Bahrain authorities continue to abuse human rights advocates, doctors, reformers

Bahrain authorities continue to abuse human rights advocates, doctors, reformers
28/06/2011

In the absence of international accountability and the complicity of the Arab League, the Bahraini authorities continue to abuse human rights advocates, doctors, and reformers

The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) expresses its deep concern and total condemnation of the severe penalties targeting prominent political and advocacy figures in Bahrain whose only crime has been to aspire to genuine reforms to construct a democratic system that respects human rights, guarantees equality, and ends systematic discrimination against the Shiite community.

The National Safety Court, a special military court formed pursuant to the declaration of a state of emergency in the Kingdom, sentenced some of the most prominent human rights defenders in the Gulf region to life imprisonment. Among them is Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, the former president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights who, until a few months ago, was the Middle East and North Africa regional coordinator for Front Line Defenders. Seven other prominent political dissidents and democratic reform advocates also received life sentences, including Hassan Mushaima, the secretary-general of the Movement for Civil Liberties and Democracy (HAQ), and Abduljalil Alsingace, a leading member of the same organization and a blogger. Thirteen other defendants received prison sentences ranging from 2 to 15 years. The defendants were convicted of a host of spurious charges, including conspiring to overthrow the regime, establishing or managing a terrorist group, and colluding with terrorist groups outside the country.

CIHRS expresses its full solidarity with the victims of these simulated trials, which the Bahraini authorities have long employed to confront those it deems its enemies for merely exercising their right to peaceful expression, for publicly criticizing government practices and policies, or for defending human rights. CIHRS also notes that the investigative authorities in the case took no action regarding the brutal physical assault on Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja during his arrest in April, nor over his torture in detention nor the attempted sexual assault on him. As a result of the torture, al-Khawaja sustained a shattered jaw and several other serious injuries for which he underwent surgery at a military hospital several weeks ago. The hospital refused to provide a medical report or any information about the nature of the surgery. CIHRS learned that al-Khawaja was taken yesterday to a military hospital due to his deteriorating health condition. In addition, the “judges” of the military court refused to hear al-Khawaja’s complaint about the torture he endured or to issue a court order to investigate the complaint. …more