Access Refused to Military Court hearing of Abdulhadi Al- Khawaja – Bahrain Human Rights Leader

Posted on 2011/04/21

Front Line Deputy Director Andrew Anderson who is currently on mission in Bahrain was this morning (21st April) refused access to the hearing of imprisoned human rights defender, and former Front Line Regional Protection Coordinator, Abdulhadi Al-khawaja at the Military Court in Rifaa.

On 9 April 2011, human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was arrested and beaten unconscious by police in Al-Manama, Bahrain. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a former Protection Co-ordinator for Front Line and former President of the Bahrain

Centre for Human Rights (BCHR). The arrest of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is an indication of the increasingly hardline being taken by the Bahraini authorities which has resulted in a recent spate of arrests.

At approximately 03.00 am on 9 April 2011, masked police forced entry to the home of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja’s daughter, where he was present at the time. Upon entry, the police officers – one of whom reportedly spoke English, and no Arabic – proceeded to assault Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, along with human rights defender Mr Mohammed Al-Maskati, President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), who was present at the time.

Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was dragged down the stairs of the house by the neck, and beaten by five officers, who refused to stop despite his claims that he could not breathe. His daughter, Zainab Al-Khawaja, was assaulted when she attempted to intervene. The women present in the house were then locked in a room and prevented from leaving.

Speaking from the capital Manama Andrew Anderson said “The Bahraini Defence Force officer to whom I spoke this morning said that he was not even in a position to confirm whether the hearing was taking place and that this was a matter for the office of the Military Prosecutor. The authorities stated that Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja had been arrested by the judicial police for his involvement in ‘crimes against the security of the Kingdom of Bahrain’ and that he will be able to meet with his lawyer as soon as the case is referred to the Military Prosecutor.”

Front Line thanked the authorities for allowing Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja to speak by phone with his family on 20th April and for allowing the family to deliver clothes and medicines for Abdulhadi on the morning of the 21st. “The family told me that they were very concerned by the fact that when they spoke with Abdulhadi he sounded very weak, had trouble speaking clearly and was unable to confirm that he had been treated properly, saying only that his ‘spirit was strong’”, said Mr Anderson.

Front Line is calling on the authorities to authorise the family to meet Abdulhadi and that Abdulhadi should be given free access to his lawyer. Furthermore Front Line is reiterating its request to the authorities to observe the hearing against Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and for permission to meet him. …source