Posts from — November 2011

Trial of Bahrain’s 20 medics adjourned: activist
November 28, 2011 – Agence France Presse

DUBAI: A Bahraini court on Monday adjourned to January the hearing in the trial of 20 medics held for their role during anti-regime protests that rocked the kingdom earlier this year, a rights activist said.

“The High Criminal Court adjourned the hearing to January 9,” Mohammed al-Maskati, head of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, said.

“The public prosecution presented to the court a group of guns and swords which it said were found in Salmaniya Medical Complex” where the doctors worked, saying they were “proof” against the detainees, Maskati said.

The medics have been handed down long jail terms for their role during anti-regime protests.

The doctors, nurses, and paramedics were initially tried and convicted in the military-run National Safety Court on September 28 on a raft of charges, including incitement to overthrow the regime.

They were given sentences ranging from five to 15 years each.

But in a dramatic reversal, the prosecutor told the court it was dropping confessions from the defendants, after medics had protested that the statements were extracted under duress, and a new trial began on October 23.

Most of the medics worked at or volunteered at the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama that was stormed by security forces in mid-March after they drove protesters out of nearby Pearl Square.

An independent inquiry commission that has investigated a month of unrest in the Sunni-ruled kingdom had put the death toll at 35, including five security personnel and five detainees who were tortured to death while in custody. Its report, released last week, said that 11 other people were killed later, and concluded that a total of 2,929 people were detained during the protest movement and at least 700 remain in prison.

King Hamad vowed reforms following the commission’s findings, but tensions have remained high.
…source

Bahrain creates commission to study report on nation’s turmoil
By Associated Press – November 27 – WP

MANAMA, Bahrain — Bahrain’s state media says the country’s king has ordered the creation of a special commission to study recommendations from an independent investigation into political unrest.

The decision by King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa follows the release last week of a 500-page report that detailed abuses such as torture and excessive force in a crackdown on protests by Bahrain’s majority Shiites for greater rights.

The report urges Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy to take measures that include possible reforms in legal and security codes.

The official Bahrain News Agency said Sunday the new commission will evaluate the report and make its own suggestions before the end of February. …source

We do not wish to live in a palace nor do we yearn for leadership, We are a nation that slays humiliation and assassinates misery, We are a nation that demolishes injustice peacefully from its foundations… Ayat al-Gormezi – 14 February, 2011

Bahrain – Adam Shapiro finally gets to Meet jailed HRD Abdulhadi Al Khawaja
jimloughran’s blog – Front Line Defenders

The drive out to the military court building took us on a main road bypassing villages and eventually newly built apartment buildings.

We were about 20 minutes outside of downtown Manama, and heading to a military base in order to visit with Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, father of Zainab Al Khawaja who was driving fast in the hope of getting to see her father. We were late on the road because Zainab was at the appeal hearing of her husband who was sentenced to a 5-year prison term.

At the military court building, Abdulhadi and his 13 other co-defendants are brought into two rooms where family members are allowed to spend 3 hours with them every two weeks. They are allowed to bring clothes, books, food and other things to the men, most of which is permitted to be taken back to the prison. When Zainab and I arrived, colleagues from other human rights organizations had already tried to get in to see Abdulhadi but had been turned away. I checked in with the military police guards and headed to the door where Zainab was waiting. She opened and I rushed in in front of her, and headed straight for her dad, standing at the front of the room. Normal Arabic greetings were shortened to a quick “Salaam” to others in the room, as I reached out my hand to grasp Abdulhadi’s. As we greeted in the traditional Arab style (kisses on each cheek), I explained who I was and that I was from Front Line. His face lit up and he almost started laughing. I heard a shout behind me and glanced over my shoulder to see the big military policeman gesturing me out of the room. Abdulhadi held onto my hand to keep me there another minute to tell me a message of thanks to Mary, Andrew and everyone at Front Line. I then left Abdulhadi to his family and chased after the policeman to find out what the deal was.

I finished the day by going to another village, Aker Sharqiya, to observe a protest march. The villagers had asked for human rights organisations to come, knowing that we were here, in part, because of the Bassiouni report. The plan was for the entire march to be in the interior of the village so as to avoid provoking the riot police from attacking. Walking through the village, after the protest, Zainab came up and showed me a rendering of her father’s face on a wall. On another wall in the village it had been painted over by riot police, but this was relatively new. The man I had earlier seen for minutes during his prison visiting time, who has 18 metal plates and 26 screws holding his jaw and face together as a result of the beating and torture he was subjected to, was staring at me from the wall in this poor village with a helicopter buzzing overhead, watching, monitoring. …source

Bahrain King Says Abuses To Be Punished
November 23, 2011 – Radio Free Europe – Radio Liberty

Bahrain’s king says officials involved in abuses during a crackdown on antigovernment protests earlier this year will be held accountable and replaced.

King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa made the pledge on November 23 at the release of a report by an independent commission into the February-March events.

The report concluded that “there have been instances of excessive force and mistreatment of detainees, as well as five deaths as a result of torture” during the crackdown on the protests.

It also said it found no proof of an Iranian link with the incidents. Bahrain has accused Tehran of inciting the protests.

King Hamad vowed to do everything possible so “those painful events won’t be repeated,” adding: “We must reform our laws to bring them in line with international standards.”

On November 21, authorities said 20 members of the security forces had been charged for alleged abuse of protesters during the month of unrest, in which several dozen people were killed and hundreds of others were injured.

The Shi’ite-led protests were calling for greater rights in the Sunni-ruled island nation. …source

Clashes with police follow Bahrain funeral
by Gregg Carlstrom – 27 Nov 2011 – AlJazeera

A’ali, Bahrain – The evening call to prayer in this village on Thursday was punctuated by the explosions of sound bombs fired by Bahraini police.

Tear gas canisters arced overhead as residents crouched on their rooftops and huddled in doorways, chanting allahu akhbar (“God is greatest”) and yasqat Hamad (“down with Hamad”). “This is Bahrain now,” one teenaged boy said, wearing a scarf over his face to shield his identity.

The violence began moments after the funeral of Abdulnabi Kadhem, a local man who was killed here yesterday, allegedly when police jeeps drove him off the road. Hundreds of protesters, some of them throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, marched from the cemetery to the main road, where a large group of police had been waiting all afternoon.

Police responded with a volley of tear gas that sent mourners and protesters alike fleeing into A’ali’s back alleys. Many ducked into houses, where women offered vinegar and perfume to ease the sting of the gas.

“This is Bassiouni’s tear gas,” one woman shouted, between gasps of a perfume-drenched tissue.

She was referring to Cherif Bassiouni, the Egyptian judge who headed the official inquiry into this year’s human-rights abuses in Bahrain.

The commission released its final report on Wednesday afternoon, handing a copy to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in a ceremony at one of his palaces. It accused Bahraini security forces of numerous abuses: torture, wrongly killing unarmed protesters, arbitrary arrests, and more.

It recommended a number of reforms, including investigations into torture and human rights training for the police and army.

“These are his reforms,” another woman said bitterly.

But Bahrain’s king has set up a commission to implement the findings of the report. It accused Bahrain of using torture to crush protests in the Gulf Arab state earlier this year.

‘Bassiouni says you are killers’

Several people collapsed from tear gas inhalation on Thursday afternoon, and residents said a number of people were arrested. Police could also be seen trying to break into at least one home to conduct a search.

Reports from A’ali village

These sorts of small-scale clashes have become a routine part of life over the last few months in Bahrain. Police have effectively sealed off A’Ali and other villages, which prevents protesters from massing in one location, like they did in Manama’s Pearl Roundabout earlier this year.

So they provoke the police stationed outside their villages, and the police inevitably respond, often with overwhelming force.

The actual funeral procession was peaceful: Thousands of people marched through the streets of A’Ali, chanting “Down with Hamad”,”Leave, you murderer”, and “The people demand the overthrow of the regime”.

Kadhem died on Wednesday morning. Witnesses said the police, who often drive at high speed down the narrow streets of Bahrain’s villages, drove Kadhem’s car off the road and then collided with him.

Bahrain’s interior ministry said Kadhem drove into a house, but the damage to his car, which was crumpled on the sides, was inconsistent with that statement.

Dozens of police jeeps had gathered outside A’Ali in the hours before the funeral, clearly anticipating a confrontation.

They tried to bar at least one foreign journalist from entering the village to cover the funeral.

“Bassiouni says you are torturers,” one man shouted at the police through a loudspeaker. …more

Bahrain to start new reform talks
Irishtimes.com – November 25, 2011 – societies

Bahrain will start new talks on political reforms and overhaul its security policies but still blames Iran for fomenting civil unrest, the foreign minister said today.

Foreign minister Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa was talking after an inquiry into the unrest and the government crackdown to quell the protests came out with a hardhitting report that described systematic torture of detainees.

He said a national commission called for by the inquiry, headed by international rights lawyer Cherif Bassiouni, to promote reconciliation would go beyond some reforms that emerged from a controversial national dialogue in June.

He said that the main opposition party Wefaq, which commands support among majority Shia, would need to be involved but it should distance itself from daily clashes between riot police and Shia protesters.

“For them to be present we should make sure that all important issues are on the table,” the minister, a former ambassador to London, said.

“Everybody concerned should be in it, and we are taking that as an important step forward. We ask everybody not to keep themselves out of these talks. Keeping yourself out means we won’t be able to discuss all the demands.”

The ruling Sunni al-Khalifa family dominates Bahrain’s government. King Hamad’s uncle Khalifa bin Salman is the world’s longest serving prime minister and the elected lower chamber of parliament does not form cabinets or have full legislative powers.

Shias complain of discrimination in jobs, housing, education and some government departments including the security forces and army.

Bahrain’s government has said it is addressing the concerns. …more

Bahrain 1st-Hand: How Activist Zainab Alkhawaja Defied the Police…And Escaped Arrest
November 26, 2011 – by Scott Lucas – EA World News

Today in A’ali in Bahrain, security forces — as is their standard practice — moved against protesters after a funeral procession for a man killed last week, allegedly after an incident with a police jeep. They used tear gas in an attempt to disperse demonstrators who had blocked roads into the village.

Activist Zainab Alkhawaja (@angryarabiya), despite attempts to dissuade her by fellow demonstrators, went up to the police in a dramatic expression of personal resistance. It was feared for some time that she had been arrested, but she escaped detention. This is her account of what happened:

Hi all, first of all I hope there were no serious injuries after the attack today by riot police on the mourners in Aali.

I have been thinking for awhile about our protests, and tweeting that we should be sitting peacefully in front of police, not running. Today I didn’t run, and as police ran towards me, shooting at the protesters, I remained on my knees holding up a Bahraini flag.

Brave, no. I just read the BICI [Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry] forensic team report of my dad’s testimony about the torture he was subjected to. [Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, a prominent political activist, has been sentenced to life in prison during the current protests.] Going through details of how my father was tortured, I kept thinking… I WILL NOT accept living under this regime.

I expected to get injured with the amount of shooting, but I didn’t and within seconds I was surrounded by riot police. Civilian clothed [plainclothes] police surrounded me & started filming & taking pictures. Someone kept shouting at them, “Not this one, don’t beat her.”

As they ran past me to attack the protesters, one riot police [officer] grabbed the Bahrain flag in my hand and threw it on the ground. Then some of the riot police got back in their jeeps to follow the protesters into the village and attack them there.

I was already in front of them but I stood up and held up my hands in a victory sign. and I started shouting “Yasqot Hamad (Down Down King Hamad)”. So they all got out of their jeeps, some came towards me wanting to beat me but again were prevented from hitting me
[Read more →]

Bahrain unrest continues after king’s reform promises
25 November 2011 – By Bill Law – BBC News

Reports from Bahrain suggest continuing violence this week, despite a promise from King Hamad to prevent further abuses from security forces.

An activist said police had fired tear gas and rubber bullets on Thursday at a funeral for a man allegedly targeted by authorities a day earlier.

Police said the man was the victim of a road accident and that an “illegal rally” was held after his funeral.

A report has said security forces used “excessive force” earlier this year.

The independent report covered unrest in February and March, and prompted King Hamad to promise reforms to prevent future abuses by security forces.

It detailed excessive use of force and abuse of unarmed protesters. Bahrain’s mainly Shia protesters have been calling for democratic reforms and more rights for the country’s Shia majority in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.

Bahraini security forces, aided by the Saudi military, cracked down this year on mainly Shia demonstrators demanding a greater say in government and an end to what Shia said was systematic discrimination against them.
‘Not a protest’

The activist, who said he was in hiding and requested anonymity to avoid reprisals, said he was one of several thousand to attend the funeral for Abdul Nabi Khadhem on Thursday in the Shia town of A’Ali.

“We were lowering his body into the ground and the security forces opened fired with tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades,” he said.

But in a statement to the BBC, the interior ministry said: “Around 500 persons participated in an illegal rally after a funeral procession in A’Ali. Roads were blocked and Molotov cocktails and stones were hurled by the demonstrators which led to police forces interfering.”

Mr Khadhem died in a car crash on Wednesday. Police say he was simply the victim of a road accident when his car hit another on the outskirts of the capital Manama.

The interior ministry statement described him “driving at a high speed on a branch road, where he lost control of the vehicle due to a curve on the road”.

But the activist told the BBC that the 43-year-old died when his car was deliberately struck by a security vehicle and swerved into the path of an oncoming car.

He said that people had shouted at the police that it was they who were responsible for Mr Khadhem’s death. But he denied claims that the crowd was violent.

“There were no banners, we were not in a protest march, we were in the cemetery, burying him, and they opened fire.”

The reports of continuing unrest bodes ill for the government’s attempt to draw a line on the violence and upheaval that has wracked this island kingdom for months.

Bahrain’s international image has been seriously damaged and its economy slowed to a near standstill as confrontations between police and predominantly Shia protesters continue. …source

U.S. urges Bahrain to address ‘disturbing’ abuses
23 November, 2011 – By Arshad Mohammed and Caren Bohan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States urged its ally Bahrain, home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, to quickly address abuses laid out in a report Wednesday that said Bahraini security forces used torture to obtain confessions.

A Bahraini government-commissioned panel charged with investigating abuses found that Bahrain’s security forces used excessive force to suppress pro-democracy protests this year, saying five people were tortured to death.

The United States, which has been faulted by rights activists for not criticizing the island kingdom more sharply for the crackdown, appeared to carefully balance its demand for the abuses to be addressed with praise for its Gulf ally.

“We are deeply concerned about the abuses identified in the report and urge the Government and all elements of Bahraini society to address them in a prompt and systematic manner,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement.

“We believe the … report offers a historic opportunity for all Bahrainis to participate in a healing process that will address long-standing grievances and move the nation onto a path of genuine, sustained reform,” Clinton added.

Neither Clinton’s statement, nor one from the White House, hinted at any distance between the Obama administration and the royal family that rules Bahrain, although Washington has said it will weigh human rights in decisions about military sales.

Clinton made a point of stressing the “strategic interests” that the two countries share, a likely reference to containing Bahrain’s neighbor Iran, which the United States suspects of pursuing nuclear weapons and accuses of supporting terrorism. …more

Obama Praises Report as Groups Urge Arms Delay
By Jim Lobe – IPS – 23 November, 2011

WASHINGTON, Nov 23, 2011 (IPS) – The administration of President Barack Obama has praised a damning report issued Wednesday in Manama on Bahrain’s crackdown on the democracy movement earlier this year, as human rights groups called on Washington to further delay delivery of a pending 53-million-dollar arms package to the kingdom.

“We welcome today’s report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), which provides a thorough and independent assessment of events in Bahrain since protests first erupted in February,” the White House said in a statement.

“The report identifies a number of disturbing human rights abuses that took place during this period, and it is now incumbent upon the Government of Bahrain to hold accountable those responsible for human rights violations and put in place institutional changes to ensure that such abuses do not happen again,” according to the statement.

It also said Washington “will closely follow” the implementation of King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa’s commitment to carry out the report’s recommendations.

At the same time, several major human rights groups here called on the administration to further delay the transfer of a pending 53- million-dollar arms deal for Bahrain in light of the findings by the Commission, which was headed by the Egyptian-American jurist, Cherif Bassiouni.

“The U.S. shouldn’t sell the arms until there’s clear evidence that the Bahraini ruling family is addressing these very serious issues that the commission found and has taken action on the recommendations,” said Joe Stork, the Middle East analyst for Human Rights Watch (HRW) here.

“The Bahraini security forces have demonstrated over the past few months a willingness to use everything from weapons up to tanks in cracking down against domestic protestors,” said Sanjeev Bery, Middle East/North Africa advocacy director for the U.S. section of Amnesty International (AIUSA).

“Until its government has demonstrated complete follow-through on the recommendations, including the investigation and prosecution of anyone who may have been involved in the abuses, including those who gave the orders, there should be no arms transfers from the United States or any other country to Bahrain,” he told IPS.

Based on more than 5,000 interviews with Bahraini officials, protestors and witnesses, the long-awaited report found numerous serious and systematic violations, including the excessive use of force by the security forces; arbitrary arrests; and the abuse of detainees during the February-March government crackdown. More than 40 people – most of them Shi’a demonstrators – were killed in the violence. …more

[cb editor: While I would like to share in the optimism from Amnesty and others, I find it difficult to grasp why there “should be a turning point” ahead. The need and opportunity for a “turning point” by the al Khalifa regime has presented itself time and again and it could have been pursued at any point along the way. Even today, as the BICI report was released, another protester was killed during Security Force attacks on demonstrators. It seems, incrementalism, couched in Pollyanna “carrot on a stick” approaches to reform, while maybe well intentioned by some, are what have brought Bahrain to the brink of revolution. ]

Bahrain: Critical report should spur human rights ‘turning point’
23 November 2011

Mass protests in Manama earlier this year called for wide-ranging reforms

Amnesty International today urged Bahrain’s government to usher in much-needed human rights reforms after a comprehensive independent report by international experts criticized the use of torture and “excessive force” during protests earlier this year.

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report, released today amid fresh protests in Manama, was deeply critical of the authorities’ handling of demonstrations in February and March and other abuses in the following months.

It covered hundreds of cases of abuse and included strong recommendations for protecting human rights and delivering justice and reparations to victims.

“We hope Bahrain’s government will view this landmark report as a turning point in how it responds to human rights violations, and will use its recommendations to lay the foundations for far-reaching reform,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Acting Middle East and North Africa Director.

“The pattern of abuse documented by the BICI – including mass arrests of peaceful demonstrators, widespread torture in detention and dozens of flawed military trials of activists and professionals – must be relegated to the past and Bahraini authorities must fully establish the rule of law and deliver justice to the victims.”

Established by a royal decree on 29 June, the BICI gathered around 9,000 testimonies and interviewed some 5,000 people about abuses during and after pro-reform protests in February and March.

Hundreds of cases were covered, including beatings of protesters by security forces, mass arbitrary arrests of mainly Shi’a opposition activists and widespread torture, with five deaths resulting from torture in custody. In all, at least 35 people have died in connection with the protests, including five security personnel.

The report urged the Bahraini government to immediately establish an independent body made up of representatives of civil society, the opposition and the government; to oversee the implementation of the BICI’s recommendations; to usher in legislative reforms to ensure laws are in line with international human rights standards; and to bring to account those responsible for abuses.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa responded to the report by vowing not to repeat the events following the protests in February and March.

In a statement on Monday, Bahrain’s cabinet admitted that security forces had been responsible for “instances of excessive force and mistreatment of detainees”.

It announced new initiatives, including the criminalization of torture – bringing Bahrain’s penal code in line with international standards – and the establishment of an independent national human rights body.

The government also said that it was prosecuting 20 cases against security officers, without giving any further details, and would set up a special fund to compensate victims of the clashes between security forces and protesters.

“The King’s appointment of the BICI was a landmark development, as the commission’s findings and recommendations testify,” said Philip Luther.

“The true test now will be the speed, extent and seriousness with which the government follows through on the BICI’s recommendations.

“In particular, the government must now deliver justice, ensure national laws are adequate to protect rights and work with civil society and opposition leaders to establish a truly independent and effective national body to monitor human rights according to a clear timetable.”

A coalition of Bahraini civil society organizations published their own highly critical report on the protest aftermath yesterday.

The civil society report also called on Bahrain’s international supporters to do more to promote human rights in the Gulf nation. …source

Bahrain’s human rights report: The Cliff’s Notes version
By David Kenner – November 23, 2011 – Foreign Policy

Rarely has a human rights report been accompanied by as much hoopla as the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry’s (BICI) investigation. The report, which examines the government’s crackdown during domestic unrest in February and March, was published on Nov. 23. Its release was accompanied by a televised speech by the BICI’s head, Cherif Bassiouni, accusing King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa’s security forces of operating with a sense of impunity, and using torture and excessive force to quell the protests.

The 501-page tome (warning: large .pdf file ahead) is a tough read. It neglects to name the officials responsible for human rights violations, and often falls back on a “he said-she said” account of events that leaves readers none the wiser about what took place. But there are a few sections of the report that shed new light on the abortive revolution that occurred on the island kingdom in February and March.

The first protester’s death: The first casualty in Bahrain’s crackdown occurred on Feb. 14, when police killed Ali Abdulhadi Almeshaima in the village of Daih. As the report makes clear, Almeshaima’s death galvanized the protest movement, as demonstrators took to the street for his funeral and to express outrage over the killing. The government’s story is that Almeshaima was participating in a demonstration and was killed after the protesters attacked a nearby police unit, while his family claims that he was shot by a police unit in cold blood, “for no apparent reason.”

On page 224, the commission comes down on the side of Almeshaima’s family:

“The death of Mr Almeshaima can be attributed to the use of excessive force by police officers. At the time of the shooting, there were no reports of any disturbances in the Daih area. Furthermore, the fact that Mr Almeshaima was shot in the back at close range indicates that there was no justification for the use of lethal force.”

The death toll: The casualties from Bahrain’s uprising is a matter of some dispute — the Bahrain Center for Human Rights has listed 46 people that it says were killed by excessive force from the country’s security forces. The BICI, however, finds that 35 people will killed during the revolt.

On page 214, it breaks down its death toll: 13 civilians were reportedly killed by security forces, five people died from torture, eight civilians died from unattributed causes, four expatriate workers were killed by both civilians and security forces, and five policy and army officers died during the unrest.

Fake blood: One of the narratives pushed by pro-government supporters is that protesters smeared fake blood over themselves to exaggerate, for media consumption, the brutality of the security forces’ crackdown. Among the government’s charges against 20 imprisoned medical workers, which it accuses of colluding with the protesters, is that they provided demonstrators with donor blood for just this purpose, and also gave atropine to some individuals to imitate nerve gas injuries — again for media consumption.

The BICI report, on page 74 and 75, appears to confirm the rumors that protesters used fake blood in at least one Feb. 18 protest:

“The protesters approached the BDF barricade at approximately 17:00 and demanded access to the roundabout. According to subsequent BDF investigations, the protesters began to verbally abuse the military personnel deployed in the area and to shout anti-government slogans. Reports also indicated that certain individuals among the demonstrators smeared their bodies with red liquid to feign injuries that could be recorded and subsequently aired on the internet and on satellite news channels.”

Torture: The most explosive segment of the report relates to the torture and death of protesters at the hands of Bahrain’s security forces. Strangely, in the case of two of the five protesters who died in police custody from torture, officers tried to cover up their crimes on multiple occasions by listing the cause of death as related to sickle cell anemia.

On pages 238 and 239, the report recounts a witness’s statement about the events that led to the death of Zakariya Rashid Hassan al-Asheri on April 9:

“The witness stated that all the detainees in the same cell were blindfolded and handcuffed, and forced to lie on their stomachs. On one of the mornings, the deceased began to experience hallucinations or confusion, whereby he began banging on the door shouting his name. The prison guards shouted at him to be quiet and when he did not comply, they entered his cell. The witness heard the deceased being beaten and he heard him scream after each beating. The witness then heard a shuffling noise after which the deceased‘s shouts became muffled. The witness then heard a Pakistani say in Urdu, ‘He is dead.'” …source

Press Release of Senator Wyden
Wyden, McGovern Statement on Release of Bahraini Human Rights Report
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Reaffirming their opposition to the sale of arms to the Kingdom of Bahrain until sustaining human rights improvements are made, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and U.S. Representative Jim McGovern (D-Mass) released the following statement on the Bahrain Independent Commission’s report on human rights:

“The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry’s (BICI) report confirms accounts from human rights groups and Bahrainis who have spoken out against the abuses of this year. It is clear that the regime fostered a culture of terror and violently suppressed peaceful political protestors.

We are heartened to hear that the King has agreed to make changes in response to the report. However, these changes must be lasting and significant.

We certainly hope that the King and his government will immediately accept the BICI’s recommendations. We also hope that the regime makes more general changes to give all the people of Bahrain an equal voice in government.

The people of Bahrain are unlikely to stop pushing for freedom, equal opportunity, and representative government. This may require a gradual transition, but that transition must begin or the country of Bahrain, and potentially the entire region, could continue to be rocked by instability.

As we’ve stated before, rewarding regimes that violently suppress peaceful civil dissent and violate human rights with multi-million dollar arms sale is inconsistent with American values and interests. Therefore, we believe it would be inappropriate for the U.S. to finalize the arms sale until we see significant and tangible progress in Bahrain.” …source

cb editor: Quick Analysis – Of course King Hamad’s response is tailored for the politicians that are ready to sell him weapons and give him dispensation for crimes committed in the name of National Safety. On first pass, the report seems little more than a compilation of “alleged” crimes, incidents and other events. Clearly it is incomplete and is limited to a few weeks of events that occurred while King Hamad was “ruling by decree”. Bassiouni emphasizes the “rule by decree” often, which basically grants the King and his Security Forces exemption from accountability for atrocities. King Hamad’s action plan is already underway with the arrest of 20 “Security Forces” as fall guys. King Hamad’s action plan will remedy all that is necessary to return to “business as usual”. It will include a few expulsions of foreign security workers, maybe something more dramatic, a death sentence would add contrast to those he has handed down to the Opposition and it might make him appear even handed.

All the making of a Grand Sham as Bassiouni and crew collect their blood money. On first pass there is nothing in the 501 page document that seems it will facilitate any “real reform” or any other kind of remediation. There will surely be some money to go around to any takers who have been “unjustly” injured or otherwise offended, possibly a pardon or two for some of the detainees. A familiar phase for countries headed for a revolution.

See the Bassioni Report HERE

See King Hamad’s response HERE

Stalinesque Military Tribunals for Civilians – Since July 2011, at least six people have been killed by birdshots or excessive tear gas during the daily protests that have persisted despite regime brutality. To date, around five hundred detainees are languishing in Bahrain’s prisons, most of them sentenced in military tribunals specifically established to deliver summary justice. In Bahrain’s corrupt judicial system, even if cases are appealed in regular civilian courts, the possibility of a fair trial or access to legal counsel is severely diminished. Most detainees have no idea what the nature of charges against them are until they are brought to trial. Punishments are then inconsistently applied. Again, in my husband’s case, he was sentenced to three years on two counts of participating in an illegal assembly consisting of more than five persons and spreading false information that incites hate against the Bahraini regime.

Bahrain’s Independent Commission of Inquiry: A Path to Justice or Political Shield
by Alaa Shehabi – Jadaliyya – 22 November, 2011 – BCHR

Tomorrow, 23 November 2011, the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), comprised of an international panel of law experts, is due to submit its report following a four-month investigation of the violence that broke out since the February 14 Uprising in Bahrain. Aside from questions of partiality raised by ongoing statements made by its Chairperson, Professor Bassiouni, the more serious question centers on the political purpose that this report will serve. Will it offer justice for victims of the most brutal crackdown in Bahrain’s history? Or will it whitewash the findings by avoiding high-level accountability and offering a political shield for the regime against its critics?

The February 14 Uprising and the Saudi Crackdown

“All those who called for the downfall of the regime [isqat al-nizam] will have a wall fall on their heads. Bahrain is a small island – there is no escape.”

These were the ominous words of the son of the King of Bahrain, uttered on state television in his newly appointed role as Head of the Royal Guard in March 2011. It was a stark warning: no one who participated in Bahrain’s revolt would be spared the regime’s wrath. Many, like myself, felt like a ton of bricks had fallen on our heads. There really was no escape. My own husband, Ghazi Farhan, an apolitical businessman who did not participate in the protest movement, was ambushed in his office parking lot on 12 April by masked armed men and held incommunicado for fifty days before being dragged to a military tribunal and sentenced to three years of imprisonment. He was the liberal and consumer-orientated face of the young generation of Bahrainis who cared little for politics. But that is no longer the case. Much of this has changed. Not just in him, but in many of the youth who have witnessed or experienced such repression.

Ghazi is one of the hundreds of forgotten prisoners languishing in an overcrowded jail that was emptied of common criminals over Ramadan in late Summer 2011 to make room for more prisoners of conscience. In October alone, 208 people were sentenced to a combined total of 2500 years in prison through military tribunals. Since February 2011, forty-three people have been killed, almost 1500 arrested and tortured, and nearly 3000 fired from their jobs. Hundreds of Bahrainis have gone into exile.

The mass persecution of thousands of activists and their families began as punishment for daring to participate in mass protests in which people demanded the end of absolute rule. Those protests brought the regime to the brink of collapse. Some demanded a constitutional monarchy. Others wanted an end to the monarchy altogether. One by one, masked men raided the homes of youths, doctors, lawyers, teachers, and engineers. People were blindfolded and whisked off to undisclosed locations with little or no information given to their distressed families. Fuelled by a public campaign of naming and shaming on state television, thousands were dismissed from their jobs, labeled as “traitors,” and denied the ability to question the accusations made against them. Bahrain’s prisons, infamous for the torture that took place in them during the 1990s, were once again transformed into terror chambers. During his first four days of interrogation at the Riffa West police station, my husband was sleep deprived, whipped on the back and feet, and verbally abused. Four men, including a renowned book publisher, Karim Fakhrawi emerged with battered bodies after a few days of their arrest. The government’s forensic doctors attributed the bruises and marks to “sickle cell anemia” or “kidney failure.” “We will kill you like we killed Karim Fakhrawi, if you do not confess,” my husband was told by his interrogator.

Choosing the route of brutal repression, backed by neighboring Saudi Arabia’s military intervention, may have secured the regime its survival for the time being. Yet the human cost will prove too heavy for such a small island to bear. The regime and its state institutions has been implicated in serious and systematic crimes, which blatantly flouted internationally recognized principles and laws. A regime that has so keenly nurtured its international image as “business-friendly” and rarely made headlines over the last decade—except to announce its role as host of the prestigious Formula One races—now finds itself being referred to as “tyrannical” on the front pages of Western newspapers.

In the aftermath of the crackdown, the government needed a major damage control strategy. One that would allow it to regain some kind of legitimacy in the eyes of the international community, if not amongst its own people. So a regime accused of grave violations of human rights—ones that could very well amount to crimes against humanity—has initiated an investigation to be supervised by panel of renowned international law experts. On 20 July, the commission, comprised of five members headed by Professor Bassiouni, commenced its work. …more

Bahrain’s Ambassador to the United States Responds to Congressional Joint Resolution on Arms Sales, Outlines the Need for Military Readiness in the Gulf

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Kingdom of Bahrain responded to a proposed resolution that attaches conditions to future arms sales between the United States and Bahrain. In a letter to Congressional leadership on the Foreign Affairs, Appropriations committees, and the bill’s sponsors, Houda Nonoo, Bahrain’s Ambassador to the United States, outlined the need for military readiness in the Gulf against external threats for both Bahrain and the United States. The full text of the letter reads:

“I would like to address the concerns raised by members of Congress in the joint resolution that recommended attaching conditions to a proposed sale of critical military hardware to the Kingdom of Bahrain. The arms and technology in question would be dedicated to safeguarding Bahrain from external threats. This arms sale, like others before, will go to maintain security in the Arabian Gulf for the U.S. and its regional allies.

“While we recognize the concerns of our friends in Congress, this resolution is based on fundamental misconceptions about the unrest in Bahrain. Earlier this year, the Kingdom of Bahrain faced unrest unprecedented in our history. While many Bahrainis took to the streets to express legitimate demands, radical factions hijacked these protests and resorted to violence. These stories are well documented: the houses of government officials were marked for attack by armed mobs; hundreds of expatriate workers were attacked and several were killed; and, of course, several unarmed police officers were attacked and killed. Evidence suggests that these radical elements were inflamed by foreign actors seeking to undermine Bahrain’s sovereignty. As evidenced by the recent plot against the Saudi Ambassador to Washington, this foreign threat is very credible for the United States and its regional allies.
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Clashes in Bahrain ahead of crackdown report
By Nathalie Gillet (AFP) – 23 November, 2011

MANAMA — Bahraini police clashed with protesters in at least two Shiite villages as tensions escalated ahead of Wednesday’s release of a report on alleged rights abuses during a protest crackdown, activists said.

Protests erupted early morning in Aali village on the outskirts of the capital Manama, where rights activists and an AFP correspondent said police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators.

A Bahraini man was killed when his car crashed into a wall as police confronted the protesters, according to the activists.

“I saw the police attack. There were a few dozen protesters shouting and chanting. The police attacked them with tear gas, rubber bullets, and sound bombs,” said Mohammed Maskati, head of the Bahraini Youth Society for Human Rights.

Nabil Rajab, a Shiite rights and opposition activist said the victim, Abdelnabi Kadhim, was “apparently not protesting. He was in his car when then police chased after him.”

In an online tweet, the interior ministry said a man died in a traffic accident in Aali, adding an investigation was underway. The tweet made no mention of police involvement.

An AFP correspondent in Aali said dozens of men and women chanted “Hamad must fall,” referring to the Sunni king whose family has ruled the Shiite-majority kingdom for some 250 years.

The smell of tear gas wafted through the air and the streets were littered with empty tear gas canisters and sandals, abandoned by protesters as they fled the police.

Clashes also erupted in the Shiite island of Sitra where mourners protested the November 19 death of a 16-year-old boy killed after being struck by a police car, witnesses said.

The police at the time said the boy’s death was an accident after a police car lost control and struck him.

The clashes occurred just hours before the much-anticipated release of a report by the Independent Commission of Inquiry, which was commissioned by the king to investigate allegations of human rights abuses in the bloody crackdown in February and March on anti-government protesters. …more