Hamas says “Israel failed in its goals,” thanks Iran
21 November, 2012 – Lebanon Now

Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal said on Wednesday that Israel had “failed in all its goals” after a Gaza truce deal came into effect, while thanking Egypt and Iran for their support during the conflict.

“After eight days, God stayed their hand from the people of Gaza, and they were compelled to submit to the conditions of the resistance,” Meshaal said.

“Israel has failed in all its goals,” he told reporters in a Cairo hotel.

Meshaal also thanked ceasefire mediator Egypt, as well as Iran, which he said “had a role in arming” his Islamist movement during the conflict.

“I would like to thank our dear Egypt, aided by the brave elected President Mohamed Morsi… Egypt acted responsibly and understood the demands of the resistance and the Palestinian people,” he said.

Meshaal also praised Iran, despite “disagreements on the situation in Syria.”

And the Hamas leader warned Israel against violating the agreement.

“If you commit, we will commit. If you do not commit, the rifles are in our hands,” he said.

Earlier, Egypt announced the ceasefire agreement would come into effect at 1900 GMT on the eighth day of Gaza-linked violence that has killed at least 155 Palestinians and five Israelis.

…source

Little hands
by Lina Al-Sharif – 21 November, 2012

Little hands
soft and round
cupped crayons,

in the corner of the paper,

drew smiley sun painted yellow

butterflies, swings, and green meadows,
huddled family, a house with small windows,
and a cloudless sky with a rainbow,

Little dreams,
thoughts of the unknown
as adventure bigger than their small world

Where they roam, float, and soar,

Laugh and agelessly grow,

Little hands,

But big tanks,

With calloused hands,

Found the house of small windows,

Tore the crayoned rainbow

Soft and round
became soon pillars of clouds,

Buried into the ground
so small a shroud
so quite a sound,

Little souls

Soared with the dew
roamed with the dunes
Left our world too soon,

Little hands
now will rain young forever,
no longer drawing dreams on paper,
Little hands,
cup your hands together
and pray for their hands to be tied
forever,
forever and ever.

…source

Here, in Gaza
by Rawan Yaghi – 21 November, 2012 – Mondoweiss

In Gaza, I sit behind my screen, devastated. “I don’t want to report on twitter, anymore” I think to myself. Then I take my words back and try to keep myself busy with it.

For the last seven days, I’ve been following the news, translating them and posting them on twitter after they are “confirmed”. One martyr here, another there. A child here, a child there. A woman here and a woman there. One, two three injuries coming into Alshifa hospital. I’ve been eliminating my feelings for seven days. I’ve been watching my language, spelling, punctuation and feelings. Today, I broke down. For a moment, I didn’t care where the last explosion was. If what exploded has exploded, what is my tweet going to do about it, I thought again. My Mom said the name of the place being targeted in surprise. Why are you surprised, I thought again. They’ve been bombing children for the past seven days. Why on earth are you surprised they’re targeting a commercial building.

In Gaza, children, if their lives were spared, wait in hospitals, bandaged and scared, for their dead mothers to rush towards them. Others lie alone, along with their siblings, or beside their father, faces deeply cut, hearts still as rubble, their eyes sleepy as in the night before when they couldn’t sleep, some with twinkling eyes. Still, they breathe no more.

In Gaza, a mother runs to hospital praying and hoping that the unidentified torn child isn’t hers. She knows it’s him. He was playing football a second ago. His jacket is also torn there beside their house. She is definite. She only collapses when she is confronted with the fact.

In Gaza, a man, blouse drained in blood, cracks when a doctor tells him that his son is already dead. He doesn’t know in which corner he should hide his face. A wall interrupts his strides. And, he crumbles there.

A boy, in Gaza, hasn’t spoken to anyone since the news of his friend’s death. He walks in his friend’s funeral with endless looks inspecting the nothingness before him.

In Gaza, four generations live. The youngest is buried.

After seven days, all you can do is blink.

Here, we stand.

…source

Rakhines again set on fire Rohingya village in Maungdaw south
19 November, 2012 – kaladan press

Maungdaw, Arakan state: A group of Rakhines from Kanbay Natala –news shelter villager- together with Burmese border security force (Nasaka) are setting on fire to Horsara under Zaw Matet village tract – a Rohingya village, today, according to a village elder.

“The Horsara village is situated near the Maungdaw- Aley Than Kyaw highway and beside a new shelter village (natala) and Nasaka outpost under Nasaka area number 7. The Nasaka always harass the Rohingya villagers and the travelers on this road. With them, the new shelter also giving trouble to Rohingya community who pass this point.”

“The village has more than 58 houses and the Nasaka personnel have already driven out from the village with open fire, then the Rakhines set on fire the village at 20:00 hour after listening the news at 20:00 hour from Burma broadcasting service.

In the news, there was US President Barak Obama speech which mention about Rohingya that become angry the Rakhine where they set on fire the village and the security force didn’t do any things while set on fire but, fire on Rohingya when they tried to save their village, said a victim from the village.

“For too long, the people of this state, including ethnic Rakhine, have faced crushing poverty and persecution. But there’s no excuse for violence against innocent people,” Obama told a packed audience for a speech at Yangon University. …more

2 killed in airstrikes as ceasefire announced
Maan News Agency – Reuters – 21 November, 2012

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — Israel launched deadly airstrikes across the Gaza Strip late Wednesday, as Egypt’s foreign minister announced a ceasefire to end eight days of violence.

Missiles fired by an unmanned drone slammed into Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip around 7:30 p.m., killing a teenager and critically injuring another. Medical sources identified the teenager as 14-year-old Nadir Abu Mugheiseeb. Another person was injured in the attack.

Another airstrike killed a Palestinian in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwan neighborhood.

Six people were also wounded in a separate airstrike on Gaza City, a Ma’an reporter said.

The latest deaths and injuries came as the Egypt’s foreign minister announced a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians during a news conference in Cairo with the US secretary of state Hilary Clinton.

Mohamed Kamel Amr said the ceasefire would come into effect at 9 p.m.

“These efforts … have resulted in understandings to cease fire and restore calm and halt the bloodshed that the last period has seen,” Amr said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Barack Obama on Wednesday he was ready to give a ceasefire with Hamas a chance, his office said in a statement.

“(Netanyahu) spoke a short while ago with President Barack Obama and agreed to his recommendation to give the Egyptian ceasefire proposal a chance, and in this way provide an opportunity to stabilize the situation and calm it before any more forceful action would be necessary,” the statement from Netanyahu’s office said.

The ceasefire announcement follows Egyptian mediated efforts to put an end to a week of violence, which started when Israel assassinated Hamas military commander Ahmad al-Jaabari last Wednesday.

Israel’s military has bombarded the Gaza Strip for eight days, killing around 170 people and injuring over 1,000. Extensive damage has been caused to civilian infrastructure in Gaza as Israel hit over 1,500 sites, with media buildings targeted and several journalists killed and wounded.

An Israeli soldier and civilian were reported killed by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, with three other civilians killed by a rocket last Thursday in Israel’s south. …source

The Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR) and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) express their grave concern at the continued systematic crackdown by the authorities in Bahrain on human rights defenders. In the second half of 2012 alone, several cases have been reported that include arrests, detention, ill-treatment, unfair trials, and physical attacks on human rights defenders due to their legitimate and peaceful human rights work

Bahrain – Systematic crackdown on human rights defenders
19 November, 2012 – Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Detention, prosecution and unfair trial

On the 8th of November 2012, the Court of Appeal refused to release leading human rights defender Nabeel Rajab, who is currently serving a 3 year sentence on three charges related to the right to freedom of peaceful assembly guaranteed by the Bahraini constitution.

The hearing was dedicated to the screening of videos, including videos of international human rights observers that show the peaceful nature of Nabeel’s activities. There were signs of undermining the right of defence in the case as at least one international defence witness was denied entry into Bahrain and the defense team has not had access to all the evidence filed in the criminal case in due time. The hearing was adjourned, and a final verdict is expected on the 11th of December 2012.

Nabeel Rajab has been in detention since the 9th of July 2012 after he was sentenced to 3 months for a Tweet in which he criticized the Prime Minister. While in detention, the prominent human rights defender was only allowed to attend the first day of a three day funeral procession for his mother.

On the 7th of November 2012, the Vice President of the Bahrain Teachers’ Association (BTA), Jalila Al-Salman was arrested to serve the remaining portion of her prison sentence, after she was summoned to the Criminal Investigation Department. She was originally sentenced to 3 years by a military court for her role in the Bahrain Teachers Association which called for a strike in March last year following attacks by security forces on peaceful protesters. On the 21st of October 2012 an appeal court reduced the sentence to 6 months. Although Al-Salman’s lawyer has requested in the second appeal to the Court of Cassation that the charges be dropped and her sentence dismissed, the authorities decided to arrest Al-Salman, who had already served 163 days in prison last year, following her first arrest in March 2011. According to her brother, Al Salman has completed her sentence and was due to be released on 18 November 2012. After being taken for health check-up and receiving her belongings, the authorities refused to release her stating that she had not served her entire sentence. The BTA President, Mahdi Abu Deeb, has been in prison since March 2011 and is serving a 10 year sentence.

Human rights defender and Acting Vice-President of the BCHR, Said Yousif Al-Muhafdha, was held in detention between the 2nd and the 14th of November 2012, after he was arrested while documenting the details of an injury allegedly caused by the riot police in Al-Duraz village. Although Al-Muhafdha was accused of “illegal gathering”, he was interrogated about speeches that he has given in connection with the Human Rights Council during the recent Bahrain UPR in September 2012.

Human rights defender and President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights Mohamed Al-Masktai has been arrested and kept in custody for approximatly 24 hours between October 16th and 17th, 2012, as he was interrogated on charges of “rioting and participating in an illegal gathering” in reference to the Friday protest in Manama which took place on 12 October 2012 and entitled “Self determination”.

Human Rights activist Zainab Al Khawaja has been arrested several times since December 2011, and she was recently detained by the Bahraini authorities for two months from the 2nd of August to October 2011 for ripping off the King’s photo. She has had as many as 13 simultaneous cases against her and was sentenced in several of them to either imprisonment or fines. Six of those cases are still active in the court and awaiting upcoming hearings, which could result in more prison time for exercising freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,

1. Tearing a photo of the King: first appeal hearing on 11 December 2012.
2. Insulting a public official (Bahrain Defence Hospital): Acquitted, however, the office of the Public Prosecution appealed against acquittal and the first hearing will be held on the 4th of December 2012.
3. Disturbing traffic while protesting on the sidewalk (Bahrain Financial Harbour): Pleading session on 28 November 2012.
4. Illegal gathering and rioting (Al Aali Roundabout): she was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment and BD300 bail to suspend the sentence, pleading on 11 December 2012.
5. Participating in an un-notified demonstration and entering restricted zone (Pearl Roundabout): Pleading on 20 November.
6. Insulting a public official before the Lower Criminal Court: Pleading on 4 December 2012.

On 4 September 2012, the High Court of Appeals in Bahrain ruled to uphold the sentence against Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja in addition to 12 detained activists and political leaders, on charges that include breaching the Constitution, conspiring to overthrow the ruling regime, and having intelligence contact with foreign entities. The trial witnessed several violations of the international standard of a fair trial, including the use of confessions extracted under torture.

On 21 Oct 2012 human rights defenders Said Yousif, Zainab Al-Khawaja and Naji Fateel were briefly arrested while walking and holding symbolic amounts of food and medical supply to Al Eker village in order to break a siege imposed by security forces on the area. …more

Bahrain Uprising Threatens US Hegemony
by PressTV – TRANSCEND Media Service – 20 November, 2012

Connecting the dots of recent dramatic events in Bahrain spells one unmistakable message — the US-backed Al Khalifa regime is on the political ropes. It is desperately trying to defeat a determined pro-democracy movement that just won’t lie down or go away.

The regime is fighting for its very survival under unrelenting pressure from the mainly Shia population, who won’t back down in their demand for human dignity and freedom, no matter how much they are brutalized and terrorized.

But it’s not just the survival of the Khalifa regime that is at stake. It’s the entire US-backed order of Arab monarchies which has been in place for over six decades, and which is now showing cracks in the dam. This order has historically guaranteed the West a reliable source of oil; and more recently it is crucial to shoring up the bankrupt petrodollar system that Anglo-American global capitalism depends on.

Moreover, the Persian Gulf Arab dictatorships are a lucrative destination for the American and British weapons industries. The latter vital interest was underscored last week by the visit of British prime minister to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia — whose sole mission was to sell $9 billion-worth of fighter jets to these regimes. The Pentagon is also planning to sell Saudi Arabia $6.7 billion-worth of military transport planes, on top of the $60 billion deal signed off last year. In an age of debt-ridden American and British capitalism, the Arab dictators are vital sources of cash.

This crucial geo-strategic backdrop to Bahrain explains the escalating repression in the tiny island kingdom against civilian protesters, with a blanket ban invoked by the regime on all public demonstrations. Bloggers and organisers caught or suspected of agitating on social media have been dealt with instant imprisonment.

Then last week saw the rulers making the extraordinary Orwellian move of deleting the nationality status of 31 Bahraini pro-democracy leaders — a move that has shocked human rights observers and which contravenes the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Imagine a government making its own citizens “non-nationals.” How sinister is that?

Those draconian moves followed on the heels of suspicious explosions in the capital, Manama, and earlier last month in the village of Eker, which claimed the lives of two Indian workers and a policeman, respectively.

This theatre of dirty tricks and playing to the gallery with lurid accusations of foreign subversion is, to be sure, aimed at justifying the unjustifiable — the use of state terrorism and repression against civilians who are simply demanding basic democratic rights. However, what the latest draconian moves by the Khalifa dictatorship tells us is that the regime and its powerful backers are coming under acute pressure for political survival. …more

Bahrain: Promises of reform broken, repression unleashed
21 November, 2012 – Amnesty International

Bahrain is facing a stark choice between the rule of law, or sliding into a downward spiral of repression and instability, Amnesty International warned in a new briefing today.

The briefing Bahrain: reform shelved, repression unleashed comes days before the first anniversary of a landmark report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), which was established by the country’s authorities to investigate abuses during the 2011 anti-government protests.

The BICI report found the Bahraini government responsible for gross human rights violations and documented widespread abuses. It made a series of recommendations including calling on the authorities to bring to account those responsible for human rights abuses and to carry out independent investigations into allegations of torture and other violations.

After BICI published its report in November 2011, the government committed itself to implementing the recommendations.

But as this briefing makes clear, instead of fulfilling this undertaking, the authorities swiftly moved to entrench repression, culminating in October 2012 in the banning of all rallies and gatherings in the country in violation of the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and in November with the stripping of Bahraini nationality from 31 opposition figures.

“The scale and nature of the violations unleashed in Bahrain since the BICI made its recommendations are making a mockery of the reform process in the country,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Director at Amnesty International.

“As Amnesty International has documented in this briefing, the authorities have reneged on their promises to pursue the path of reform. Any claim by the government that it is committed to the rule of law and to improving human rights sounds hollow, in the face of a moribund reform process.

“Indeed, it has become evident that the authorities in Bahrain do not have the will to take the steps necessary to reform. Protestations to the contrary only underscore the gap between their rhetoric and reality.

“As the country is engulfed in entrenched unrest and instability looms, the international community, and especially Bahrain’s allies, have a duty to condemn what is happening in the country and to stop using the BICI report a shield to avoid having to criticize the Bahraini authorities.”

The establishment of BICI, made up of international human rights and legal experts, was considered a groundbreaking initiative, but a year on, it has been effectively shelved.

For victims and their families, justice and reparation remain elusive.

One such victim is Roula Jassim Mohammed al-Saffar who was among health professionals sentenced by a military court to between 5 and 15 years in prison in September 2011. She was subsequently acquitted by a civilian court on appeal. Following her arrest on 4 April 2011 she says she was tortured in detention. When Amnesty International met her in Bahrain while she was on bail she described what happened during questioning at the Criminal Investigation Department:

“A woman officer entered the room and said ‘I will blindfold you and I will deal with you now’. Then three men entered the room and started hitting me… She had an electric device in each hand and hit me with it on both sides of my head at the same time. I felt dizzy and lost consciousness. I don’t remember what happened straight after. Then they took me to another room and one of them called me a whore and insulted my family… On the third day she gave me electric shocks again and she asked if I went to the strike. Another woman started slapping me. She cut my hair with scissors. Then they burned my hair on the sides. They hit me and sexually harassed me by putting their hands all over my body… This continued for four or five days.”

Meanwhile, Amnesty International continues to document widespread violations by security forces, including the use of unnecessary and excessive force against protesters, sometimes fatal.

Hussam al-Haddad, 16, died on 17 August 2012 in al-Muharraq, the day after he was shot by riot police. His family say he had gone to a nearby cafe while demonstrations were going on in the area. A family member who was present alleged that after Hussam al-Haddad was shot and, while he was on the ground, a riot police officer hit him with his rifle and kicked him. Hussam al-Haddad was taken to the military hospital and then to Salmaniya Medical Complex. His family was informed about his death at around 2am that night. On 9 October the Special Investigation Unit determined that the policeman who shot at him was acting in self-defence after being attacked and the case was therefore closed.

Since the beginning of 2012, an increasing number of gatherings have involved participants reportedly throwing Molotov cocktails or blocking roads. According to the government, two policemen have died in recent weeks after having been reportedly attacked in riots. Such violent attacks are not protected forms of expression under international human rights law, and those suspected of carrying them out may be brought to justice in conformity with standards of fairness and due process.

However, the use of violence does not exonerate the authorities from their obligations to respect human rights. Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the Bahraini authorities to refrain from using excessive force against protesters; the organization considers that policing of assemblies should always be guided by human rights considerations.

An increasing number of children aged between 15 and 18 have been held in adult prisons and detention centres in Bahrain in the past few months. The total may number 80, according to lawyers and local human rights groups. Human rights defenders and activists denouncing such abuses are repeatedly harassed and some have been jailed for carrying out their human rights work and peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

And in an ominous move, the Bahraini authorities on 7 November stripped 31 opposition figures of their Bahraini nationality. A Ministry of Interior statement indicated that the group, including politicians, activists and religious figures, had their nationality revoked because they had caused “damage to state security”.

Bahrain risks sliding into protracted unrest and instability and is at a crossroads. The BICI report provides a roadmap to put Bahrain on the path of the rule of law; only the genuine implementation of the BICI report recommendations would halt the slide. Bahrain’s close allies, including the USA and the UK can no longer shield behind BICI and pretend it’s business as usual. …source

One Year After Bassiouni, U.S. Should Chart New Course in Bahrain
21 November, 2012 – Human Rights First

Washington, DC – Human Rights First today urged the U.S. government to radically reassess its approach to dealing with the Kingdom’s response to ongoing calls for reform in Bahrain. This week marks one year since the release of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry’s (BICI) findings and recommendations. Bahrain’s promised reforms following the report’s release have been inadequate and its human rights violations continue. Just this morning, 23 more medics were convicted by the Bahrain courts and sentenced to three months in prison for taking part in illegal gatherings last year. Five medics were acquitted.

“A year ago, I was in the King of Bahrain’s palace when he promised his government would implement the human rights reforms outlined in the BICI report. He told us officials responsible for his government’s violent crackdown would be replaced and held accountable. It hasn’t happened,” said Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley. “The Bahrain regime points to reforms on paper, but the crisis needs a fundamental change in approach, including from the U.S.government.”

Dooley notes that if the U.S.government continues to support the King while giving only muted encouragement to human rights defenders and peaceful protestors, it risks ending up with a violent conflict. The United State gave the Bahraini government a chance to introduce real reform, a chance it failed to take.

“The U.S.government needs to acknowledge that it needs a new strategy. It needs to speak out publicly and call for the release of political prisoners, introduce visa bans on those it believes responsible for violations, and appoint a senior representative to advocate for U.S. interests in Bahrain,” said Dooley.

Friday’s anniversary of the BICI report is also International Day Against Impunity. To date, no senior Bahraini government official has been held accountable for the violations last year. …source

Terror threat reports ‘baseless’
By Sandeep Singh Grewal – 19 November, 2012 – Gulf Daily News

A GOVERNMENT minister has moved to reassure the public – describing reports of an imminent terrorist attack in Bahrain as baseless.

Minister of State for Information Affairs Sameera Rajab told the GDN there was no truth to the rumours and accused those behind them of seeking to spread fear in the community.

She was responding to suggestions that extremists were planning to detonate a bomb in Manama during the height of the Ashoora religious festival, which climaxes this weekend.

“They (those behind the rumours) are trying to create panic and chaos by spreading these rumours on social media websites,” said Ms Rajab.

The rumours have appeared in Arabic and English on sites such as Twitter and Facebook – and are now being circulated by e-mail and text message by worried members of the public.

“Intelligence sources revealed from Shi’ites that on the night of the ninth or tenth (of Ashoora), there will be a huge bomb in central Manama in order to blame the state for escalation,” said one Facebook warning, which had already received 133 “likes” yesterday.

It follows a spate of explosions in Gudaibiya and Adliya on November 5, which killed Indian Thirunavukarasu Murugaiyan, 29, and 33-year-old Bangladeshi Shajib Mian Shukur Mian.

One of the five blasts that day also injured Indian sanitation worker Dhana Ram Sainin, who is still recovering in hospital.

Ms Rajab said it appeared rumours of an imminent bombing were being started to stoke panic.

“I would like the media to be careful in dealing with such speculative reports as they are not true,” she said.

“If anyone wants authentic information or news they should follow the Interior Ministry’s Twitter account (@moi_bahrain).”

Meanwhile, she hoped a new law that punished those who misused social media would be passed soon.

It would allow authorities to clamp down on anyone who spreads sectarianism, hatred or seeks to polarise the community online. The law is being brought in as a result of people spreading false news during last year’s unrest.

“There is a law that has been drafted and submitted to lawmakers,” said Ms Rajab.

“Once it is implemented it will deal with cyber crime and misuse of social media by some people.”

The GDN reported on August 1 that the Bahrain Bloc had announced a voluntary “code of honour” for social media users.

Meanwhile, an independent investigation into last year’s unrest by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) concluded that social media had been used to spread misinformation.

“The Commission found numerous examples of exaggeration and misinformation – some highly inflammatory – that were disseminated through social media,” the BICI report stated.

There are currently more than 340,000 active Facebook users and more than 60,000 people on Twitter in Bahrain, according to latest Social Media Club Bahrain figures. …source

Bahrain arrests “terror cell” over fake bomb plot
By Daniel Shane – 21 November, 2012 – Gulf Daily News

Bahraini authorities said on Tuesday evening that they had arrested a “terror cell” accused of planting fake explosives across the unrest-hit Gulf state’s capital Manama.

A statement posted on the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said that suspects had placed mock bombs in several crowded areas across the city and on roads.

BNA did not specify when the island’s security forces had discovered the devices or how many people had been arrested as part of the investigation.

Sunni Muslim-ruled Bahrain, home of the US Fifth Fleet, has been battling a pro-democracy uprising led by the Gulf state’s Shi’ite majority against the rule of absolute monarch King Hamad for more than 18 months.
Click here to find out more!

Earlier in November, a number of bombs exploded in a single day in Manama resulting in the deaths of two Asian national street cleaners.

In the wake of the attacks, Bahraini authorities detained four suspects and pointed the finger at Lebanese Shi’ite militant group Hezbollah. Bahrain’s government has also accused Shi’ite Muslim dominated Iran of repeatedly trying to whip up discontent in the embattled Gulf state. …source

Bahrain: Targeting Freedom of Belief in Order to Create a Sectarian Conflict to Control Public Protests
19 November, 2012 – Bahrain Center for Human Rights

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) express their grave concern for the measures taken by the Bahraini Ministry of Interior against a group of Shiia clerics and a group of those responsible for Shiia religious places, after summoning and threatening them.

On the 12th of November, 2012, the Bahraini Minister of Interior met with the head of Shiia religious venues – called “Matam” in Arabic – where he issued a warning against addressing political issues that are related to local affairs during the month of Muharram. During this month, Muslims, and especially Shiia, hold events to mourn the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandchildren – and the Minister warned the clerics against addressing any political issues in Bahrain. (Refer to the Ministry of Interior statement: http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/532957?date=2012-11-13)

On the 17th of November, 2012, the Bahraini authorities arrested the cleric Mr. Kamel Al-Hashimi, and the prosecutor ordered a seven-day imprisonment pending further investigation. The cleric Mr. Ahmed Al-Majed was also arrested because of speeches he gave in this religious place, Matam, after he addressed the political situation in Bahrain.

On 18th of November, 2012, the Bahraini Authorities summoned the clerics Mr. Elias Al-Marzooqi, Mr. Hasan Al-Aali, Mr. Mahmood Taheri, Mr. Jaffar Saegh, Mr. Kadhim Darwish, Mr. Hussein AlAmiri, the Islamic singer Mahdi Sahwan, the Islamic singer Abdul-ameer Al-Biladi, the Islamic singer Abather Al-Halwaji, the Islamic singer Hussein Ahmed, the Islamic singer Sayed Alawi Alalawi and others for interrogation.

The Bahraini Authorities also summoned those responsible for the Shiia religious places – Matam – in the following villages: Bani Jamra, Aali, Saar, Bilad-al-qadeem – Karzakan – Sanabis – Isa Town and others, and they warned the clerics against addressing the current state of political affairs of Bahrain.

The Security Forces removed religious signs and banners belonging to the Shiia sect from roads and buildings (especially religious places). The Security Forces also warned people not to re-install these signs and banners in more than 8 villages.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) believe that the Bahraini authorities, through these measures against the Shiia sect, intend to restrict the freedom of belief and to create a sectarian conflict between Shiia and Sunni muslims in order to distract the public debate away from the issues of corruption, racial discrimination and human rights violations that sparked the public public protests on the 14th of February 2011.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) call for the following actions:
1. Stop targeting freedom of belief and allow all sects in Bahrain to express their opinion.
2. The Bahraini Authorities must stop the frequent attempts of creating a sectarian conflict in order to confine the public protests.
3. Bring forth those responsible for targeting freedom of belief to justice. …source

Bahraini prominent opposition Hassan Mushaima needs urgent medical attention
20 November, 2012 – Bahrain Freedom Movement

Prison authorities continue to delay a much needed check up for Hassan Mushaima to determine whether the detected tumor he has is malignant or benign. His family and lawyer are being denied access to his medical files, and there is concern for his life and well-being.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – According to family members, Mushaima was taken blindfolded and handcuffed three times to a place where he was given injections. He was reportedly not informed what the injections were or what they were for, and he was kept blind folded throughout the process. The delay in treatment being carried out by the authorities could cost Mushaima his life.

The BCHR holds the authorities directly responsible for Hassan Mushaima’s life and well-being.

3 November 2012

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its grave concern over receiving confirmed information that Hassan Mushaima’s, prominent opposition leader, cancer may have returned as doctors have located a tumor. This comes after Mushaima was subjected to severe torture last year following his arrest, and denying him the treatment he needs to prevent the cancer from coming back.

Prior to the mass uprising in Bahrain in 2011, Hassan Mushaima was received cancer treatment in London, and had been told by doctors that he had gotten rid of the cancer, but needed to continue with the preventive medication in order for the cancer not to return. Due to the lack of trust in the authorities, Mushaima is concerned that even if the tumor is found to be malignant that the authorities will not inform him.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights holds the Bahraini authorities responsible for the life of Hassan Mushaima and his well-being, as he is a prisoner of conscience who was imprisoned solely for practicing his right to freedom of speech. Hassan Mushaima received a life sentence by a military court in June 2011, which was upheld in September 2012.

The BCHR calls on the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Nations and all close allies and international institutions to put pressure on Bahraini authorities to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Hassan Mushaima as he is a prisoner of conscience.
2. Allow Hassan Mushaima to travel immediately to London to continue receive the treatment he needs to prevent the cancer from returning.
3. Immediately drop all trumped up charges against Hassan Mushaima.
4. To investigate the allegations of torture made by Hassan Mushaima during his imprisonment in Bahrain. …source

Eyewitnesses: Bahraini Opposition Figure Tortured to Death by AL-Khalifa Forces
20 November, 2012 – Bahrain Freedom Movement

TEHRAN (FNA)- Two eyewitnesses in the case of an activist who was recently killed in Bahrain testified that the victim, Abdul Karim Fakhrawi, was tortured to death when he was in prison.

The witnesses kept in the same prison with Fakhrawi said they had heard him crying and whimpering as he was violently beaten and insulted by his torturers in prison.

Bahrain’s court has postponed the hearing session of the two security forces charged with the torturing Fakhrawi to death to December 5.

However, Bahraini prosecutor’s office has already claimed that Fakhrawi, a founder of Bahraini al-Wasat daily and a media activist, has been killed by the two security forces “unintentionally”.

The al-Khalifa security forces are continuing the clampdown on peaceful protests across the country and have intensified arrests since the start of the holy month of Muharram.

Muharram, a religious month is commemorated by Muslims across the world annually. The holy month which started on Friday bans people from killing, arresting, committing any wrong doing or crime

They have also insulted the religious slogans chanted by people during the holy month.

Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling for an end to the Al Khalifa dynasty’s over-40-year rule, end of discrimination, establishment of justice and a democratically-elected government as well as freedom of detained protesters.

Violence against the defenseless people escalated after a Saudi-led conglomerate of police, security and military forces from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar – were dispatched to the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on March 13, 2011, to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.

So far, tens of people have been killed, hundreds have gone missing and thousands of others have been injured. …source

From the Hague November, 2012

Bahrain: Free Nabeel Rajab!
20 November, 2012 – Silent All These Years

Bahrain’s court of appeal should overturn a lower court conviction for illegal assembly against the human rights activist Nabeel Rajab and cancel his three-year prison term, according to a recent Human Rights Watch press release. Because the authorities have presented no evidence that he advocated or participated in violence, his conviction is a violation of his right to freedom of peaceful assembly, Human Rights Watch said. The court was scheduled to hear Rajab’s appeal on October 16, 2012, but the appellate court postponed the hearing and denied a petition filed by Rajab’s lawyer challenging the legality of the laws prohibiting demonstrations. A new hearing has been scheduled for December 11, 2012.

A criminal court sentenced Rajab on August 16 to three years in prison for organizing and participating in three demonstrations between January and March 2012. Rajab is president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and a member of the advisory committee of the Human Rights Watch Middle East and North Africa Division.“The criminal court verdict cites no evidence – not even an allegation– that Nabeel Rajab participated in or advocated violent protests,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “He has the basic right to peaceful assembly and shouldn’t be sent to prison for that.”

The Public Prosecution Office charged Rajab under article 178 of the Penal Code, which prohibits unauthorized gatherings of five or more people in a public place with the “purpose of committing crimes” or “undermining public security, even if intended to achieve legitimate purpose.”

A public prosecution official told Bahraini media that that Rajab had incited violence. The government also posted videos of some protests on YouTube, claiming, “You will find…defendant Nabeel Rajab violating the law.” Those videos appear to confirm that the protests were peaceful and do not capture any incitement to violence by Rajab or otherwise support the allegation made by the public prosecutor.

No such evidence is cited in the court’s verdicts in the three cases. In the case numbered 07291204947, police testified that after they dispersed an “illegal demonstration” on January 12, some people threw stones and Molotov cocktails at “special forces” and blocked the road with metal containers. One officer testified that he saw Rajab leading a march of 10 to 15 people “chanting for the release of political detainees.” But the verdict cites no evidence suggesting that Rajab was involved in the violence that police alleged occurred or that he incited such acts. …more

Bahrain’s Spring: Activism and Society in Revolt
Maryam Al Khawaja talks to Azzurra Meringolo – 19 November, 2012 – Reset Dialogues on Civilization

Maryam Al-Khawaja is Acting President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and head of the Gulf Center for Human Rights’ international office (GCHR). Based in Copenhagen, she comes from one of the most prominent dissident Bahraini families .She loves reading, travelling and speaking frankly. Speaking at a Festival on international journalism organized by the weekly magazine Internazionale in Ferrara, Italy, she openly criticized Western support for the Bahraini regime. “The last time I cried was when I read the report about my father torture” said Maryam. “But my family is just one of a long list.”

At the end of September, 13 doctors and nurses who treated anti-government protesters during demonstrations in Bahrain earlier this year were jailed for 15 years for crimes against the state. Seven other medical professionals were given sentences of between 5 and 10 years by a special tribunal set up during the emergency rule imposed following the protests. What is the situation in Bahrain now?

The doctors’ trial has been closely watched and criticized by human rights groups because of Bahrain’s use of “special military tribunals”, which have military prosecutors and both civilian and military judges, to prosecute civilians. Most of the medical staff worked at the Salmaniya Medical Centre in Manama, which was stormed by security forces after on March they drove protesters out of the nearby Pearl Square, the focal point of Bahrain’s protest movement . Since 2011, protests have never stopped and are held almost every day. But something has changed. What has changed is the Bahraini regime’s self-confidence. Now they feel they have international immunity. They feel that, no matter what they do, they will not face consequences for their actions. This allows them to do whatever they want. They are going against the most prominent human rights defenders. They would never have done this last year. Now they feel free to do what they want, because they know that, even if there are international statements, there are no consequences.

Your father, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, is one of Bahrain’s most prominent human rights activists. After 12 years in exile, in 1999 he returned to Manama, but he is currently in prison, after the repression of pro-democracy protests. In July, Khawaja’s longtime friend and collaborator, Nabeel Rajab, was arrested and detained for criticizing the country’s leadership on Twitter and eventually charged with organizing illegal protests and sentenced to three years imprisonment. Your sister Zaynab, aka angryarabia, was also detained for participating in protests, and has run significant public risks in an effort to draw attention to the regime’s brutality. What is their situation?

In recent years, my father has been the subject of ongoing harassment, including physical attacks and smear campaigns in the media. He has often been tortured. While in jail he recently decided to start a hunger strike. Rajab was recently sentenced to three years imprisonment. Amnesty International too has asked for the release of opposition activists and prisoners of conscience. But it never happened. I am the only one in the family free who is free to speak out since I am not in Bahrain, but in Denmark. If I were in Bahrain, I would be in their same situation.

Do you think anyone from your organization who tries to lead protests will also be silenced?

They tend not to target everyone in the same way so that attention is not focused on one issue such as, for example, arrests. Said Yousif has already been arrested and released several times, and he’s been beaten on the streets and that is without counting the threats he continues to receive.

Bahrain’s Sunni royal family rules over a Shiite majority. There are those who say that Bahrain’s protesters are taking orders from Iran, and others who argue that the Saudis are the ones who are supporting the regime. What is the role of Shiites and Sunnis in the popular revolt?

Bahrain is not a Shiite country. Bahrain belongs to Bahrainis, it belongs the them all. The protests too are for everyone. What happens in many oppressed country is that the government tries to divide people on religious issues in order to control them. In Egypt, they tried to convince the world that there was a battle between Muslims and Copts (10% of Egyptians are of Christians). In Syria, they are convincing people that the Alawites are against Sunnis, but this is not the case. In Bahrain, we have an oppressive regime against the people, no matter their religion. The regime wants to transform the revolt into a sectarian issue, but this is just for their benefit. It is not the truth. At the end of the day, if you are Sunni and you criticize the regime, you will be sentenced to prison and tortured. If you are a Shiite and you defend the government, you could become a minister. What matters does not depend on whether one is Shiite or Sunni, but whether one criticizes the government or not.

Could you give us a picture of activism in Bahrain?

These protests showed that young people not only are active, but also really well organized. The protests were called for by young people using Facebook. They called for protests on February 14 because this date coincides with the 10th anniversary of the day the king unilaterally changed the constitution appointing himself as the highest authority in the country. In Martyrs’ Square, the name protesters have chosen for the Pearl Roundabout after people were killed there, people do not know one another but have organized themselves in different groups. For instance one group came down to the Square and opened a media centre, another group volunteered to clean the streets during and after protests.

According to recent research by Mastercard, Bahraini women are the most empowered in the Arab region. What role do women play in the uprising?

They play a very important role. Sometimes, western observers think they do not play a leading role just because they stand in a different line from the men. But this is a cultural attitude. I do not think we should consider women as oppressed just because men and women protest in separate groups. Sometimes it is just more comfortable not to be stuck between two men. One of the goals of the Arab Spring is to remove western stereotypes. My favorite Arab Spring video is the one of a Bahraini woman wearing an abaya and writing graffiti on the wall saying: “even if the men stop, the women will continue”. …source

U.S. concerned about Bahrain violence, weak follow-up on reforms
20 November, 2012 – Reuters – Online News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. officials voiced concern on Tuesday that Bahrain’s failure to implement key reforms outlined in an independent 2011 report is making political dialogue more difficult and widening fissures in society in ways that would benefit Iran.

Bahrain, where the U.S. Fifth Fleet is based, has been under Western pressure to implement recommendations for police, judicial, media and education reforms made by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), an independent commission of international legal experts.

“We are worried that this society is moving apart rather than coming together in a way that would ensure both human rights and stability,” said a senior U.S. official, speaking to reporters on condition he not be identified by name.

“It’s absolutely clear that if society breaks apart, Iran will be the big winner and beneficiary,” added the official.

Shi’ite protesters complain they continue to be marginalized by Bahrain’s Sunni rulers. The strategically located island state is a key U.S. ally in Washington’s stand-off with Shi’ite Iran.

The BICI report, issued last year, said 35 people died during unrest which erupted in the Persian Gulf monarchy in February 2011 after revolts overthrew dictators in Egypt and Tunisia.

The U.S. official said Bahrain had “followed a number of the recommendations” including allowing Red Cross access to prisoners, issuing arrest protocols and modest police training and setting up an ombudsman in the Ministry of Interior.

“On the hardest issues, the government has not followed through,” he said, citing people still being held in prison or facing prosecution for the early 2011 demonstrations.

“We remain concerned about increasing violence in Bahrain, by limits on free expression and assembly and a political environment that’s become increasingly difficult and that’s made reconciliation and political dialogue more difficult,” said the official.

Washington also lamented fresh violence in the past month, including Molotov cocktails and other violent actions by protesters, as well an “excessive use of force by police and security forces,” said the official.

A second U.S. official said the 60-year-old U.S. security relationship with Bahrain was critical to regional stability and required a balancing act by Washington.

American policy aimed to “balance those requirements and those interests with those we have at the same time in encouraging reform, given our commitment to the fact that reform is the only way we can see that genuine stability and prosperity will emerge in the region,” said he second official. …source

Bahrain activists demand action over rights abuses
20 November, 2012 – BBC

Leading Bahraini human rights activists have demanded “accountability” over government pledges to address abuses outlined in a report a year ago.

Meeting in the Netherlands, they said the government had failed to act on the recommendations of the report into the handling of anti-government protests.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s government denies it has been stalling.

At least 60 people, including several police officers, have died in the civil strife that began on 14 February 2011.

The opposition says 80 people were killed, a figure disputed by the authorities.

Among those attending the talks in The Hague was Khalil Almarzooq, a leading member of the opposition Al Wefaq party; Dr Nada Dhaif, one of dozens of doctors and other health workers arrested and allegedly tortured last year; and S Yousif Almuhafda, a blogger and activist recently released from prison.

King Hamad appointed an independent tribunal to investigate allegations of abuse in the wake of widespread international condemnation of how the government handled protests last year.

Political will

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), headed by Egyptian lawyer Cherif Bassiouni, released an indictment of the king’s government on 23 November 2011.

It confirmed excessive use of force by security forces, numerous human rights abuses including torture in detention, as well as the sacking of more than 4,000 employees. Almost all were Shia Muslims, who form the majority in the Gulf island kingdom which is ruled by a Sunni royal family.

Mr Bassiouni made 26 recommendations calling for extensive judicial, legislative and policing reforms. He also called for the reinstatement of all the sacked workers.

The governments says that many of Mr Bassiouni’s recommendations have been acted upon.

Bahrain’s labour minister told the International Labour Organization (ILO) last week that 98% of the sacked employees were back at work.

“The ministry’s efforts are aligned with the [BICI] recommendations and consistent with Bahrain’s aims for reform and reconciliation,” he told the meeting in Geneva.

However an assessment by the Washington-based Project on Middle East Democracy (Pomed) found that only three recommendations had been fully implemented, another 15 partially, and seven – arguably the most sensitive, according to analysts – had not been implemented at all.

Stephen McInerney, Pomed’s executive director, acknowledged that the government had taken some steps, but told the BBC: “What is lacking is real political will to move forward.”

He described the Bahraini government’s claims as “not realistic”.

A Bahraini government spokesperson called Pomed’s assertions into question, insisting that “significant progress implementing the BICI recommendations has been made”. …source

Bahrain and Britain Sign Memorandum of Understanding
20 November, 2012 – BNA

London-Nov20 (BNA) The Kingdom of Bahrain and the UK today signed a key memorandum of understanding, establishing a joint work team.

Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa and British Foreign Secretary William Hague sealed the deal.

Under the agreement, the two sides pledge to bolster deep-rooted historic relations and step up political and diplomatic coordination.

They also committed to coordinate stances regarding security, the fight against terror, trade, investments and regional cooperation.

The annual meetings of the joint Bahrain-Britain work team will be held alternately between both sides

Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa stressed Bahrain’s firm resolve to implement the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).

He affirmed the Kingdom’s keenness on working in tandem with all parties to renounce violence and promote a favourable environment conducive to a comprehensive national dialogue.

Mr. Hague commended the Government of Bahrain for its efforts to overcome the challenges resulting from last year’s unrest as well as its firm commitment to implement the (BICI) recommendations.

He also reiterated the UK support for the Kingdom of Bahrain, stressing joint cooperation to build competences in all sectors.

The British minister lauded the role of Bahrain and the GCC member states regarding key Mideast causes as well as their efforts to address pressing issues amid mounting upheavals.

He also underscored the importance of coordinating international stances to promote security and stability in this highly-strategic and volatile region of the world. AHN …source

Bahrain in key talks with UK over reforms
By ROBERT SMITH – 20 November, 2012 – Gulf Daily News

BAHRAIN’s Foreign Minister will hold talks with his British counterpart today during a meeting that could pave the way for additional support with reforms.

Among topics on the agenda for the meeting between Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and his opposite number, British Foreign Secretary William Hague, is the relaunch of a joint “working group”.

British Ambassador to Bahrain, Iain Lindsay, is accompanying Shaikh Khalid on a visit to the UK and said this year had witnessed an increase in exchanges at the highest levels of government.

Opportunities

“We are discussing a range of bilateral regional issues and obviously the situation in Bahrain,” the ambassador told the GDN yesterday in an exclusive interview from London.

“That meeting (between Shaikh Khalid and Mr Hague) is likely to lead to the relaunch of a working group to take forward the UK’s assistance to Bahrain in a number of areas – some of the areas, for example, covered by the BICI (Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry) report focusing on reform.”

Details of the initiative are due to be announced after today’s meeting, which is part of an itinerary that will also see Mr Lindsay brief officials in the British government, the UK parliament and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on the situation in Bahrain.

Shaikh Khalid and the UK’s Lord Astor, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Ministry of Defence, were guests of honour at the annual dinner of the Bahrain Society last night.

Meanwhile, Mr Lindsay is due to give a speech today to the Middle East Association – which promotes business and economic ties between Britain and the Middle East and North Africa – prior to a workshop it is holding on business opportunities in Bahrain.

“The main focus of the speech I’m giving is on business opportunities and my message is there are business opportunities in Bahrain,” said Mr Lindsay.

“We are seeing signs of British companies, new to the market, winning contracts in the last few months, which is very encouraging.

“There are a good number of significant infrastructure and business developments, such as the airport development, Bapco’s major capital works project relating to the refinery and Alba with its expansion plans.

“There are many British companies in Bahrain and the region, but it’s trying to attract new companies because you need that fresh infusion of blood and Bahrain does have competition aplenty in the region – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha just to name three.

Stability

“It’s important from my perspective that Bahrain remains competitive so it can actually attract new businesses.”

During the UK visit, Mr Lindsay will be spelling out to potential investors the situation on the ground, but said “sustainable stability” was key to Bahrain attracting companies looking to break into the region.

“People want stability, they want sustainable stability to make those investment decisions,” he explained.

“Companies coming into Bahrain will want some reassurance that the business climate, the general political and security climate, is actually getting better – not worse.

“There are plenty of places people can go to other than Bahrain and still do business in Bahrain.

“Bahrain’s GCC partners are also its competitors.” …more