Bahrain: Deteriorating human situation as leaders and doctors jailed

Bahrain: Deteriorating human situation as leaders and doctors jailed
Bahrain Freedom Movement – 02/10/2011

The martyrdom of Jaffar LutfAllah, 74, from Abu Saibe’ village on Friday 30th September has enraged the people of Bahrain and called on the international community to take serious actions to stop the onslaught by Saudi and Al Khalifa forces on the country. Mr LutfAllah had inhaled large amounts of chemical gases fired by the regime’s security forces on Sunday 18th September and went into coma. He was taken to hospital and passed away 12 days later.

The family described in detail the crime to the Bissiouni committee supposedly investigating the crimes committed by the Al Khalifa against the people, but it failed to take serious action. The attack happened when the regime’s forces attacked a peaceful protest near the entrance of the village with large amounts of chemical and tear gases. It has now been established that those forces often throw gas canisters inside people’s homes where the effect of the gases become more lethal in confined spaces. This brings to four the number of martyrs in September. The earlier martyrs are: Ali Al Sheikh, Jaffar Hassan Yousuf and Sayyed Jawad Sayyed Ahmad.

Meanwhile it has been reported that the health of both Abdul Wahab Hussain and Dr Abdul Jalil Al Singace have deteriorated as a result of hunger strike and ill-treatment by the regime’s torturers. Today is the eighth day of the strike. The leading figures who had been incarcerated in Al Khalifa jails since the Saudis invaded Bahrain in March had gone on hunger strike to protest the vicious attacks on women that had taken place last week. News from inside the jail have confirmed that the hunger strikers have been severely punished in recent days. They have been denied medical care which is greatly needed as most of them suffer various illnesses due to relatively old age and ill treatment. More than 30 women had been arrested, shackled and thrown on the street before being taken to torture cells. Images of women, handcuffed and scattered on the roads had cause enormous anger and pain among the people who, unlike the Al Khalifa, hold women at high esteem and respect. Senior religious scholars had also staged a protest against the ill-treatment of Bahraini women by the Saudi-backed Al Khalifa forces. A rally was held on Thursday by Bahraini women to protest this crime and was addressed by former women hostages including the poet, Ayat Al Qurmuzi.

On another level the international community has been outraged by the death and lengthy prison sentences passed by the military court against a large number of Bahrainis. On Wednesday 28th September the Saudi and Al Khalifa clans, through their military court, confirmed the earlier prison sentences passed against the leading figures. Eight were given life sentences and 14 were given prison sentences ranging between 5 and 15 years. On Thursday 29th September, 20 doctors were sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. Most were given 15 years and the rest five to ten years. The doctors were released two weeks ago in response to international pressures only to be charged and summoned by the military court to serve their jail terms. The American President, as usual, expressed “concern” at these sentences while the British Foreign Secretary condemned them. Irish doctors who had staged hunger strike last month in support of Bahraini doctors, are planning to lobby the American professional bodies to take action in support of these victims whose main crime was performing their duties and treating the victims of the vicious attacks by the Saudi and Al Khalifa forces in March.

The Saudi and Al Khalifa forces have continued to arrest more Bahrainis. Among the latest are seven from Bilad Al Qadeem, arrested on Friday 30th September: Abd Ali Hayat, his daughter, Fathiya and two sons: Jassim, Mohammad . Three brothers were also arreste; Ahmad Al Madani and his two brothers; Hussain and Abdulla. Demonstrations have continued in various parts of the country. Last night the people of Dair took to the streets but were severely attacked by hooded members of the Death Squads when they reached Zakariya Al Ahsiri Square.

Bahrain Freedom Movement
2nd October 2011