachers.org/portal/news.php?action=view&id=62)

On 6 April 2011, The Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) suspended by Ministry of Development. (Ref: http://www.bna.bh/portal/news/451949).

BTS’s website blocked by Bahraini authorities: www.bhteachers.org

Bahraini authorities arrested some members of the Board of Directors.

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses deep concern at the targeting of institutions of civil society and calls for urgent action to stop the punishment of civil society institutions by the Bahraini authorities.