Hasan Mushaima is an opposition leader in Bahrain and the secretary-general of the Haq Movement, an important opposition party in Bahrain. He is campaigning for more democratic rights in Bahrain. Before forming Haq, he was a founding member of Al Wefaq and a leading figure in the 1994 uprising in Bahrain.

The Bahraini government has placed Mushaima under arrest several times, twice arresting him during the 1994 uprising. He was later jailed from March 1995 to September 1995 and again from January 1996 till February 2001. Mushaima was re-arrested in February 2007 and jailed for one day, and then was arrested and imprisoned again from January 2009 to April 2009.

In 2010 Mushaima traveled to Great Britain to be treated for lung cancer.

Mushaima announced plans to return to Bahrain during the protests in February 2011, but authorities detained him in Lebanon while en route, possibly at the request of the Bahraini government. Mushaima finally did return to Bahrain on Saturday, February 26, 2011. On that day, he was described by the Associated Press as being “welcomed like a rock star,” by protestors in Pearl Square. On 7th March, 2011, Mushaima alongside with Abdulwahab Hussain, the leader of Wafa movement and Saeed Alshehabi the leader of the Bahrain Freedom Movement, formed the ” Alliance for the Republic “, because of their belief that the Bahraini regime lost legitimacy after the harsh crackdown on protesters using heavy weapons.

One month after protests, the Gulf Cooperation Council sent 1,500+ PSF troops (1,000 Saudi, some Qatari troops and 500 Emirati policemen) to crush the popular uprising there and also sent the Kuwaiti Navy to stop any aid to the protesters by sea. After the protesters were kicked from the Pearl Roundabout, many known rights activists operating in Bahrain were arrested, including Mushaima.

The Testimony of Hassan Mushaima, A Bahraini Prisoner Sentenced For Life of Imprisonment In Bahraini Court
19 September, 2012 – European-Bahraini Organization for Human Rights [exceprt]

The last arrest came after the events that took place since February 14 2011, to make it the worst arrest that I ever encountered throughout my entire life. On the early morning of Thursday, 17 March 2011, and at around 2 o’clock am, the time the security forces choose to make their arrests in order to inflict more harm and terror to those asleep and terrorize and scare the children, and to leave the children and family with an eternal recollection of those horrific scenes and blatant violations.

I was asleep but my sons and daughters were awake, they heard loud and continuous ringing of the door bell, so they came to wake me up and tell me that the riot police are surrounding the house and that they are here to arrest me. I went to them and asked them the usual question if they had had a court order for my arrest or from the Public Prosecutor but they remained silent and entered my bedroom and searched it and took my laptop and my mobile phone, they then handcuffed me and took me, accompanied by a large number of riot police to “Safra” area. There and after the formal and quick examination they handcuffed me again and blindfolded me and put me in a vehicle I did not see for my welcome party to start, unlike all of my previous arrests, with beating, humiliation, insults and verbal abuse, for there was no law upheld or respected and no rights for the detainee, only bursts of hatred, revenge and vengeance. The first of those words were: “Mushaima – to hell with you and your sect”. This degrading treatment continued all the way until we reached “Al-Qareen” Prison, whose name I found out later, and in there I received another reception party of beating and punching all over my body and especially on my head and ears. They spat on me and pushed me until I fell and got injured. I was about to vomit from the intensity of the cold but they continued to curse, humiliate and insult me along with the beating until they took me to the solitary cell. There and to increase the humiliation I was given an old torn sponge bed to sleep on and dirty old blanket and a very old smelly pillow. As soon as I lay on the bed I was surprised by someone (a masked man) bringing cold water in the cold weather while the AC was on and started spilling it over me from head to toe and on the bed and blanket. I stayed shaking from the cold and unable to sleep although I was very exhausted.

Next night, and after the lights were turned off, another series of intimidation and harassment began. They hit the metal grid of the cell with hard objects that cause loud and disturbing sounds. In the middle of the night, other groups of masked men would come to threaten, humiliate, mock and beat. This degrading treatment continued, and the series of intimidation and torture continued on a daily basis, and especially at mid night. I stayed awake feeling restless, expecting them to come any moment at midnight, where the groups of masked men would continue with their foul methods of abuse, insult, beating and humiliation in various ways, such as standing for hours by the wall often raising my hand. I remember staying for 10 days with the same clothes without showering, until I was disgusted by my odor, so I once asked the masked policeman to allow me to shower but he did not respond. After an hour or so, another masked person wearing his civilian clothes walked into my cell and said shouting at the top of his lungs, “Get up… face the wall, didn’t you try showering in London on the street?” He then started pouring cold water over my entire body while I stood facing the wall, and then said, “Do not move”. I stayed like this for around 5 hours then another masked man came to say, “We forgot about you”. …more

US urges Bahrain to speed reforms
19 September, 2012 – Al Akhbar

The United States urged Bahrain on Wednesday to speed democratic reforms and hold meaningful talks with opposition groups to ensure stability in a strategic Gulf ally at a sensitive time.

Bahrain must halt the excessive use of force by police and prosecute security forces for alleged crimes linked to mass protests, including torture and deaths of detainees in custody, a senior US official said.

“A stable, democratic healthy Bahrain, one where human rights issues are dealt with appropriately, is a country that’s going to be a strong ally and we need that,” Michael Posner, US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, told reporters in Geneva.

Washington values the “strong security relationship” it has had for 60 years with Bahrain, home of the US Fifth Fleet, “particularly in light of things going on in the Gulf now”.

Posner did not elaborate.

Posner was to hold talks later in the day with Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa who defended the kingdom’s record at the UN Human Rights Council.

“We welcome peaceful expressions of disagreement, but not incitements to hatred and violence which damage the social fabric of a nation,” Al Khalifa told the Geneva forum, pledging that his government would pursue “unprecedented reforms”.

But Posner said progress had slowed and there had been no successful prosecutions of anyone involved in cases of torture and deaths in custody. “The fact is that a number of people, police and others who committed violations last February and March have not been held accountable,” he said. …more

Nasrallah reminded the world that the problem with America is not confined to a specific security, political or current issue, but the battle extends to wherever the Americans are engaged in dirty deeds.

Re-focusing the Conflict with Washington
By: Ibrahim al-Amin – 19 September, 2012 – Al Akhbar

Amid all the reactions to the wretched American-Israeli film, what stood out for many was the behavior of Hezbollah and its secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah.

This is not because of the rallies. These have become customary in Lebanon, whether Nasrallah calls for them directly or the marchers themselves have an occasion to mark. There was nothing new about the calls for rallies. Even those who thought it was a show of force know that. The idea, rather, was to turn out these crowds within just a few hours. The party’s followers and the supporters of the resistance treated the demonstration as being about more than just the film.

Nobody, of course, expected Nasrallah to appear in person, nor to address the crowd directly, if briefly, rather than from behind a TV screen. But those who know Nasrallah appreciate that there would have been no meaning to his call to “sacrifice ourselves for the prophet” had he remained behind the screen to evade the assassination attempt against him which Israel, along with a host of Arab and Western intelligence agencies, have been readying for years. In so doing he said nothing new to his supporters, but reaffirmed his personal position to his many enemies, who know him, yet hope his behavior will change with time.

The other point concerns the substance of what Nasrallah had to say the day before the march, when he explained the political and religious background and the behavior that prompted his stand, not toward the film itself, but toward the real sponsors of such material (though anyone seeing the dubbed portion of the film might be more outraged by the offense it causes to the intelligence and senses than the insult intended by its producers). A number of points are worthy of consideration here.

First, Nasrallah called on all Muslims – and what he clearly meant was Sunnis and Shias – to stand as they should against those who incessantly insult them and target everything they have: their sanctities, their countries, their freedom, their rights and their dignity. Here he could succeed where other Islamists failed. For Nasrallah has no favors traded with the Americans that oblige him to appease them, unlike the worldwide Muslim Brotherhood and the governments of various states that claim to rule in the name of Islam. That is why the protests that took place in several countries were not organized, resulting in acts of violence, for which there was no consensus, though some believe that Americans, citizens and officials, should be made to feel directly responsible for the evils inflicted on our world today. The “official” Islamists who rose to power on the backs of the Arab uprisings clearly showed that they are not interested in taking on the Americans or their followers. Hezbollah’s move thus flustered them, prompting some of their leaders to accuse Nasrallah of trying to commandeer the ship.

Secondly, Nasrallah reminded the world that the problem with America is not confined to a specific security, political or current issue, but the battle extends to wherever the Americans are engaged in dirty deeds. He had things to say on this in his speech on Sunday, including what he defined as higher and lower ceilings of demands. He then accompanied those demands, on Monday, with a warning signal that there would be serious consequences if the US takes its contempt for Arabs and Muslims further.

On the first point, there are no signs that the Arab and Islamist camp that colludes with the US and its Western allies is about to change its political plans. It will therefore continue using confessional and sectarian prejudices in its battle against the resistance axis (and who knows, perhaps the row with the Russians and Chinese will bring forth religious denunciations of Orthodox Christians and Buddhists too). This means, ultimately, that Hezbollah’s move will create a dissonance, which it hopes will have an effect on the general public.

On the second point, there is a new equation based on the principle of “re-focusing the conflict” with the US administration. The conflict itself is not new to anyone. But it has been renewed in light of the US’ greater involvement in denying Arab and Islamic peoples their freedom and rights, and its attempt to either contain the Arab uprisings to prevent real change as in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and Libya, or assume control of them as in Syria, with the aim of turning the civil war of attrition into an open-ended conflict with no horizon for a political solution. It is therefore naive to think the US will be spared from paying a price for its actions.

In this regard, it seems abundantly clear, based on abundant evidence, that the US has decided to up the pace of activities aimed at isolating the countries and forces of the axis of resistance. It is spending tens of millions of dollars on programs aimed at turning collusion with itself, or even with Israel, into a normal activity, the mere exercise of a different point of view. That will never be the case, however much those who think otherwise lie and however low they stoop. Those who collaborate with the enemy, or have no problem with such collaboration, would do well to get the message before it is too late. …source

Bahrain: It is a duty on concerned institutions pressing UNESCO to protect mosques
19 September, 2012 – Bahrain Freedom Movement

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – In a meeting with representatives of religious institutions of the United Nations, and in the presence of an elite group of jurists as well as Bahraini activists, Dr Maytham al-Salman talked about certain characteristics of Bahrain notably kindness of its people and their openness to accept other thoughts.

He regarded Manama as an exemplary model with regards to religious tolerance where followers of great religions live by side for more than a century in an atmosphere saturated by respect and appreciation.

Dr al-Salman ruled out presence of a Shia-Sunni conflict in Bahrain. Instead, he argued that what is happening on the ground relates to democratic aspirations being met by an authoritarian rule.

Dr. al-Salman stressed that the people of Bahrain would reject and not remain silent in case of assault on a single church. Yet, the authorities in Bahrain had surprised the world by demolishing some 38 mosques and vandalizing other places of worship, in one of the worst sectarian crimes in modern era. He reminded the attendees of the crime of demolishing the historical (Berbaghi) mosque, which dates back to 1549.

Dr. al-Salman reiterated that it was a duty of concerned institutions to press UNESCO to offer protection to mosques and ancient buildings subjected to threats in Bahrain in order to ensure that these structures would no longer face official demolition and sabotage. He highlighted the threat when the Minister of Justice considered the demolished mosques as only 10% among the total unpermitted buildings that should be face the same. He, also, reminded the gathering that 9 of such buildings meet UNESCO’s requirements to be registered as historical structures.

Dr. al-Salman concluded his remarks by placing on emphasis on dialogue, civil equality, coexistence and democracy whilst rejecting violence, discrimination, extremism and dictatorship. …source

Bahraini regime forces attack houses of opposition leaders
19 September, 2012 – Bahrain Freedom Movement

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – Saudi-backed Bahraini forces have stormed the houses of two leading opposition leaders as Al Khalifa regime continues its heavy-handed handling of critics in the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom.

Bahraini troops broke into houses of Shula and Bazzaz on Tuesday and searched both residences very thoroughly.

The incidents came as an international rights group says the Bahraini regime has failed to make good on a promise to implement political reforms in the country.

“Despite the King’s promises, the reforms remain widely insufficient,” the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said on Tuesday.

The report is based on more than a year of investigations into Bahraini regime’s behaviors and policies in the aftermath of the mass demonstrations that rocked the Persian Gulf state in February 2011.

FIDH urged Bahraini authorities to release all political prisoners and “to support the establishment of an international monitoring mechanism … to monitor the implementation of the recommendations” of the independent commission of inquiry.

Prominent Human rights figure, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, and opposition leader, Hassan Mushaimaa, are among those sentenced to life in prison.

The Bahraini revolution began in mid-February 2011, when the people, inspired by the popular revolutions that toppled the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt, started holding massive demonstrations.

The Bahraini government promptly launched a brutal crackdown on the peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring Persian Gulf states.

Dozens of people have been killed in the crackdown, and the security forces have arrested hundreds, including doctors and nurses accused of treating injured revolutionaries.

A report published by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry in November 2011 found that the Al Khalifa regime had used excessive force in the crackdown and accused Manama of torturing political activists, politicians, and protesters.

The protesters say they will continue holding anti-regime demonstrations until their demand for the establishment of a democratically elected government is met.

CNN and the business of state-sponsored TV news
Glenn Greenwald – 4 September, 2012 – The Guardian

CNNi’s pursuit of and reliance on revenue from Middle East regimes increased significantly after the 2008 financial crisis, which caused the network to suffer significant losses in corporate sponsorships. It thus pursued all-new, journalistically dubious ways to earn revenue from governments around the world. Bahrain has been one of the most aggressive government exploiters of the opportunities presented by CNNi.

These arrangements extend far beyond standard sponsorship agreements for advertising of the type most major media outlets feature. CNNi produces those programs in an arrangement it describes as “in association with” the government of a country, and offers regimes the ability to pay for specific programs about their country. These programs are then featured as part of CNNi’s so-called “Eye on” series (“Eye on Georgia”, “Eye on the Phillipines”, “Eye on Poland”), or “Marketplace Middle East”, all of which is designed to tout the positive economic, social and political features of that country.

The disclosure for such arrangements is often barely visible. This year, for instance, CNNi produced an “Eye on Lebanon” series, which that nation’s tourist minister boasted was intended “to market Lebanon as a tourism destination”. He said “his ministry was planning a large promotional campaign dubbed ‘Eye on Lebanon’ to feature on CNN network.”

Yet one strains to find the faded, small disclosure print on this “Eye on Lebanon” page, even if one is specifically searching for it. To the average viewer unaware of these government sponsorships, it appears to be standard “reporting” from the network. …source

@CarlosLatuff

Regime forces use toxic gas, kill man in Bahrain
19 September, 2012 – PressTV

A 59-year-old Bahraini man has been killed due to the inhalation of toxic gas fired by Saudi-backed regime forces in Bahrain, Press TV reports.

Haj Hassan Abdullah Ali died on Tuesday when Bahraini security forces fired tear gas at his home in the northeastern island of Sitra.

Abdullah is the latest victim of regime brutality against the peaceful anti-regime protesters in Bahrain.

Meanwhile, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) has stated that the Manama regime has failed to make good on a promise to implement political reforms in the country.

“Despite the king’s promises, the reforms remain widely insufficient,” the Paris-based rights group said on September 18.

Bahrain’s revolution began in mid-February 2011, when the people, inspired by the popular revolutions that toppled the dictators of Tunisia and Egypt, started holding massive demonstrations.

The Bahraini government promptly launched a brutal crackdown on the peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring Persian Gulf states to help crack down on the demonstrations.

The protesters say they will continue holding anti-regime demonstrations until their demand for the establishment of a democratically elected government is met. …source

Bahrain reforms insufficient: rights groups
19 September, 2012 – Bahrain Freedom Movement

Manama: Bahrain has failed to fulfil promises of reform since last year’s unrest in the kingdom, denying even the basic rights to most of its people, the International Federation for Human Rights has said.

“Despite the King’s promises, the reforms remain widely insufficient,” the Paris-based FIDH, a group of human rights organisations, said in its latest report

The report is based on more than a year of investigations into government behaviours and policies in the aftermath of the mass demonstrations.

King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa promised change in line with the recommendations of an independent commission of inquiry into the unrest, but has been repeatedly accused by international rights groups of failing to fulfil the most significant reforms.

“While certain efforts have been made by Bahraini authorities to address many of the [ commission’s] recommendations, the report concludes that the government continues to deny a majority of Bahraini’s fundamental rights on a daily basis,” said FIDH President Souhayr Belhassen.

She further accused authorities of using “governmental structures to attack or control the population rather than protect it, creating an atmosphere of mistrust and fear among the population”.

FIDH further called on the Bahraini authorities to release all current rights prisoners and “to support the establishment of an international monitoring mechanism to be set-up… to monitor the implementation of the recommendations” of the independent commission of inquiry. …more

Bahrain pledges improved human rights situation
19 September, 2012 – UN Radio

The Kingdom of Bahrain is to compensate families of protesters killed during last years anti-government protests.

Bahrain Minister for Foreign Affairs Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa says 17 of the victims have already been compensated to the tune of 2.6 million dollars.

Addressing the UN Human Rights Council, the minister said legal reforms were already under way in the justice system to ensure fairness, prevent torture, and protect the rights of women, children and minority groups.

He said Bahrain had agreed to implement 158 out of the 176 recommendations made by the Human Rights Council during the country’s second Universal Periodic Review.

“There is no limit in our effort to bring about positive, lasting change in the human rights situation in Bahrain. We have heard criticism that we are dragging our feet. It is true that significant challenges remain. Reforming government structures and restoring the culture of tolerance and understanding in all aspects of civic life take time. It is difficult. Challenges also reside outside government. Some unfortunately believe that continued unrest on the street afford them a political advantage. They fuel the flames of extremism and violence. They reject dialogue. They should not be encouraged.” …source

U.S. urges its ally Bahrain to act on rights reforms
Stephanie Nebehay – Reuters – 19 September, 2012

GENEVA (Reuters) – Western countries led by the United States called on Bahrain on Wednesday to investigate alleged crimes committed by security forces during mass protests and to allow freedom of expression.

Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa defended his government’s record at the U.N. Human Rights Council and said it would pursue “unprecedented reforms”.

“We welcome peaceful expressions of disagreement, but not incitements to hatred and violence which damage the social fabric of a nation,” Al Khalifa told the Geneva forum.

But the United States urged Bahrain, where the U.S. Fifth Fleet is based, to reform its police and security forces, allow free trade unions and dismiss criminal charges against all who have taken part in peaceful political expression.

“While official media have reported some initial progress on accountability, including charges brought against police officers announced earlier this week, much more needs to be done,” Michael Posner, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, said in a speech.

“Today Bahrain is at a crossroads,” he declared. Bahrain had shown “great courage” last year in setting up and accepting the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry led by Egyptian-American jurist Cherif Bassiouni.

“LOSING MOMENTUM”

“Ten months after the release of the report, however, we remain concerned that the government is losing momentum on implementation,” Posner said.

Pursuing reforms would help create an environment where “meaningful dialogue” can take place.

The small Gulf kingdom has been in political turmoil since a protest movement dominated by majority Shi’ite Muslims erupted in February 2011 during a wave of revolts against authoritarian governments across the Arab world.

The Sunni Muslim ruling Al Khalifa family put down the uprising with martial law, troops from Saudi Arabia and police from the United Arab Emirates, but unrest has resumed, with almost daily clashes between Shi’ites and police.

On September 4, a Bahraini civilian court upheld jail sentences of between five and 25 years against leaders of last year’s pro-democracy uprising, a decision that could further ignite unrest.

“Activists are not criminals,” Nada Dhaif, who was originally sentenced to 15 years for helping organize a medical tent for protesters, said in a speech to the U.N. session on Wednesday. She urged the release of all political prisoners.

Maryam Al Khawaja, acting president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said violations remained widespread.

“Use of excessive force is still a tool for suppressing daily protests, with unprecedented use of tear gas during protests and inside residential areas,” she said, adding that arbitrary arrests and beating of detainees continued.

Britain and Austria demanded further reforms during the debate, part of the regular review of all U.N. member states.

“Accountability for those who committed crimes, including security forces is vital,” said Britain’s ambassador, Karen Pierce. “We share concerns on sentencing and we emphasize the right to freedom of expression and peaceful protests.”

Britain also expected progress on the “political track”.

Saudi Arabia’s delegation said Bahrain’s government was trying to strengthen its human rights bodies and implement recommendations by the independent commission.

Al Khalifa said scores of police personnel had been investigated and 23 prosecutions initiated, resulting in three convictions and sentences so far. Some $2.6 million compensation had been paid to the families of 17 deceased victims.

“Let us follow the path of dialogue, not propaganda,” he said, before abruptly cancelling a planned news conference.

…more