Envy ‘led to Iran plot’, says Bahrain

Ola Salem
Oct 19, 2011

ABU DHABI // Envy of the success of GCC countries was behind an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US, a Bahraini official says.

Hassan Issa Al Samim, the acting undersecretary of the Bahraini ministry of interior, said yesterday in the capital that his ministry “strongly supports all efforts by the Saudi ministry of interior to face these terror attacks”.

Mr Al Samim said at a meeting of GCC interior ministry undersecretaries that the plot, which his country “strongly deplores”, was the work of “foreigners who are envious of the Gulf”. He said an attack on any GCC country was an attack on all members.

US authorities last week charged two Iranian men with plotting to kill the ambassador, Adel Al Jubeir, in a bomb attack in Washington, claiming they were working for the Iranian government.

Yesterday’s meeting was chaired by Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, the undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Interior. It continues today.

Security at the Yas Hotel was tight for the meeting yesterday, with metal detectors, body pat-downs and thorough bag searches. …source

Two weeks in Bahrain’s military courts
The families of six of the hundreds of people given long jail sentences speak out about the “abuse of justice”.
18 Oct 2011 – AlJazeera

Protests which began in February continue despite the prison terms handed out by military courts [REUTERS]

Teachers, professors, politicians, doctors, athletes, students and others have all appeared in Bahrain’s military courts. In just two weeks, 208 people were sentenced or lost appeals, leading to a cumulative total of just less than 2,500 years in prison.

Many of those imprisoned took part in massive pro-democracy protests earlier this year. Others, families say, were in the wrong place at the wrong time and were targeted by virtue of their religious sect.

One lawyer, who represents dozens of the convicted and who asked not to be named, told Al Jazeera the total numbers of how many have stood in front of military courts are not clear – but he estimates at least 600. Well over 1,000 people have been arrested since the crackdown began, he said.

In an attempt to quell the uprising, the island’s rulers invited Saudi and other Gulf troops to Bahrain in March, and called for a three-month state of emergency, or what it called the “National Safety Law”.

With the emergency law came the military trials of hundreds of people in “National Safety Courts”. According to the lawyer, the courts were basically military courts, since both judge and general prosecutor were both drawn from the military judicial system.
Click here for more of our in-depth coverage on Bahrain

Death sentences were given out trials that lasted less than two weeks. Many hearings lasted only a matter of minutes before verdicts were handed out. According to lawyers and defendants’ families, the main form of evidence in most cases were the confessions of the accused.

“This is not necessarily wrong,” said the lawyer. “But if there were claims of torture then these confessions should be obliterated and should not be accepted in a court of law.”

“They intentionally bring them in front of the court after a period of time once the wounds are healed, so they won’t appear in court,” the lawyer said. “If [the court agrees to a] request [for the defendant] to be examined by a forensic doctor, [the court] delays the test until the scars are healed.” Despite numerous claims of torture, no forensic doctor hired by the government has confirmed a defendant’s claims. …more

Morning Brief: ‘Occupy’ protests go worldwide
Posted By Joshua Keating Monday, October 17, 2011 – 8:38 AM

Top news: Demonstrations inspired by New York’s “Occupy Wall Street” protests and the Spanish activists known as the “indignants,” who have been camped out since May, broke out in more than 900 cities across the globe over the weekend, venting anger at the global financial system, inequality, and government cutbacks. In many of the cities, including London and Toronto, the demonstrators plan to remain camped out indefinitely.

Lisbon and Madrid saw tens of thousands take to the streets, while protests in East Asia tended to be smaller. Dozens were arrested in New York and Chicago. …source

State Dept. acknowledges Congress’ concern about Bahrain arms sales, cites human rights probe
By Associated Press, October 18, 2011 – Washington Post

WASHINGTON — The State Department said Tuesday it will consider a special investigation of alleged human rights abuses in Bahrain before moving ahead with $53 million in arms sales to the violence-wracked nation.

In a letter to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and public statements, the department said it shared congressional concerns about Bahrain’s treatment of protesters and would await the results of a special inquiry established by Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. That commission’s report to the king is due Oct. 30.

At least 35 people have died since Bahrain’s Shiite-led majority began protests in February seeking greater rights from the ruling Sunni monarchy in the strategic nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

“That’s something we would look at closely,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said of the commission’s report. “We’re going to continue to take human rights considerations into account as we move toward the finalization of this deal.”

Wyden and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., have introduced a resolution blocking the arms sale, which includes Humvees and missiles. At least a half-dozen senators, including Wyden, have written to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton criticizing Bahrain’s human rights violations and resistance to calls for reform. They have said completing the arms sale would weaken U.S. credibility amid democratic transitions in the Middle East.

David S. Adams, assistant secretary for legislative affairs, wrote Wyden that President Barack Obama and Clinton have spoken publicly about the shared concerns about Bahrain and have urged the government “to hold accountable those who have committed human rights violations, implement needed reforms and engage its citizens and be responsive to their aspirations.”

Toner said several procedural steps still remained before the U.S. could deliver the weapons to Bahrain. He noted the sale pertained to equipment for Bahrain’s “external defense purposes.”
…source

World’s unions intervene over Bahrain repression
Press Release: International Transport Workers’ Federation – 17 October 2011 – scoop world

World’s unions intervene over Bahrain repression

The world’s biggest trade union organisations today appealed directly to Bahrain’s royal family to act to reverse the prosecutions and mass sackings of those who joined pro-democracy actions in the country.

All 13 global union federations – the BWI, EI, ICEM, IFJ, IMF, ITF, ITGLWF, IUF, PSI, TUAC, UNI, IAEA along with the ITUC* – wrote to Bahrain’s Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to recommend urgent action to repeal the unjust imprisonment and victimisation that has seen medics, teachers and trade unionists jailed and sacked.
The organisations told him:

‘The undersigned members of Global Unions, the coalition of international trade union organisations – which together represent about 200 million workers around the world – are deeply concerned about the current human and trade union rights situation in Bahrain.

Today, over 2,600 workers in both the public and private sectors have been dismissed, and hundreds more have been suspended from public sector jobs. The government has failed to reinstate the vast majority of these workers and has presented no evidence to support recent claims that it has. Some of those few that have been reinstated have had to agree to unacceptable, indeed illegal, conditions to get their jobs back, including agreeing not to join the union. The dismissals have not yet stopped. Government workers, especially those in health, education and municipal sectors, continue to be suspended or fired for their actual or suspected participation in trade union and political activity earlier this year. Numerous trade union leaders are also now facing criminal prosecution.

Below are some of the most troubling cases:

At Gulf Air, the government is pursuing criminal charges against union leaders with the clear intent of undermining the union. Some 217 employees of the airline were also arbitrarily sacked. Although many have now been returned to work, we understand that they have not been reinstated in their original jobs, and union leaders have been excluded. These actions appear to be linked to previous attempts by the authorities to restructure the company, without having given any consideration to the views of the workers and of their organisations.

At DHL, the government has started proceedings against several leaders and members of the DHL Trade Union, who have been given notice to attend a court hearing on 26th October. They stand accused of violating national security.
Leaders of the Bahraini Teachers Association, namely Mahdi ’Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb and Jalila al-Salman, the president and female vice-president, were sentenced to ten and three years’ imprisonment respectively by the Bahrain’s First Instance Court of National Security, a military tribunal. The Bahrain Teachers’ Association was dissolved in April by the Ministry of Social Development.

At least 68 journalists working for two leading Bahraini newspapers, Al Wasat and Al Bilad, were singled out for sacking, arrests and charges of treason. Others were forced into exile in the ongoing systematic harassment of independent media. In the meanwhile, senior journalist Mansour Al Jamry, editor-in-chief of Al Wasat newspaper, is on trial along with three other senior staff charged with publishing false information about the police crackdown, a charge which carries a one-year prison sentence. …source

U.S. finalizes arms deal with Bahrain
Published: Oct. 18, 2011 at 8:56 AM

MANAMA, Bahrain, Oct. 18 (UPI) — A top U.S. diplomat confirmed Tuesday the United States has finalized a $53 million weapons deal with the Persian Gulf Kingdom of Bahrain.

Stephen Seche, deputy assistant secretary of state for Arabian Peninsula Affairs, said the deal is part of a move to defend Bahrain from aggression, Gulf News reported.

Stability in Bahrain is vital to the United States and its coalition partners in the war against terror. Ships of the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet and other navies uses its port and coordinate their anti-terror operations from Bahrain.

In a related matter, Seche said the United States was looking forward to the findings of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry scheduled for release Oct. 30.

The panel was set up in June to investigate rioting that occurred in the kingdom during February and March. Thousands of people have been interviewed by the commission in an effort to find out what really happened. …source

MEDIA ADVISORY: DIGNITY ARROWS OPERATION, RE-SETTING UP THE CENTRAL PROTEST CAMP AT SEEF MALL INTERSECTION IN THE CAPITAL MANAMA
by ثورة 14 فبراير في البحرين on Monday, October 17, 2011 at 4:51am

MEDIA ADVISORY

For immediate release: October 17, 2011
Contact: February 14 Youth Movement
Email: nov.bahrain14@gmail.com
Facebook: TrueRoyalDemocracy

DIGNITY ARROWS OPERATION: RE-SETTING UP THE CENTRAL PEACEFUL PROTEST CAMP AT SEEF MALL INTERSECTION IN THE CAPITAL MANAMA TO DEMAND FREEDOM AND TRUE DEMOCRACY FOR ALL BAHRAINIS

What: Dignity Arrows Operation is a multi-axial peaceful protests throughout Bahrain that aims to re-setup the peaceful protest camp at Seef Mall intersection in the capital Manama

When: Sat, October 22, 2011, throughout the day.
Where: Seef Mall Intersection in the capital Manama.

Why: The regime of Bahrain has been long ignoring our legitimate demands for freedom and true democracy, and has been denying our rights to protest peacefully at the central protest camp in the Lulu/Pearl roundabout since the brutal crackdown on March 16, 2011.

We are peaceful protesters and we intend no harm to businesses or individuals that might be impacted by this peaceful protest. Our sole intention is to press the regime of Bahrain to allow us to re-setup our peaceful protest camp at either the Lulu/Pearl roundabout or the Seef Intersection and to meet our legitimate demands for freedom and true democracy which have been outlined in the “Manama Paper/Document” or by holding an independent referendum to decide the fate of the regime similar to the referendum that was held by the UN in 1970 which determined the independence of Bahrain.

How: The video on the URL below explains the operation in detail along with descriptive annotations in English, we grant full rights to all TV channels to broadcast the video: HERE

The forgotten Cases of Bahrain Political and Human Rights Activists
Global Research, October 18, 2011

Speak out for the release of Mushaima

Mr Hassan Ali Mushaima, 63, has been denied proper treatment for his Lymphoma Cancer since his arrest in March. With seven other political leaders, he has recently been sentenced to life imprisonment for his role in leading the civil resistance movement seeking to establish a democratic government in Bahrain. Before his arrest he had been treated at the Royal Brompton Hospital and where he was cleared of the disease and placed on remission treatment. However, the news that are emerging from behind bars in recent weeks have been shockingly worrying.

Since his arrest, Mr Mushaima has been subjected to severe physical and psychological torture, including beating, electric shocks, deprivation of sleep, exposure to extreme forms of heat and cold environment as well as sexual abuse. It has now been revealed that his remission treatment has not been implemented. Instead he was given three doses while blindfolded by men whose character are unknown to him. He suffered several ailments that required his transfer to the military hospital on more than one occasion.

Mr Mushaima’s family have expressed their fear for his life as his condition deteriorated and he often appeared dis-orientated. Lack of access to proper treatment has had an adverse effect on his physical and psychological state. Despite repeated calls for his release, the Al Khalifa regime and the Saudi occupation forces have adopted more sinister approaches in order to break the will of the Bahraini prisoners, especially Mr Hassan Mushaima, the most senior opposition figure in jail.

Justice for Bahrain is deeply concern about Mr Mushaima health and demand the immediate medical attention and call for the immediate release of Mr Hassan Mushaima and the rest of the leading figures and the end of the human rights violations in Bahrain.

Justice for Bahrain will be holding a vigil against the silence of the British Government at the continued human rights violations in Bahrain, the supply of British weapons to the regime despite earlier official assertions that licenses had been withdrawn and the apparent approval of the Saudi occupation of Bahrain.

Please Join us to show you Solidarity with the Bahrain Political and Human Rights Activists

Where: Downing street
When: Friday 21st Oct
Time : 5:00 PM To 7:00PM

We urge you to join us and Together we Say No More to the Human Rights Violations in Bahrain

For More info please contact
Justice for Bahrain on
info@justiceforbahrain.com
07766500524