Regime rearrests hallmark of oppression over women protesters

Bahrain girl teen protester re-arrested in spite of health conditions
14/11/2011 – Bahrain Freedom Movement

Holding up a banner with photos of injured anti-government protesters, women protesters stand in public on February 19, 2011 to bring attention to human rights abuse by Bahrain military security officials. Image: Al Jazeera English/cc

(WNN) Manama, BAHRAIN: Following the late September arrest of 38 women and 7 girl protesters during a pro-reform rally at a local shopping center in Bahrain’s capital city of Manama, one teenager has been re-arrested in spite of her ongoing health conditions and hospital stay.

Seventeen-year-old Ashwaq Al Magabi suffers from a severe form of sickle cell anemia. The fatal disease can cause chronic pain, weakness and deteriorating damage to the bones, kidneys, lungs, eyes, heart, and liver. Ashwaq was sentenced in Bahrain’s penal court 26 days following her first arrest on October 19,2011. Her current sentence includes six months imprisonment.

In March 2011 Bahrain officials set up a military tribunal court, called the ‘National Safety’ court, to handle cases involving government reform protesters and human rights activists, in what Human Rights Watch called a “travesty of justice.”

Following international outcry by global governments as well as human rights groups, Bahrain’s Attorney General, Dr. Ali Fadl al-Buainian, asked that cases involving medical personnel who were arrested during the past months of reform protests and unrest in Manama be transferred to civilian courts October 7.

“All civilian cases should be tried before civilian courts,” said a spokesperson for the Foreign Office to the UK Mission to the United Nations on October 6.

On May 13, 2011 the U.S. Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission House Committee on Foreign Affairs brought Bahrain Center for Human Rights Director of Foreign Relations, Ms. Maryam Al Khawaja, before the Congress as part of a special expert panel brought to share her insights into the situation of human rights abuse in Bahrain.

“We have reason to believe that many of those who are being held incommunicado detention are being subjected to torture, and this, of course, raises high concern for their well being and for their lives,” said Maryam during the U.S. Congress hearing last May. …more