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Category: Freedom of religion

  • Churches push for Cook Islands to be declared a Christian nation after mosque discovery

    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Churches in the Cook Islands are pushing for the country to be declared a Christian nation following the discovery of a mosque in Rarotonga.

    The Religious Organisation Special Select Committee has heard submissions on Rarotonga and plan to visit the outer islands.

    It was initiated by the Cook Islands Christian Church, which has proposed a constitutional amendment to recognise the Cook Islands as a Christian nation, “with the protection and promotion of the Christian faith as the basis for the laws and governance of the country”.

    Cook Islands opposition leader Tina Browne said the proposal was in conflict with Article 64 of the Constitution which allows for freedom of religion.

    “At the moment, it’s definitely unconstitutional and I am a lawyer, so I think like one too,” Browne said, who is also part of the select committee.

    Late last year, a mosque was discovered on Rarotonga.

    Select committee chair Tingika Elikana said it was the catalyst for the proposal.

    Signatory to human rights conventions
    He said the country was a signatory to several human rights conventions and declaring the Cook Islands a Christian nation could go against them.

    “Some of the questions by the committee is the impact such an amendment or provision in our constitution [would have] in terms of us being parties to most of these international human rights treaties and conventions.”

    Elikana said the committee had received lots of submissions both in support and against the declaration.

    Cook Islands Christian Movement interim secretary William Framhein is backing it.

    “We believe that the country should be declared a Christian country and if anyone else belongs to another religion they’re free to practise their own religion but it doesn’t give them a right to establish a church in the country,” he said.

    Tatiana Kautai, a Muslim Cook Islander living in Rarotonga said the country was already considered a Christian nation by most.

    However, she was worried that if the proposal became law it could have practical implications on everyone who was not a Christian.

    “People have a right to practise their religion freely, especially people who are just going about their day to day, working, supporting their families, not causing any harm, not trying to make any trouble.

    Marginalising people ‘unfair’
    “To marginalise those people just seems unfair, and not right.”

    Framhein said he also wanted to see the Cook Islands reverse its 2023 decision which legalised same sex relations. He said this was a “Western concept”, acceptable elsewhere in the world but not in the Cook Islands.

    Tatryana Utanga, president of rainbow organisation Te Tiare Association, said it was not clear what the Christian nation submission was trying to achieve.

    However, she is worried that it would sideline minority groups.

    “Should this impeach or encroach on the work that we’ve been doing already, it would be a complete reverse in the wrong direction.

    “We’d be taking steps backwards in our advocacy to achieve love and acceptance and equality in the Cook Islands.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • ‘Thought crime’ and cancelled elections: how do JD Vance’s claims about Europe stand up?

    US vice-president told litany of tales of Europe’s rights infringements in speech to leaders at defence gathering

    In JD Vance’s confrontational and pugnacious speech at the Munich Security Conference, the vice-president ran through a series of examples to highlight his claims that Europe has gone off the rails. Here, we look at what he said – and whether it stacks up.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Training for human rights defenders on freedom of religion or belief

    Free training for human rights defenders on freedom of religion or belief

    The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) is offering a free online training course for human rights defenders working on cases relating to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). 

    Taking place from 17–27 February, the programme is divided into 16 sessions covering all the theoretical and practical knowledge required to promote and protect the fundamental right to FoRB.

    The programme will be delivered by leading experts in the field of human rights and/or FoRB, including Dr Nazila Ghanea, United Nations Special Rapporteur on FoRB; Professor Fernand de Varennes, former UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues; the Honourable Hina Jilani, IBAHRI co-chair, member of The Elders and advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan; and Rangita de Silva de Alwis, IBAHRI vice chair and a member of the treaty body to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

    The IBAHRI is delivering the training in collaboration with the Rule of Law Expertise UK (ROLE UK). ROLE UK is a programme of the Advocates for International Development (A4ID), funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. A4ID is a global charity working to strengthen the rule of law in developing countries by supporting partnerships to provide high-quality pro bono legal and judicial expertise.

    Register here

    https://www.scottishlegal.com/articles/free-training-for-human-rights-defenders-on-freedom-of-religion-or-belief

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Nigerian atheist Mubarak Bala freed from prison (but fear still persists)

    The President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, Mubarak Bala, was apprehended at his home in Kaduna State on 28 April 2020. See:

    Nigerian Mubarak Bala subject of BBC documentary

    The prominent Nigerian atheist, who was freed on 8 January 2024 after serving more than four years in prison for blasphemy, is now living in a safe house as his legal team fear his life may be in danger…

    In 2024, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) released its opinion that the Nigerian State violated international law by detaining Bala. Concluding that he was wrongfully imprisoned for exercising his right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief and that because of this violation no trial should have taken place.

    Humanists International welcomes news of the release of Mubarak Bala, however, it reiterates that he should never have been detained in the first place. The organization once again thanks all those individuals and organizations without whose support this work would not have been possible. The organization hopes that Bala will one day be able to return to his homeland, and resume his work.

    [https://humanists.international/]

    Andrew Copson, President of Humanists International stated:

    “Today, we celebrate Mubarak Bala’s release – a hard-won victory that fills us with immense joy and relief. This triumph would not have been possible without the unwavering dedication of Humanists International’s staff, the tireless advocacy of Leo Igwe, the expertise of James Ibor and Bala’s legal team, and the invaluable support of our partner organizations. We extend our deepest gratitude to each and every one of them. While we rejoice in Mubarak’s freedom, we remain committed to fighting for the countless others who remain unjustly imprisoned for their beliefs. Their struggle is our struggle, and we will not relent until they too are free.”

    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62zpk4nnxdo

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Regional Australia has welcomed Iranian Baha’is with open arms. Back home, we’d be presecuted | Dellaram Vreeland

    The community-building activities my family and I participate in every week are a core part of our faith. In Iran, it would see us arrested

    It’s a Saturday morning in Ballarat, 100km west of Melbourne. A group of about 60 people are gathering at a local primary school, enjoying a potluck breakfast spread of eggs, bacon, bread, cereals and freshly cooked dishes served up by local teenagers.

    They’re all ages, from all cultures and faith backgrounds. Soon, they’ll break off into a series of activities aimed at promoting unity and encouraging them to give back to their neighbourhood – through raising funds for the local soup kitchen, planting trees at a nearby farm, teaching children music or working at a community garden.

    Sign up to receive Guardian Australia’s fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Judge Blocks Louisiana Law Requiring 10 Commandments in Every Classroom

    A federal judge has blocked a state law in Louisiana that aimed to require that the Ten Commandments be prominently displayed in classrooms, finding that the law is likely an unconstitutional endorsement of religion that violates students’ and parents’ rights. A coalition of parents upset with the law, which was enacted earlier this summer (and set to be implemented starting in January)…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Groups Sue Oklahoma Over Public School Requirement to Teach Bible in Schools

    A coalition of organizations dedicated to preserving religious freedom, representing dozens of residents of Oklahoma, is suing the state’s head of public education over his attempts to force schools to teach Christian-based lessons through the Bible. Earlier this year, Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters (R) mandated that public schools had to include instruction on the Bible…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Profile in Persecution: Hasan Moosa Jaafar Ali

    Updated: Hasan Moosa Jaafar Ali was a 16-year-old Bahraini student with learning disabilities when he was arrested for the first time without a warrant on 23 September 2013. During his detention, he endured torture, enforced disappearance, solitary confinement, denial of attorney access, isolation, reprisals, religious discrimination, and medical neglect. He was sentenced to a total of 32 years imprisonment through a series of unfair trials, including the “Bahraini Hezbollah” case. Hasan is currently imprisoned at Jau Prison. On 18 September 2020, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) adopted an opinion regarding nine Bahraini prisoners convicted in the “Bahraini Hezbollah” case, including Hasan, urging Bahrain to release them immediately and unconditionally and to provide them with compensation.

    On 5 September 2012, officials raided Hasan’s family home in an attempt to arrest him, but he was not home at the time. Hasan’s mother asked the officers to see the arrest warrant, but they only said Hasan’s name was on a list of wanted fugitives and would not provide her with a warrant.

    After being chased by the authorities for over a year, Hasan was arrested for the first time on 23 September 2013 while he was in a car with his cousin. The officers provided no arrest warrant or reason for the arrest.  The officers took Hasan to Samaheej police station, where he was forcibly disappeared and tortured by burning the soles of his feet and thighs and by beating him on his head, abdomen, and “sensitive areas.” As a result of the torture, Hasan developed burns on his feet and thighs, along with green bruises on his body. Two days after his arrest, Hasan was transferred to the AlHadd police station, where he was interrogated for a week without the presence of his lawyer. Officials then allowed him to contact his family for the first time. As a result of torture, Hasan was coerced into confessing to fabricated charges against him. Furthermore, he was not examined by a forensic pathologist following interrogations.

    Hasan was not promptly brought before a judge, was unable to present evidence and challenge evidence presented against him, did not have adequate time and facilities to prepare for his trials, and was denied access to his lawyer during the trial period. Additionally, the confessions extracted from him under torture were used as evidence against him. On an unknown date, Hasan was charged with illegal assembly and arson. The Bahraini court sentenced him to a total of nine and a half years in prison and a fine of 200 Bahraini dinars. After his conviction, Hasan was transferred to Jau Prison. Hasan appealed his rulings, however, the Court of Appeals rejected all the appeals and upheld the verdicts.

    On 10 March 2015, a prison protest broke out when a family was denied access to visit a prisoner. In retribution, at approximately 10:00 P.M., a group of prison guards attacked a group of detainees, including Hasan. The officers tortured Hasan and the other detainees, beating them with batons until they were unable to move. They threw the detainees to the floor, jumped on their bodies, forcibly cut their hair, and refused to give them access to a bathroom. Hasan was also beaten on the head, causing a deep injury. In May 2015, officials transferred him to the New Dry Dock Prison, the section of Jau Prison reserved for inmates under the age of 21.

    On 3 June 2016, approximately three years after his arrest, Hasan escaped with some prisoners from the New Dry Dock Prison. On the same day, plainclothes officers and riot police officers raided his home while searching for him. The officers returned several times in search of Hasan, but he remained in hiding for approximately two years.

    On 23 January 2018, officers in plain clothing forcibly entered Hasan’s grandfather’s home, arrested Hasan, and took him to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), where he was subjected to enforced disappearance for two days. He was charged with prison break, hiding from arrest, and for his alleged participation in the Bahraini Hezbollah case. The officers called Hasan’s family two days later to inform them of his arrest and to tell them that he was “fine.”

    Officials interrogated Hasan at the CID for 45 days and tortured him to coerce a confession. Hasan did eventually confess to the charges against him, and his confession was used against him during his trial. His lawyer was not allowed to be present during his interrogation. After 45 days at the CID, Hasan was transferred to the “isolation building” of Jau Prison.

    The Bahraini court sentenced him to an additional 23 years in prison, a fine of 100,000 Bahraini dinars, and revoked his citizenship, resulting in a total sentence of 32 years. One of the verdicts against him was issued during the “Bahraini Hezbollah” mass trial on 16 April 2019. Hasan was denied access to his attorney and did not have adequate time or facilities to prepare for his trial. The court rejected all of Hasan’s appeals and upheld his convictions. On 21 April 2019, Hasan’s nationality was restored by royal order.

    On 21 April 2019, Hasan stated in a voice recording shared on social media that he was isolated from other prisoners, prohibited from interacting with them, and deprived of basic rights such as medical care and religious rituals. He mentioned that he had not met with any prison administrative officials, and his requests to do so were consistently denied.

    On 15 August 2019, Hasan joined other detainees at the “isolation building” in a hunger strike to protest poor prison conditions. They demanded to be moved from the isolation building and placed with other prisoners, allowed to practice their religious rituals, and have the restrictions on their phone calls and outdoor time removed. They also protested against constant surveillance of their movements, conversations, and personal belongings by prison officers. The strike continued until the first week of September when the prison administration promised to fulfill their demands. However, after the strike ended, the administration refused to keep its promises, leading the prisoners to resume the strike. In response, prison officers tied Hasan’s hands behind his back and forced him into his cell to prevent him from reciting Ashura’s eulogies with his fellow inmates in the corridor, threatening him with further sanctions if he attempted to recite these eulogies. The prison administration also denied him family visits and placed him in solitary confinement for a few days. Hasan remained in the isolation building of Jau Prison for three years before being moved to another building in 2021.

    On 18 September 2020, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) adopted an opinion regarding nine Bahraini prisoners convicted in the “Bahraini Hezbollah” case, including Hasan, determining their detention to be arbitrary. The WGAD urged Bahrain to release them immediately and unconditionally and to provide them with compensation.

    In September 2020, scabies spread among prisoners in Jau Prison due to a new inmate suffering from it, resulting in Hasan becoming infected. In August 2021, Hasan contracted COVID-19. Between 2015 and 2024, he has been repeatedly placed in solitary confinement. Throughout his detention, he has been repeatedly denied medical treatment for a knee injury, sinusitis, and a deviated septum, and has been denied three necessary nose surgeries for four years. Recently, in March 2024, an officer at Jau Prison prevented Hasan from attending a scheduled ENT appointment for his nose issues under the pretext of his “inappropriate hairstyle”, though his hairstyle complied with prison regulations. He has also been denied follow-up ophthalmology appointments. Hasan’s family has submitted numerous complaints to the Ombudsman, requesting medical care. Although the Ombudsman promised to follow up on the issue, no action has been taken, and the family has yet to receive a response. Additionally, traces of cigarette burns on the soles of Hasan’s feet, inflicted during the interrogation period, are still visible.

    Hasan’s first warrantless arrest as a minor, torture, enforced disappearances, solitary confinement, denial of attorney access, unfair trials, isolation, reprisals, religious discrimination, and medical neglect all constitute clear violations of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment (CAT), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party. 

    The post Profile in Persecution: Hasan Moosa Jaafar Ali appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Profile in Persecution: Ali Mahmood Mahmood (AlKahraba’ii)

    Ali Mahmood Mahmood (AlKahraba’ii) was a 15-year-old Bahraini school student and minor when Bahraini authorities arrested him from his grandfather’s house on 16 January 2019 without presenting an arrest warrant. During detention, he endured torture, enforced disappearance, denial of access to legal counsel, unfair trial based on confessions extracted under torture, and sectarian-based insults. Ali was sentenced to 10 years in prison, of which he served five years before being released on 8 April 2024, under a royal pardon that included 1,584 convicts.

    On 16 January 2019, riot police, commandos, and special forces raided the home of Ali’s grandfather in Duraz, where he was staying. The officers entered the house from above and arrested him without providing any arrest warrant or reason for his arrest. Ali’s arrest occurred on a cold day while he was wearing light clothes, and officers refused to provide him with warmer clothing. Subsequently, they transferred him to the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) Building, where he managed to call his family for no more than a minute, informing them of his location. After that, his news was cut off and he forcibly disappeared until he was transferred to the New Dry Dock Prison on 6 February 2019. 

    Ali was previously summoned to appear before the Hamad Town Center in 2018 when he was 14 years old; however, he was not arrested at that time.

    At the CID, Ali was interrogated without the presence of a lawyer or guardian for 20 days. CID officers stripped him of his clothes, beat him on his face, forced him to stand for extended periods, poured cold water on him while the weather was cold, and then transferred him to an extremely cold air-conditioned room. Furthermore, they insulted his parents and his Shia religious sect. Subsequently, he confessed to the fabricated charges brought against him under torture.

    Ali was not presented to the Public Prosecution Office (PPO). Instead, he was transferred to Jau Prison, where he met with the PPO’s representative who forced him to sign papers without knowing their content. On 6 February 2019, he was transferred to the New Dry Dock Prison, where he was able to call his family for the first time since his enforced disappearance when he was at the CID.

    Ali was not brought before a judge within 48 hours after arrest, was not given adequate time and facilities to prepare for his trial (which started six months after his arrest), and was unable to present evidence or challenge the evidence presented against him. Furthermore, the court utilized the confessions extracted from him under torture as evidence against him in his trial.

    On 28 January 2020, Ali was sentenced to 10 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 dinars. He was convicted of 1) training on explosive materials, 2) attempted explosion, 3) possession of weapons, 4) manufacture of explosives, and 5) conspiring with external entities. The court of appeal, as well as the court of cassation, upheld the sentence.

    On 22 March 2024, Ali joined a hunger strike in solidarity with his fellow inmate, Mohamed Hasan Radhi, who was transferred to isolation. In a voice recording spread on social media, Ali held concerned authorities responsible for the deterioration of his inmate’s psychological condition.

    On 8 April 2024, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain issued a royal decree pardoning 1,584 convicts on the occasion of the silver jubilee of his accession to the throne, coinciding with Eid al-Fitr, with Ali among them. He was released on the same day.

    Ali’s warrantless arrest, torture, enforced disappearance, denial of attorney access, unfair trial, and religious discrimination constitute violations of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party. Furthermore, the violations he endured as a minor contravene the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which Bahrain is also a party.

    As such, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls upon the Bahraini authorities to investigate the allegations of Ali’s arbitrary arrest as a minor, torture, enforced disappearance, religious discrimination, and denial of attorney access during interrogations, and to hold the perpetrators accountable. Additionally, ADHRB urges the Bahraini government to end the isolation of all political prisoners, holding the government responsible for the deterioration of the psychological conditions of the isolated detainees. While ADHRB welcomes the issued royal pardon, which included several political prisoners, it considers this belated step insufficient unless investigations into the violations suffered by these released individuals are conducted, compensation is provided, perpetrators are held accountable, and political arrests and prison violations cease.

    The post Profile in Persecution: Ali Mahmood Mahmood (AlKahraba’ii) appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Democracy in Saudi Arabia?: No progress in sight

    Last week, the EU announced a relaxation of Schengen visa rules for the citizens of Saudi Arabia. No human rights compromises were made in exchange. Since democracy constitutes the best umbrella under which human rights can thrive, the next question follows: What is the current state of democracy in Saudi Arabia?

    In its new report on Freedom in the World 2024, Freedom House (FH) confirms, one more year, that Saudi Arabia´s low performance in each dimension accounts for a fair score of 8 out of 100. In the same vein, the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) multidimensional approach continues to define Saudi Arabia as a “closed autocracy” in its Democracy Report 2024, indicating that the country does not hold multiparty elections for the chief executive or the legislature. Saudi Arabia´s reality, along with that of countries such as Libya, helps explain why the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) remains “the most autocratic region in the world, with 98% of its population residing in autocracies”.

    Apart from the lack of free and fair elections and the restriction of all political rights and pluralism, Saudi Arabia´s absolute monarchy is characterized by several deficiencies in terms of civil liberties that the European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR) has largely documented.

    Referring to one of the cornerstones of democracy, the individual’s ability to express freely their personal views on political or other sensitive topics has deteriorated deeply since the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 and the arrests of many prominent writers and activists, making self-censorship a pervasive practice in the country. Citizens of Saudi Arabia and Saudis living and traveling abroad are also both subjected to surveillance and spying, the latter in what could be considered a case of transnational repression. On top of that, as reported by ECDHR, the kingdom continues to engage in the forceful disappearance of activists who exercise their right to freedom of expression. Moreover, freedom of belief is severely curtailed, with the public observance of any religion other than Islam prohibited and the Shiite and Sufi Muslims´ religious practices restricted. The recent case of the 12 football fans imprisoned for peaceful Shia chants represents a clear example not just of the lack of freedom of expression and belief, but also of the recurrent use of the abusive and vaguely worded Anti-Cybercrime Law to crackdown on those liberties. According to FH, the government also heavily controls and influences the media and hampers academic freedom.

    Regarding associational and organizational rights, the situation is equally dire. The government does not respect freedom of assembly – imposing at times the death penalty on those who lead or participate in public protests – discourages independent work on human rights and governance issues by denying licenses that the nongovernmental organizations need to operate, and does not guarantee freedom to form independent labor unions or engage in strikes.

    The rule of law in the country is deficient, too. The judiciary is not independent and due process is flawed: defendants’ rights are not sufficiently protected by law; detainees often see their access to legal counsel denied during interrogation; and lengthy pretrial detention and detention without charge or trial are frequent. Especially preoccupying is that due process is particularly deficient in death penalty cases, despite the severity of the charges. Moreover, capital punishment is still commonly applied to a wide range of crimes that go beyond murder to include drug and protest-related offenses. Overall, in 2023 the kingdom executed 170 people. Corporal punishment, mostly flogging, is also common in criminal sentencing. On the other hand, allegations of torture and other forms of ill-treatment by police and prison officials have been recurrently expressed, being quite alarming the reliance on torture-tainted confessions as the primary basis for convictions.

    Lastly, as for personal autonomy and individual rights, it is worth noting the restrictions on freedom of movement imposed on activists and critics as a way of punishment, as well as women’s suffering of burdensome constraints in the context of the male guardianship system. In addition, foreign workers – more than half of the active labor force – are subjected to economic exploitation through the abusive kafala system.

    Notwithstanding all the highlighted abuses, civil society’s push for democratic change is very much alive, as the People’s Vision for Reform in Saudi Arabia, endorsed by 21 international organizations, demonstrates. However, Saudi Arabia´s significant power over world oil prices as the largest oil producer in OPEC, allowed it to strengthen its repressive system by shielding the regime from critique.

    The European Union, as a supposed defender of human rights around the world, should link any tie to the kingdom to this endeavor.

    The post Democracy in Saudi Arabia?: No progress in sight appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Profiles in Persecution: Ahmed and Mahmood Mohamed Habib

    Twin brothers Ahmed and Mahmood Mohamed Habib were 17-year-old minor students when Bahraini authorities arrested them along with some of their friends on 1 July 2015 while they were eating Suhoor during the month of Ramadan. During their detention, they were subjected to enforced disappearance, torture, sexual harassment, sectarian-based insults, and unfair trials based on confessions extracted under torture. Ahmed was sentenced to 40 years in prison, and Mahmood was sentenced to 47 years and six months in prison on politically motivated charges before being released on 8 April 2024, under a royal pardon that included 1584 convicts.

     

    On 1 July 2015, at 3:00 A.M., military and civilian vehicles, with helicopter support, surrounded the house in the Wadyan area, where Ahmed and Mahmood were eating suhoor during the month of Ramadan with their friends. Riot police officers from the Ministry of Interior (MOI) and two plainclothes officers raided the house and arrested the twins and the young men who were accompanying them: Ali Hasan Ashoor, Ali Jaafar AlAmr, Ahmed Hasan AlAnsara, and Ahmed Yasser Ahmed. The officers did not present any arrest warrant, nor provide a reason for the arrest. Subsequently, they transferred them to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) building.

     

    After their arrest, Ahmed and Mahmood were forcibly disappeared for two days. Their family didn’t know about the arrest until after it was spread on social media platforms, and they heard the news from other people. On 3 July 2015, two days after the arrest, the twins called the family and informed them that they were at the CID building.

     

    At the CID, officers interrogated and tortured Ahmed and Mahmood. They severely beat them, took photos and videos of them while they were naked, and didn’t allow them to pray. Furthermore, they beat them whenever they tried to go to the bathroom and forced them to sign fabricated confessions to some of the charges brought against them. The interrogations lasted for about two weeks and were conducted without the presence of a lawyer. Subsequently, they were transferred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) on 4 July 2015, and on 8 July 2015, they were transferred to the Dry Dock Prison. On 11 July 2015, 11 days after the arrest, Ahmed and Mahmood’s parents were able to visit them for the first time since the arrest in the Dry Dock Prison.

     

    Ahmed and Mahmood were not brought promptly before a judge, did not have adequate time and facilities to prepare for their trials, weren’t able to present evidence and challenge evidence presented against them, and were denied access to their lawyer. Furthermore, their confessions extracted under torture were used against them as evidence in their trials.

     

    The court convicted Ahmed between 29 October 2015 and 31 March 2020 in cases related to 1) gathering and rioting, 2) manufacturing usable or explosive devices, 3) negligent destruction, 4) using force and violence against a public official, 5) arson, 6) endangering people’s lives or safety, 7) violating the conditions of getting a license to import explosives, 8) using explosives to endanger the funds of others, 9) importing or possessing explosives, guns or pistols, and 10) explosion or attempted explosion. He was sentenced to a total of more than 50 years in prison. Ahmed appealed some of the rulings, however, the Court of Appeal rejected some of the appeals and upheld the verdicts. On the other hand, it accepted the rest of the appeals and reduced the sentences. After the appeals, the total sentence became 40 years in prison.

     

    Mahmood was convicted between 23 April 2013 and 29 October 2018 in cases related to 1) gathering and rioting, 2) breaching the prestige of the court, 3) manufacturing usable or explosive devices, 4) negligent destruction, 5) using force and violence against a public official, 6) arson, 7) endangering people’s lives or safety, 8) violating the conditions of getting a license to import explosives, 9) using explosives to endanger the funds of others, 10) importing or possessing explosives, guns or pistols, and 11) explosion or attempted explosion. He was sentenced to more than 59 years and six months in prison. Mahmood appealed some of the rulings, however, the Court of Appeal rejected some of the appeals and upheld the verdicts. On the other hand, it accepted the rest of the appeals and reduced the sentences. After the appeals, the total sentence was reduced to 47 years and six months in prison.

     

    While serving their sentences in Jau Prison, Ahmed and Mahmood were deprived of prayer and insulted based on their Shia religious sect.

     

    On 8 April 2024, King Hamad bin Isa AlKhalifa of Bahrain issued a royal decree pardoning 1584 convicts on the occasion of the silver jubilee of his accession to the throne, coinciding with Eid al-Fitr, with Ahmed and Mahmood among them. Ahmed and Mahmood were released on the same day.

    Ahmed and Mahmood’s warrantless arrest, torture, denial of attorney access, unfair trials, sectarian-based insults, and sexual harassment constitute violations of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party. Furthermore, the violations they endured as minors contravene the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which Bahrain is also a party.

     

    As such, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to investigate allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture, sexual assault, denial of legal counsel, and sectarian discrimination, provide compensation for Ahmed and Mahmood, and hold the perpetrators accountable. While ADHRB welcomes the royal pardon issued, which included several political prisoners, it considers this belated step incomplete if the Bahraini government does not investigate the violations endured by these released individuals and compensate them. This step would also be considered incomplete if the perpetrators are not held accountable and political arrests and violations within prisons are not stopped.

    The post Profiles in Persecution: Ahmed and Mahmood Mohamed Habib appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Profile in Persecution: Husain Ali Matar

    Husain Ali Matar was an 18-year-old Bahraini citizen when he was arrested for the final time on 30 October 2022 without a warrant. He was previously arrested on 28 June 2020 when he was a 16-year-old minor student in his second year of middle school and was sentenced to three years in prison following an unfair trial. He was then released on 6 May 2022 under alternative sanctions. During both detentions, he was subjected to physical and psychological torture, enforced disappearance, communication cutoffs, forced confessions, unfair trials, deprivation of prayer, blackmail, and medical neglect. On 20 June 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted an opinion concerning six Bahraini students, including Husain, who deemed their detention as arbitrary. The Working Group called for the immediate and urgent release of all six prisoners and for an impartial investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable. He was sentenced to three years in prison, half of which he served before being released on 15 April 2024 under alternative sanctions issued on 9 April 2024, which included 210 convicts.

     

    On the evening of 29 October 2022, Husain’s father was summoned to the Khamees Police Station. When he went to the station on the morning of 30 October, he was detained. The police officers demanded that the father hand over Husain, threatening to hold him hostage otherwise. Consequently, Husain surrendered himself on the evening of the same day, 30 November 2022. He was accused of participating in burning part of a tent that was serving as a center for a candidate in the parliamentary elections on 29 October 2022. Husain was interrogated at the police station for three days without a lawyer present and was prevented from sleeping and praying. Plainclothes officers beat him, gave him only one meal during the day, and did not allow him to use the toilet when needed. As a result of the beatings he endured, he is now experiencing severe vision weakness. He then forcibly disappeared, and his family was cut off from any news about him. Three weeks after his arrest, Husain managed to call his family for the first time since his arrest, informing them that he was in the isolation building of the new Dry Dock Prison, designed for convicts under the age of 21. On 5 November 2022, he was brought before the Public Prosecution Office (PPO), which accused him of participating in burning part of the parliamentary election candidate’s tent.

     

    Husain was arbitrarily arrested for the penultimate time on 28 June 2020, when he was a 16-year-old Bahraini minor student. He was subjected to torture, deprivation of communication, isolation, medical neglect, and ill-treatment, and was sentenced to three years in prison in an unfair trial. On 29 April 2022, the Bahraini government decided to release Husain among a group of 69 prisoners under alternative sanctions, most of whom were criminals, with few political prisoners. On 6 May 2022, Husain was released before being re-arrested on 30 October 2022, just less than six months later. 

     

    Since his last release on 6 May 2022 under alternative sanctions and up until his final arrest, Husain had been pursued in the streets by security forces and shot at, which led to constant concern for his life by his family. While implementing his alternative sanctions by working in social service, he faced numerous harassment by the responsible personnel. He was subjected to insults, and his social service locations were changed without prior notice, resulting in his absence being recorded. Although he also completed his work according to his old schedule, he was surprised to find his absence recorded for days when he was working, and violations were registered against him.

     

    Husain was not brought promptly before a judge within 48 hours of his arrest, did not have adequate time and facilities to prepare for his trial, was not given any opportunity to present evidence and challenge evidence presented against him, and was not allowed to speak during his trial. On 15 January 2023, the First High Criminal Court sentenced Husain to 3 years in prison with a 3,000 Dinars fine for the destruction of the electoral tent through arson. On 12 May 2023, the Court of Appeal upheld the verdict and rejected Husain’s appeal. On 23 October 2023, the Cassation Court in turn rejected Husain’s appeal and upheld the judgment.

     

    On 20 June 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention adopted an opinion concerning six Bahraini students, including Husain, who deemed their detention as arbitrary. The Working Group called for the immediate and urgent release of all six prisoners and for an impartial investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.

     

    In January 2024, a year and two months after his final arrest, Husain’s parents were allowed to visit him for the first and only time since his arrest.

     

    Husain had been isolated in a cell with Ali Isa Jasim since their transfer to the new Dry Dock Prison until the issuance of the alternative sanctions decree on 9 April 2024. They endured severe psychological pressure, systematic harassment, and deprivation of the most basic rights, including clothing, healthy meals, and education. On 3 March 2024, Husain’s mother indicated in an audio recording that her son had gone on a hunger strike along with his cellmate, Ali Isa Jasim, due to their isolation away from all other prisoners, and in solidarity with a colleague who was transferred to a ward containing foreign prisoners. On 5 March 2024, Husain’s cellmate, Ali, conveyed in an audio recording from the isolation cell, complaining about their deteriorating health condition after a hunger strike lasting more than 7 days and a significant drop in blood sugar levels. They have sent several letters to the prison administration and various officers. Consequently, Husain and his cellmate received repeated promises that they would be placed with other prisoners, yet to no avail.

    On 9 April 2024, the General Directorate for the Implementation of Alternative Judgements and Sanctions and the PPO decided to replace the sentences of 210 convicts in Bahraini prisons with alternative sanctions. They also decided to release 47 convicts under the open prisons program. Husain was among the prisoners whose names were included in the alternative sanctions decree. On the same day, Husain was transferred from Jau Prison to the Roundabout 17 Police Station in preparation for his release. However, he was forced to remain at the police station due to another case against him. In detail, Husain received a new offer to work as an informant in exchange for completing his release procedures; however, he refused the offer. Despite his name being on the list of those to be released, authorities arbitrarily kept him in prison. When his family inquired about him outside the station, awaiting his release, the police informed them that there was another sentence issued against him in absentia for 3 years in prison, even though the decision issued by the General Directorate for the Implementation of Alternative Judgements and Sanctions and the PPO stated that the remaining period of imprisonment and fines imposed on all mentioned prisoners should be dropped.

    On 15 April 2024, Husain was presented to the PPO, which ordered his release. On the same day, he was released without any further details or clarification provided.

    Husain’s arbitrary arrests, including his penultimate one when he was a minor, torture, enforced disappearance, communication cutoffs, deprivation of prayer, denial of access to legal counsel during interrogations, restraints on his rights to education, denial of fair trial rights, medical neglect, blackmail, and isolation represent clear violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party. The Bahraini authorities also violated the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

     

    Thus, ADHRB calls on the Government of Bahrain to investigate the allegations of arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearance, communication cutoffs, deprivation of prayer, denial of access to legal counsel during interrogations, restrictions on his rights to education, medical neglect, blackmail, and isolation to hold perpetrators accountable. In addition, ADHRB urges the Bahraini government to end the isolation of all political prisoners, holding the government responsible for the deterioration of the psychological conditions of isolated detainees. While ADHRB welcomes the recent release of a large number of political prisoners, it considers this belated step insufficient if it is conditional. ADHRB considers this step insufficient unless investigations into the violations suffered by these released individuals are conducted, compensation is provided, perpetrators are held accountable, and political arrests and ongoing prison violations cease.

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  • Profile in Persecution: Salman Maki Ali

    Salman Maki Ali was a 15-year-old Bahraini student and minor when Bahraini authorities arbitrarily arrested him on 21 October 2014 from the street without presenting an arrest warrant.  During detention, he endured torture, enforced disappearance, solitary confinement, denial of access to legal counsel, unfair trials based on confessions extracted under torture, sectarian-based insults, and medical neglect. He is currently serving a 27-year prison sentence in Jau Prison on politically motivated charges.

    On 21 October 2014, at around 9:45 P.M., masked plainclothes officers, aided by a number of security forces, arrested Salman and two others on the main street in the Markuban area of Sitra, where they were setting up Ashura banners with a group of young men. As Salman was near Sahara Studio, two civilian cars passed by him and the group, from which masked officers in civilian clothes and security forces emerged, chasing them on the street before apprehending Salman. Simultaneously, they beat, kicked, insulted, and cursed him. Subsequently, they transported him and his friends on a bus to the Sitra area, where they seated him in the front seat, subjected him to psychological pressure and beatings, and demanded he guide them to a relative’s house. Furthermore, Salman and his friends were taken to al-Bandar (the coast guard in Sitra), where they were threatened that if they didn’t confess, they would be tortured. Following this, they were transferred to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) building.

    On the same day after his arrest, the family was unaware of their son’s location. His mother visited the Sitra Police Station, Isa Town Police Station, and Nabi Saleh Island Police Station, seeking information about his whereabouts, but received no information. On the morning of the second day, she went to the CID, where officers took her information, but she still received no response. Salman’s family continued to search for him by visiting the CID, the Public Prosecution Office (PPO), and the court, yet they received no response. Three days after his arrest, on 24 October 2014, Salman’s family was surprised when they saw a news in the state media and a statement from the Ministry of Interior, stating that their son was accused of terrorist crimes, primarily the case of burning the car of parliamentary election candidate, MP Sheikh Majid AlAsfour.

    During Salman’s interrogation, he was transferred multiple times between the CID building and the PPO before being transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Center. At the CID, the detainees were dispersed into separate rooms. Salman had his friend’s phone when CID officers asked him to unlock it. However, he did not know the password to do so. Consequently, they subjected him to psychological pressure and beatings. CID officers stripped him of his clothes, beat him, insulted and slandered him, and sexually harassed him. They also threatened him with rape, beatings, and deprived him of the ability to pray.

    Furthermore, officers didn’t allow Salman to use the bathroom when needed, but only at specific times. They rushed Salman inside the bathroom and sometimes opened the door on him. Additionally, they lined the detainees up in one row blindfolded and hit their heads against the wall. Husain AlSari, Ali Abdulhadi, and Jasim Mohamed Ajwaid were among those detainees accused of the same charge brought against Salman, which was burning the car of the parliamentary elections candidate, Majid AlAsfour.

    Salman’s interrogation lasted for about 7 days and was conducted without the presence of a lawyer. As a result of the threats and torture, his mental state deteriorated, and consequently, he was forced to confess by signing an investigation report without being aware of its content. On 28 October 2014, Salman was transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Center. A week after his transfer to the Dry Dock Detention Center, his family received phone calls from detainees at the center who informed them that their son was in the detention center, enduring a bad psychological state. A few minutes later, Salman called and reassured his family of his condition.

     

    Salman was not given adequate time and facilities to prepare for his trials, was unable to present evidence and challenge evidence presented against him, was denied access to his attorney, and wasn’t allowed to meet with him alone. Furthermore, his confessions extracted under torture were used against him despite informing the judge that the charges against him were untrue and obtained under torture. On 6 September 2015, Salman was sentenced in absentia to ten years in prison in the case of burning the car of the parliamentary election candidate for a terrorist purpose and endangering people’s lives and money. He was charged with 1) arson, and 2) manufacturing usable or explosive devices. Moreover, he was later sentenced to ten years in prison on the charge of 3) attacking a police patrol and causing harm to a citizen. On 28 October 2015, he was also sentenced to ten years in prison in a gathering and rioting case on charges of 4) negligent destruction, 5) intentionally endangering a private means of transport, 6) manufacturing usable or explosive devices, 7) arson, and 8) assaulting the body integrity of others. Lastly, on 1 November 2015, he was sentenced to three years in prison on the charge of 9) manufacturing usable and explosive devices to disturb public security, resulting in a total sentence of 33 years imprisonment. On 28 March 2016, the court of appeals reduced Salman’s first sentence for the charge of burning the car of MP AlAsfour to five years of prison. On 29 May 2016, the court of appeals also reduced the sentence for the last case, the charge of manufacturing usable and explosive devices to disturb public security, to two years imprisonment. However, the court of appeal upheld the verdict for the third case on 31 May 2016, making the total of his sentence 27 years. On 6 September 2015, after the issuance of the first verdict, Salman was transferred to the New Dry Dock Prison, designated for inmates under the age of 21.

    After the first sentencing hearing, on 6 September 2015, the prisoners were taken to Jau Prison to collect their personal belongings. During this time, Salman was severely beaten and handcuffed from behind. Additionally, a police officer beat him in the stomach. He endured long hours of torture before being transferred to the young convicts’ prison. Furthermore, the security forces subjected him and the other prisoners to psychological and physical torture by insulting, laughing, and mocking them.

    Salman and his fellow inmates were insulted and tortured by the Dry Dock Prison officers, forcing them to stand and sit for a long time. He also suffered from alopecia in the head, for which he was denied medical treatment before being allowed to bring in the necessary medicine from outside the prison. 

    In 2020, Salman was transferred to Jau Prison upon reaching 21 years old, where he faced mistreatment while serving his sentence. Jau Prison officers once tied him up on a cold day while he was wearing light clothes and left him in the corridor of the prison where it was extremely cold. Moreover, Salman was subjected to discrimination by Jau Prison officers based on his religious and political opinions. They insulted him, his Shia sect, and the opposition figures belonging to the sect. Additionally, he was once placed in solitary confinement in Jau Prison for going out to the prison fence.

    Furthermore, Salman was infected with COVID-19 and was isolated with the other infected inmates in a cell containing more than eight people. Back then, he did not receive the necessary medical treatment for a period ranging from 10 days to two weeks.  

    In August 2023, Salman participated in a collective hunger strike with around 800 prisoners in Jau Prison to protest mistreatment and inadequate healthcare. This hunger strike persisted for 40 days, ending in September 2023 with a promise from the prison administration to improve conditions inside the prison.

    Recently, Salman complained about medical neglect in Jau Prison and the inedible meals offered to him. For three months, he has been suffering from poor eyesight and needed an eye test to get suitable glasses. After prolonged delays, he underwent an eye test at Salmaniya Hospital, and eyeglasses were prescribed to him; however, the glasses have not yet been handed over to him.

    Salman’s warrantless arrest, torture, enforced disappearance, unjust solitary confinement, denial of attorney access, unfair trials, religious discrimination, and medical negligence constitute violations of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party. Furthermore, the violations he endured as a minor contravene the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to which Bahrain is also a party.

     

    As such, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Salman. ADHRB also urges the Bahraini government to investigate allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearance, solitary confinement, denial of legal counsel, religious discrimination, and medical negligence, and to hold the perpetrators accountable. At the very least, ADHRB advocates for a fair retrial for Salman under the Restorative Justice Law for Children, leading to his release. Additionally, it urges the Jau Prison administration to promptly provide appropriate healthcare for Salman, including eyeglasses, treatment for his head alopecia, and adequate healthy food, holding it responsible for any further deterioration in his health condition.

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  • Profile in Persecution: Ayoob Adel Ahmed

    Ayoob Adel Ahmed was a 23-year-old Bahraini citizen when Bahraini authorities arbitrarily arrested him for the final time on 14 May 2015. During his detention, he endured numerous violations, including brutal torture, enforced disappearance, sexual harassment, and other abuses. The most severe violations and burdens, however, stem from medical neglect, which has transformed him from a healthy young man into a prisoner suffering from a permanent disability. He is currently serving two life sentences, along with a total of 98 years imprisonment sentence in Jau Prison on politically motivated charges.

    Ayoob was first arrested on 15 June 2013 from his grandmother’s house, when masked plainclothes officers ambushed the home and arrested him without presenting any arrest or search warrant. He was then taken to the Samaheej Police Station. En route to the police station, he was subjected to beatings all over his body, especially on his broken leg, and to sexual harassment by Lieutenant Yusuf Mulla Bakhit. During his interrogation at the Samaheej Police Station, police officers tortured Ayoob, and this torture continued upon his arrival at Jau Prison. Prior to his arrest, he had been pursued by the authorities due to a ruling issued against him in absentia for participating in a pro-democracy march on 26 November 2012 in the Muharraq area. This march was met with repression by the riot police forces, resulting in his left leg being hit by a tear gas canister and immediately broken. 

    While serving his six-month prison sentence issued in absentia for the charge of illegal assembly, Ayoob discovered that he had been unfairly convicted in absentia on additional charges, resulting in an additional 12 years in prison. Additionally, the Jau Prison administration refused to provide Ayoob with necessary medical treatment, including crucial X-rays to monitor his fractured leg, despite having undergone leg surgery just over a month prior to his arrest. Despite severe pain and repeated requests for treatment, the prison administration delayed addressing his condition. Following a hunger strike, the prison administration agreed for Ayoob to undergo an operation to remove the iron rods from his leg and place them externally. However, complications persisted, with his leg remaining in an iron shackle for three months due to nerve damage from delayed treatment. Enduring prolonged pain and sleeplessness, Ayoob underwent another operation to remove the external iron and insert an internal plate. After four weeks of intense pain inside the hospital, only alleviated through sedatives that became ineffective, he escaped from the hospital.

    On 14 May 2015, at dawn, National Security Agency (NSA) forces stormed a house in the Malikiya area where Ayoob and his friend were sleeping, arbitrarily arresting them both without presenting any warrant. Subsequently, the officers transferred Ayoob to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) building, where he was interrogated for two weeks without the presence of his lawyer. During interrogation, Ayoob forcibly disappeared, and CID officers subjected him to physical and psychological torture. They beat him on various parts of his body, especially on his broken leg, deprived him of sleep and family contact, and threatened him with rape. As a result of the torture, Ayoob’s health deteriorated significantly, leading to symptoms such as blood in his urine and a risk of kidney failure. Under duress, he confessed to the fabricated charges against him. On 17 May 2015, Ayoob was brought before the Public Prosecution Office (PPO) without the presence of his lawyer. The PPO charged him with 1) making an explosion, and 2) possessing and using explosives and endangering people’s lives and money for a terrorist purpose, ordering his detention pending investigation. On 27 May 2015, Ayoob was transferred to Jau Prison, where officers subjected him to further torture, insults, and threats, including beatings with hoses, kicks, and slaps, deliberately targeting his injured leg. A week after being transferred to Jau Prison, Ayoob’s enforced disappearance ended, as his family learned that he was being held in Jau Prison. 

    In July 2015, Ayoob was transported with a group of inmates by bus to the Jau Prison administration building. Inside the bus, a policeman intentionally obstructed the windows and delayed the bus for an extended period, allegedly with the intention to harm them, according to Ayoob’s account. This led to two detainees falling, with one experiencing convulsions and the other fainting. Subsequently, Police Officer Mohamed Suleiman beat Ayoob inside the prison administration building in the presence of First Lieutenant Mohamed AbdulHamid Maaruf.

    Ayoob was not brought before a judge within 48 hours after arrest, was not given adequate time and facilities to prepare for his trials, and was denied access to his attorney before and during the court sessions. Furthermore, the court utilized the confessions extracted from him under torture as evidence against him in his trials. Consequently, the court convicted Ayoob between June 2013 and February 2019 of numerous charges, including 1) illegal assembly, 2) planting a fake bomb on Muharraq Bridge, 3) criminal arson, 4) causing an explosion, 5) possessing and using explosives and weapons endangering people’s lives and funds for terrorist purposes, 6) attempted murder, and 7) escaping from prison. He received two life sentences and a total of 98 years in prison. Notably, the first three crimes he was convicted of were alleged to have occurred while he was suffering from a recently broken leg and using crutches to walk, making his convictions questionable.

    While serving his sentence in Jau Prison, Ayoob faced repeated verbal abuse and humiliation based on his religious beliefs and was deprived of family contact and visits. Additionally, due to the visitation restrictions that prevent visits without barriers, he has opted to abstain from visits. More significantly, he has been suffering from severe medical neglect, resulting in a significant deterioration in his health. Currently, he experiences severe back pain, damaged vertebrae, a left leg shorter than the right, and blood in his urine, putting him at risk of kidney failure. Furthermore, the iron rods that were supposed to be removed from inside his foot in January 2017 have not yet been extracted, causing difficulty walking, complications, and intense pain. Recently, he contracted a rare disease for which there is no treatment available in Bahrain, and he has not received any medical attention. Despite these health issues, Ayoob is denied medical appointments, X-rays, surgery, and proper medications. Consequently, he has undertaken numerous hunger strikes to demand urgent medical treatment.

    Ayoob and his family filed complaints with various governmental and human rights organizations, including the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) and the Ombudsman. However, these complaints have received little to no response or action from the authorities, exacerbating Ayoob’s already dire situation.

    In 2023, Ayoob suffered severe symptoms, including blood in his urine and abdominal pain, yet he was only transferred to intensive care three days after experiencing these symptoms, and after continuous requests for medical attention. Furthermore, Ayoob’s family remained unaware of his condition while he was in intensive care, as the prison administration refused to give them information on his health condition. Additionally, prison officials denied him the opportunity to file a complaint regarding the delay he faced in receiving treatment and health care.

    On 20 February 2024, Ayoob conveyed in an audio recording his ongoing denial of medical treatment. He emphasized that the deliberate withholding of necessary medication by the prison administration, as well as delays in removing the iron rods from his leg and addressing his damaged back, had rendered him disabled and incapable of walking properly, worsening both his leg and back conditions. Ayoob warned that such negligence amounted to a policy of slow death, not only depriving him of mobility but also violating his fundamental right to proper healthcare.

    Ayoob’s arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, torture, sexual assault, denial of access to legal counsel during interrogations and trials, unfair trials, discriminatory treatment based on his belonging to the Shia sect, deprivation of family contact and visits, and medical negligence represent clear violations of the Convention against Torture and Other Degrading and Inhuman Treatment (CAT), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party.

    As such, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls upon the Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ayoob. ADHRB also urges the Bahraini government to investigate the allegations of Ayoob’s arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, torture, denial of attorney access during interrogations and trial, discriminatory treatment based on his Shia sect affiliation, deprivation of family contact and visits, and medical neglect, while holding the perpetrators accountable. Furthermore, ADHRB sounds the alarm over Ayoob’s deteriorating health condition, urging the Jau Prison administration to promptly provide him with appropriate healthcare, holding it responsible for any further deterioration in his health. Finally, ADHRB calls on the Jau Prison administration to immediately grant Ayoob his right to regularly communicate with his family and receive assistance with his essential needs.

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  • UN WGAD finds the detention of four elderly Bahraini opposition leaders arbitrary and subjected to torture, coerced confessions, enforced disappearances, unfair trials, and medical neglect

    The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) published today the opinion it adopted on 16 November 2023 during its 98th session concerning four elderly Bahraini opposition leaders. These Bahraini leaders were arbitrarily arrested and subjected to countless human rights violations including torture, enforced disappearances, prolonged solitary confinement, denial of phone contacts and visits, unfair trials, and medical negligence. These leaders are Hasan Mushaima, Sheikh Abdullah Isa Abdulla (Mirza) Mahroos, Abdulwahab Husain Ali Ahmed Ismaeel, and Sheikh Abduljalil Radhi Mansoor Makki (AlMuqdad). The Working Group found that their detention was arbitrary under Categories I (when it is impossible to invoke a legal basis justifying the deprivation of liberty), II (when the deprivation of liberty results from the exercise of rights or freedoms), III (when violations of the right to a fair trial are so severe that the detention is rendered arbitrary), and V(when the detention is discriminatory based on religious and political beliefs).

    The WGAD notes that the complaint submitted by Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) on the four Bahraini opposition leaders highlights a recurring pattern of violations, consistent with those raised in other complaints. These violations encompass “arrest without a warrant, pretrial detention with limited access to judicial review, denial of access to lawyers, forced confessions, torture and ill-treatment, and denial of medical care”. Consequently, the Working Group emphasizes that Bahrain should address these severe violations related to the deprivation of liberty by immediately and urgently releasing all four prisoners.

    Furthermore, the WGAD called on the Bahraini government to undertake a comprehensive and impartial investigation to identify the perpetrators of the violations and hold them accountable. Due to the serious allegations concerning these leaders’ exposure to various forms of severe violations, torture, continuous medical neglect, and arbitrary detention for the peaceful exercise of their rights, the Working Group has also forwarded this complaint to four other UN Special Procedure offices: the Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association, and the Special Rapporteur on Health. Additionally, the WGAD has forwarded this complaint to the Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of all Human Rights by Older Persons.

    Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) gladly welcomes and supports the Opinion of the Working Group, and reiterates its calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all four imprisoned opposition leaders. ADHRB also echoes the WGAD’s call for a comprehensive and impartial investigation to identify the perpetrators and hold them accountable.

    “The opinion from the United Nations group strongly reinforces that which the entire world already knew: Bahrain is violently oppressing its pro-democratic forces and systematically abusing their leaders,” said Husain Abdulla, Executive Director of ADHRB. “Bahrain’s leaders are scared of democracy.”

    The WGAD is one of the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council. As part of its regular procedures, the Working Group sends allegation letters to governments concerning credible cases of arbitrary detentions. The Working Group may also render opinions on whether an individual or group’s detention is arbitrary and in violation of international law. The WGAD reviews cases under five categories of arbitrary detention: when it is impossible to invoke a legal basis justifying the deprivation of liberty (Category I); when the deprivation of liberty results from the exercise of the rights to equal protection of the law, freedom of thought, freedom of opinion and expression, and freedom of assembly, among others (Category II); when violations of the right to a fair trial are so severe that the detention is rendered arbitrary (Category III); prolonged administrative custody for refugees and asylum seekers (Category IV); and when the detention is discriminatory based on birth, national, ethnic or social origin, language, religion, economic condition, political or other opinions, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other status (Category V).

    The four opposition leaders were arrested following home raids without an arrest or search warrant and were not informed of a reason for their arrest. Disturbingly, three of them were violently arrested. Sheikh Abdulla (Mirza) Mahroos was beaten and blindfolded during the 30-minute drive from his home to the headquarters of the National Security Agency (NSA). Mr. AbdulWahab Husain Ismaeel was beaten and his head was hit against a wall by security officers during the arrest. Furthermore, Sheikh Abduljalil Radhi Mansoor Makki (AlMuqdad) was violently arrested at his home by officers who took him outside while he was barefoot, even though he had a painful foot injury.

     The Working Group, in its opinion, considered that the four leaders, all of whom are over sixty years old, have been arbitrarily detained for more than a decade. The opinion emphasized the numerous concerns expressed about their health, despite the government’s belief that they are in good health.

    As stated in the opinion, all individuals were forcibly disappeared for a period ranging between one and three months and denied phone contact and visits from their relatives. Furthermore, Mr. Hasan Mushaima has been in prolonged solitary confinement since July 2021 at the Kanoo Medical Center as a retaliatory measure, confirming that Mr. Mushaima’s case has been previously included in the reports of the UN Secretary-General in 2012, 2021, and 2022.

    Moreover, all individuals were subjected to severe forms of torture, including physical beating, kicking, sexual assault, hanging, forced nudity in cold conditions, pouring cold water, and threats of rape and death. In addition, they were denied legal counsel and fair trial procedures.

    The Working Group asserts, in this opinion No. 74 / 2023, that the Bahraini government failed to respond to the claims that all four individuals were warrantlessly arrested and were not informed of the reason for the arrest. Consequently, the legal basis for the arrests was not invoked. Moreover, the four individuals were not promptly brought before a judge as required.

    The WGAD emphasizes that individuals should be presented before a judge within 48 hours, with any delay deemed exceptional and justifiable under the circumstances. Since none of the individuals were brought within this stipulated time frame, authorities have violated Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

    Based on these findings, the Working Group concluded that the detention of all four individuals is arbitrary under Category I due to the absence of a legal basis.

    The Working Group points out that ADHRB established that all four opposition leaders were arrested for participating in pro-democracy protests and exercising their freedom of opinion and expression, in violation of articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and articles 19, 21, and 22 of the ICCPR. The WGAD considered that the four individuals’ right to freedom of expression was restrained by using broad and vague provisions in the Criminal Code of Bahrain, “making assemblies illegal to disperse protests violently and make arrests”.

    The WGAD pointed out that ADHRB “has presented a credible and unrefuted case that the permissible restrictions on the rights exercised by the four individuals, as set out in articles 19 (3), 21, and 22 (2) of the Covenant, do not apply in the present case”. Therefore, the Working Group finds that all four individuals were detained for the peaceful exercise of their rights under articles 19 and 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and articles 19, 21, and 22 of the ICCPR. As a result, the Working Group concludes that the detention of these four men is arbitrary under Category II.

    The Working Group points out that ADHRB established that all four individuals were denied their right to a fair trial due to violations related to their access to legal counsel from the time of their arrest and during their interrogations, and denied adequate time and facilities to prepare for trial. Whereas the government did not specifically refute these allegations, although it made sporadic references to lawyers being present, the Working Group, taking into account ADHRB’s detailed submissions and the Government’s limited response on the matter, considered that ADHRB established that the four men did not have access to a lawyer at key stages, mainly the arrest and interrogations stages. The Working Group, therefore, founds that “the four men’s right to prompt recourse to effective legal counsel was denied, in violation of article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 14 (1) and (3) (b) and (d) of the Covenant.”

    The Working Group further highlights that ADHRB provided detailed descriptions of severe physical and psychological torture allegedly inflicted upon the individuals to extract confessions. It also indicates that ADHRB mentioned that the confessions obtained through torture were used against all four individuals in their trial. While the government argues that the court did not rely, in its final ruling, on the individuals’ confessions, limiting itself to other corroborative evidence, the WGAD reiterates that using statements obtained through torture as evidence during trials renders the entire proceedings unfair and that confessions made in the absence of legal counsel are not admissible as evidence in criminal proceedings. The Working Group argues that while the Government did not state that the individuals’ confessions were used as evidence, it failed to deny the information that they were forced to confess, in violation of Article 14 (3) (g) of the ICCPR.

    The government argues that no torture-related injuries were visible when the four men were brought before the prosecutors and that the four individuals stated before the prosecutors that they did not have any invisible injuries. In response, the Working Group said that the four men may have had invisible injuries or sustained injuries at a later date. It also recalled that “according to the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Istanbul Protocol), the absence of physical evidence should not be construed as suggesting that torture did not occur, since acts of violence frequently leave no marks or permanent scars”.

    The WGAD cites ADHRB’s information that officers withheld Sheikh Mahroos’ medication during his pre-trial detention, causing him to bleed internally. It also recalled previous concerns raised by UN experts about the alleged denial of adequate health care for serious health conditions to detainees held in Jau Prison, including Mushaima. The Working Group underscores that the denial of medical care can amount to a form of torture and that there are still serious concerns about the deterioration of the health condition of Sheikh Maki and Sheikh Mahroos due to their deprivation of medical care.

    The Working Group reiterated its concern regarding the effectiveness of the SIU, indicating that the Ombudsman and the SIU are neither independent nor effective, as they rely on information provided by the same authorities that are under investigation and “do not appear to have an independent means of conducting its own verifications”. Subsequently, the WGAD argued that complaints made to these investigative bodies do not appear to have resolved the issues raised.

    As a result, the WGAD concludes that the rights to a fair trial and due process rights of the four individuals were violated, rendering their detention arbitrary under category III.

    The Working Group notes that ADHRB provided information that all four individuals faced discrimination and insults for their political opinions and religious affiliation, rendering their detention arbitrary under category V.

    Given the facts presented, the Working Group expresses its concern regarding the life-threatening medical neglect of these four elderly individuals. In doing so, it reminds the Government of its obligations under Article 10 (1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and rules 1, 24, 27, and 118 of the Nelson Mandela Rules.

    The Working Group notes that this case follows a pattern similar to many others from Bahrain that have been brought before it. These patterns involve warrantless arrests, pretrial detention with limited access to judicial review, denial of attorney access, forced confessions, torture, ill-treatment, and denial of medical care. The Working Group emphasizes that “under certain circumstances, widespread or systematic imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty in violation of the rules of international law may constitute crimes against humanity.”

    Hence, the Working Group urges the Bahraini government to immediately and unconditionally release all four prisoners. Furthermore, it urges the Bahraini government to ensure a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the cases of these four individuals. The WGAD calls for appropriate measures to be taken against those responsible for the violation of their rights. The opinion concludes by reiterating its readiness to conduct a country visit, noting that its last visit was in October 2001.

    ADHRB firmly supports and stands behind the WGAD’s opinion and recommendations. ADHRB reiterates its call for the immediate release of all four individuals and urges that they be provided with suitable compensation in accordance with international law. Furthermore, ADHRB reiterates the Working Group’s demands for a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of the four victims. Furthermore, ADHRB calls on Bahrain for appropriate measures to be taken against those responsible for the violation of their rights and to stop the policy of impunity. Finally, ADHRB raises the alarm about the deteriorating health of these four leaders due to the serious ongoing medical negligence, holding the Bahraini government responsible for any further deterioration in their health condition.

    The post UN WGAD finds the detention of four elderly Bahraini opposition leaders arbitrary and subjected to torture, coerced confessions, enforced disappearances, unfair trials, and medical neglect appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Human Rights Measurement Initiatives – 2023 Human Rights Data Release on Asian countries

    On 14 June 2023 FORUM-ASIA announced the upcoming 2023 Human Rights Data Release by affiliate member, the Human Rights Measurement Initiatives (HRMI) based in New Zealand. HRMI will this June unveil the latest findings on civil and political rights, economic and social rights (ESR), and human rights in East Asia. On June 22nd, HRMI will present the civil and political rights data, including the measurement of Freedom of Religion and Belief in nine countries, as well as scores for Bangladesh, Thailand, and the Maldives. On June 29th, they will reveal the economic and social rights data, highlighting the crucial role of ESR data in increasing investment in low-income countries and its correlation with wealth improvement. Furthermore, on June 28th, HRMI will delve into the human rights situation in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, exploring topics such as the evolving freedom of opinion and expression and the impact of Hong Kong’s National Security Law. Esteemed guest panelists will share their valuable insights and provide context to the scores.

    For HRMI see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2023/06/16/human-rights-measurement-initiative-hrmi-explained/

    Civil and political rights data launch

    June 22nd 2023 11pm NZ Standard Time

    2023 civil and political rights data, including measuring Freedom of Religion and Belief in 9 countries, producing scores for Bangladesh, Thailand, and the Maldives, producing people at risk data about sex workers, and much more.

    You can register for the zoom webinar here, it will also be livestreamed on Youtube here.

    Economic and social rights data launch

    June 29th 2023 Every time zone

    2023 economic and social rights (ESR) data, including the role of ESR data in increasing investment in low income countries, how improving ESRs increases wealth, and much more.

    You can register for our zoom webinar here, it will also be livestreamed on Youtube here.

    Human rights in East Asia data launch

    June 28th Every time zone

    China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan’s 2023 human rights data, including how freedom of opinion and expression are evolving in these countries, the impact of Hong Kong’s National Security Law on human rights, and much more.

    You can join the zoom webinar here (no registration required), it will also be livestreamed on Youtube here.

    See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2019/08/22/new-zealand-funds-much-needed-human-rights-monitoring-in-the-pacific/

    https://forum-asia.org/?p=38262

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Profile in Persecution: Ebrahim Yusuf Ali AlSamahiji

    Updated: Ebrahim Yusuf Ali AlSamahiji was a 39-year-old Bahraini citizen and an employee at the Aluminium Bahrain Company (ALBA) when Bahraini authorities arbitrarily arrested him from his home on 15 October 2015 without presenting an arrest warrant. During his detention, he was subjected to torture, sexual assault, religion-based insults, provocation, insults, enforced disappearance, solitary confinement, denial of communication, reprisals, isolation, and medical neglect. He was sentenced in an unfair trial based on evidence extracted under torture in a terrorism case known as the “Nuwaidrat Warehouse Case” and is currently serving his life sentence in Jau Prison.

     

    On 15 October 2015, at 3:00 A.M., masked plainclothes officers arrested Ebrahim from his home. They raided his house while he was asleep, awakening and terrifying his wife and children. The officers did not present an arrest warrant or state the reason for the arrest. They searched the house and confiscated electronic devices including cellphones and computers. Ebrahim was then transferred by the officers, some of whom were holding cameras, to a small black bus with tinted windows, while other police cars were surrounding the area.   

     

    Ebrahim managed to call his family when he arrived at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) to inform them of his location, but the line was then cut. He then forcibly disappeared for 23 days.  After that, he was able to make a second call, but the officers prohibited him from telling his family about his condition and what he was subjected to.

     

    Ebrahim’s torture began when he was transferred to the bus on the day of his arrest and continued during his interrogation at the CID. CID officers threatened and severely tortured him to extract a coerced confession for a crime he did not commit. They beat him with batons all over his body, stripped him naked, stomped on his face, put a shoe in his mouth, and sexually assaulted him. The officers also verbally abused him by insulting his religion, his sect, and its religious leaders, and severely beat him when he refused their orders to repeat insults to his Shia sect. He was denied access to legal counsel during this time. Ebrahim initially refused to confess to the pre-prepared charges, but after being threatened with rape, he confessed to the fabricated charges related to the Nuwaidrat warehouse case. As a result of the torture, Ebrahim suffers from frequent headaches, back and leg pain, recurrent eye infections, and damaged teeth.

     

    On 7 November 2015, three weeks after his arrest, officers forced Ebrahim to appear before the Public Prosecution Office (PPO) at dawn. He was deprived of food and sleep for three weeks, causing him to hallucinate. The prosecutor, in the presence of his lawyer, threatened to subject him to further torture if he did not confess to the charges against him. The officers also threatened to harm his family members if he did not confess. As a result, Ebrahim was forced to confess to the charges against him before the PPO. The lawyer noted that Ebrahim was narrating the events rapidly, as if he had been instructed on what to say.

     

    When his family was finally allowed to visit Ebrahim at the CID, they noticed traces of beatings on his hands and legs and observed his difficulty in moving. He told his family about the violations that he was subjected to. After that, he was transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Center. 

    In 2017, a police officer from the Dry Dock Detention Center entered Ebrahim’s cell and provoked and insulted him. In response, Ebrahim asked to see the officer in charge. Instead, a group of officers entered his cell, beat him, and took him to the officer in charge, who then ordered his transfer to solitary confinement. Consequently, Ebrahim was forcibly disappeared for two weeks. He filed a complaint with the Ombudsman about this incident, but the unit manipulated the case, portraying Ebrahim as the perpetrator. The Ombudsman concluded that he had violated the laws of the Reform and Rehabilitation centers and referred the case to the court. On 10 May 2017, the court sentenced him to one month in prison and a fine for insulting a public official. Ebrahim tried to appeal the verdict, but to no avail.

     

    Ebrahim was not brought before a judge within 48 hours of his arrest. He was not given adequate time and facilities to prepare for his trial, which began eight months after his arrest. He was unable to present evidence or challenge the evidence against him, communicate with his lawyer during the trial, and was prevented from attending some sessions. Moreover, the court used confessions extracted under torture as evidence against him in the trial. On 28 December 2017, more than two years after his arrest, the Fourth High Criminal  Court sentenced Ebrahim and nine other defendants to life imprisonment and revoked their citizenship in the Nuwaidrat warehouse case. Ebrahim was convicted of 1) joining a terrorist group, 2) possessing and manufacturing weapons, fireworks, and explosives, and smuggling them by sea for terrorist purposes, and 3) training in the use, manufacture, and smuggling of weapons, fireworks, and explosives in Iraq and Iran with the intention of committing terrorist crimes. Many of the charges brought against Ebrahim during the trial sessions were different from what he confessed to during the investigation, confirming that some of the charges were fabricated by the court. For example, he was accused of smuggling weapons by sea because he owns a cruiser. The weapons training charge was completely fabricated yet used against him during the trial. His family also believes that the court manipulated the case and added charges to Ebrahim AlSamahiji’s case that were originally intended for another defendant with the same first name, Ebrahim. Furthermore, the family believes that a third person, also named Ebrahim, was convicted on similar charges due to sharing the same name with both Ebrahim AlSamahiji and the co-defendant named Ebrahim. On 30 May 2018, the Court of Appeal upheld Ebrahim’s sentence, and the judge who issued the appeal ruling was the same judge who issued the initial verdict, in violation of basic fair trial rules. On 8 February 2020, the Court of Cassation reinstated Ebrahim’s citizenship but upheld the rest of the sentence. After the initial verdict in the Nuwaidrat warehouse burning case, Ebrahim was transferred to Jau Prison.

     

    Ebrahim was repeatedly threatened, insulted, and provoked by officers at both the Dry Dock Detention Center and Jau Prison. He was repeatedly subjected to enforced disappearance, solitary confinement, deprivation of communication, and medical negligence for eye, dental, stomach, and knee issues. His family submitted several complaints to the Ombudsman and the Special Investigations Unit regarding his torture, unfair trial, medical negligence, enforced disappearance, solitary confinement, and communication cutoffs, but to no avail. Moreover, Ebrahim was subjected to reprisals several times after these units received complaints about his situation.

     

    On 17 November 2022, widespread protests broke out in the political prisoners’ buildings in Jau Prison to protest the insulting and mistreatment of prisoner Sheikh AbdulHadi AlMkhawdar, a prominent cleric and opposition leader, by prison officers. This mistreatment prompted Sheikh AlMkhawdar to declare a hunger strike. Ebrahim was among the protesters in Building 8, showing solidarity with the Sheikh. The prisoners refused prison officers’ orders to return to their cells, demanding a meeting with the director of Jau Prison, Hisham AlZayani. The protests escalated after a delegation of prisoners met with AlZayani, who showed indifference to the insult that Sheikh AlMkhawdar had endured and to the Sheikh’s declaration of a hunger strike. The delegation then demanded a meeting with Sheikh AlMkhawdar, who demanded them to stop the protests during the meeting. The prisoners’ representatives agreed with the prison administration that prison officers would conduct a simple superficial search inside the prison wards to confiscate papers and banners used in the protests. However, the officers reneged on the agreement. Ebrahim said in an audio recording that officers began tearing up the furniture in Building 8, where he was held, and confiscated his and his colleagues’ personal belongings while they were praying Friday prayers, preventing them from continuing their prayers. Ebrahim objected to this search, telling the officers that they had broken their previous pledge to conduct a superficial and unprovocative search. The officers then accused Ebrahim of incitement and of possessing a private cell phone inside the prison, and transferred him to solitary confinement for six days in retaliation.

     

    After his solitary confinement ended on 23 November 2022, the Jau Prison administration continued to take retaliatory measures against Ebrahim. He was isolated by being transferred to Building 2 and placed with foreign criminal prisoners who were addicted to smoking and drugs. In an audio recording, Ebrahim reported that his cellmates would not stop smoking, causing him to almost suffocate on 30 November 2022 due to his asthma, which was exacerbated by the smoke. Additionally, he complained in the same recording about blood being scattered all over the place resulting from prisoners’ deliberate self-inflicted wounds during bouts of hysteria. He expressed concern that he could be infected with AIDS.

     

    Ebrahim’s contact with his family was frequently cut off during his isolation due to the frequent breakdown of phones inside the building, often caused by prisoners cutting the phone wires. Additionally, he reported that these prisoners were using his own personal belongings.

     

    During his isolation, Ebrahim suffered several asthma attacks due to exposure to smoking by the addicted prisoners who shared the same cell with him. Despite his family’s repeated requests to see an asthma specialist doctor, the prison administration consistently referred him to the prison clinic doctor, who, without conducting any examination, always claimed that Ebrahim was not suffering from anything. His wife submitted several complaints to the Ombudsman regarding his situation in isolation, demanding proper treatment and transfer to another building suitable for his health condition. However, the Ombudsman’s response was always that Ebrahim was in a building suitable for his status and classification in prison and that he had no health issues, completely ignoring the slow death he was suffering from.

     

    On 4 January 2024, Ebrahim was attacked by two foreign criminal prisoners in the cell where he was isolated, resulting in a quarrel and an injury to his left hand. Subsequently, the prison administration forcibly disappeared him for a week. His family was left in the dark about his well-being, fate, and whereabouts, only to later learn that he was held in solitary confinement. Ebrahim was subsequently moved back to the same cell with the prisoners who had attacked him in Building 2 at Jau Prison. After enduring over a year in isolation, Ebrahim was eventually relocated to Building 8, specifically designated for political prisoners.

     

    Ebrahim continues to suffer from medical neglect while experiencing tooth pain, colitis, stomach inflammation, and chronic eye inflammation. He also endures knee pain resulting from an untreated old knee fracture. Additionally, he grapples with complications from gallbladder removal surgery, gastric fluctuations due to stomach sensitivity to medications, and chronic injuries stemming from torture. Despite his repeated requests over the years for treatment and his deteriorating health condition, the Jau Prison administration persists in denying him his right to proper medical care.

     

    Ebrahim’s warrantless arrest, torture, sexual assault, religious-based insults, provocation, insults, forced disappearance, solitary confinement, denial of communication and access to a lawyer during interrogation, unfair trial based on evidence extracted under torture, retaliation, isolation, and medical negligence all constitute clear violations of the Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party. Moreover, the violations he faced during his imprisonment, particularly medical negligence, constitute a breach of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

     

    Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ebrahim. ADHRB also urges the Bahraini government to investigate allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture, provocation, insults, forced disappearance, solitary confinement, denial of communication and access to a lawyer during interrogation, religion-based insults, retaliation, and isolation, and hold perpetrators accountable. ADHRB further calls on the Bahraini government to compensate Ebrahim for the violations he suffered, including injuries resulting from torture. ADHRB warns of Ebrahim’s deteriorating health condition resulting from years of medical neglect and urges the Jau Prison administration to urgently provide him with appropriate and necessary medical care, holding it responsible for any further deterioration in his health.

    The post Profile in Persecution: Ebrahim Yusuf Ali AlSamahiji appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Nigerian Mubarak Bala subject of BBC documentary

    A recent BBC documentary is about the challenges faced by humanists and atheists in Nigeria. The film was released this week and focuses on Mubarak Bala, reporting on the events that took place in the run-up to his unjust and disproportionate sentencing in April 2022.Mubarak, who is the President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, is currently serving a 24-year prison sentence, in connection with a series of Facebook posts that some deemed to be ‘blasphemous’ and ‘likely to cause a public disturbance’. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2021/08/27/mubarak-bala-wins-humanist-international-2021-freedom-of-thought-award/

    Leo Igwe, Humanists International Board Member & Founding member of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, has been spearheading the campaign for his release since he was first arrested in April 2020.: “The launch of the documentary marks more than 30 months since Mubarak was separated from his family. I’m so proud of his wife, Amina, for the strength she has shown, but you can see in her interview how hard this has been for her. Perhaps the most chilling part of the documentary is when the lawyer who brought about the complaint against Mubarak simply cannot hide his pleasure at the outcome of the sentence, despite the devastating impact on the family. He says: “I really feel bad for the wife and the little son” but the smile on his face tells a very different story.”

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Grenoble takes on French state as burkini legal row reaches highest court

    Dispute due to go before Conseil d’Etat in municipal bid to allow people to wear any kind of swimwear

    The legal row over whether burkinis, or full-body swimsuits, should be allowed in French municipal swimming pools is to go before France’s highest administrative court as the city of Grenoble battles the state.

    The city, at the foot of the French Alps, has been a the centre of a bitter political row since its Green mayor, Éric Piolle, who leads a broad left-wing coalition, proposed loosening rules on swimwear in outdoor municipal pools.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • World’s highest jailing rate found in Uyghur county of China, data leak suggests

    One in 25 people sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges in Konasheher, Xinjiang province, where Communist party represses Muslim minority

    Nearly one in 25 people in a county of the Uyghur heartland of China has been sentenced to prison on terrorism-related charges, in what is the highest known imprisonment rate in the world, an Associated Press review of leaked data shows.

    A list obtained and partially verified by the Associated Press cites the names of more than 10,000 Uyghurs sent to prison in just Konasheher county, one of dozens in southern Xinjiang. In recent years, China has waged a brutal crackdown on the Uyghurs, a largely Muslim minority, which it has described as a “war on terror”.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Profile in Persecution: Hasan Mushaima

    Updated: Mr. Hasan Mushaima is a prominent Bahraini opposition figure and political prisoner who has been serving his life sentence in Jau Prison since 2011 after being charged with attempting to overthrow the government in light of his role in the pro-democracy demonstrations. During his imprisonment, authorities have been subjecting the 76-year-old to maltreatment and medical negligence. He has been held in prolonged solitary confinement at the Kanoo Medical Center for the past 1,165 days, since July 2021, as a retaliatory measure. On 16 November 2023, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) adopted an opinion concerning four elderly Bahraini opposition leaders, including Mr. Hasan Mushaima, concluding their detention as arbitrary and calling for their immediate and unconditional release, as well as a thorough and independent investigation into the violations of their rights. 

     

    In recent months, prison authorities have tightened restrictions on Mr. Mushaima’s access to simple food items like dates, biscuits, and milk, leaving him in a precarious nutritional state. He is also barred from accessing the center’s canteen, relying solely on what his family can provide for food and health products. In July 2024, the Kanoo Medical Center administration removed the BBC Arabic channel from the list of channels available to Mr. Mushaima, further isolating him from the outside world. Mr. Mushaima’s isolation at Kanoo Medical Center remains ongoing, now lasting for 1,165 days. Despite this prolonged confinement and his deteriorating health, the authorities continue to subject him to medical neglect. Recently, in July 2024, Mr. Mushaima developed a nerve issue in his right hand, resulting in loss of movement and severe pain. In addition, his right knee pain has intensified, making daily activities like getting out of bed or performing prayers increasingly difficult. Yet, permission to see a specialist for this issue is also delayed pending the MOI’s approval, prolonging his suffering.

    Since his imprisonment, Mr. Mushaima has faced various restrictions and has been denied his basic rights, including adequate health treatment. Mr. Mushaima, who is in cancer remission, suffers from many chronic diseases including hypertension and diabetes, and has been denied medication and regular checkups for prolonged periods, despite several specialist evaluations indicating that he requires regular treatment and follow-up. His diabetes and blood pressure medicines are also not provided consistently. Painkillers and medicinal drugs were also not adjusted to his needs.

     

    Furthermore, the prison administration constantly cancels his medical appointments without informing him. For instance, authorities have prevented him from undergoing regular Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans which he requires every six months since he is in remission. Even when the scans are done, results are delayed for a long time although they require only one day to be released. Officers have also used the degrading practice of shackling prisoners while taking them to medical clinics. Many prisoners, including Mr. Mushaima, refused these practices and thus were denied the required medical treatment. Due to his severe health problems, his situation has been critical and the lack of treatment is causing him “a slow death”.

     

    Between 2011 and 2019, five different UN special procedure communications demanded that the Bahraini government provide the opposition leader with the necessary medical care, to no avail.

     

    On 19 October 2020, Mr. Mushaima was rushed to the hospital due to shortness of breath. Doctors requested that he be seen by a specialist. However, authorities neglected this request and no appointment was made. As a result, Mr. Mushaima’s health deteriorated further in November 2020, and he was transferred from Jau Prison to the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital, where he was put on an emergency respirator for the second time since October 2020. He was returned to prison after about 6 hours. Again, doctors requested that he see a specialist. Five days later, authorities finally arranged the requested appointment. It was revealed that the cause of his high blood pressure and shortness of breath was a weak heart. The doctor prescribed him medication and requested another consultation after he finished his month-long course of medication.

     

    In May 2021, after being quarantined for 2 months on the pretext of receiving care, Mr. Mushaima developed new symptoms including abnormal swelling of feet with black spots, large swelling in his leg, severe knee pain, limping, and difficulty moving. As a result, he was taken by ambulance to the BDF hospital and returned to the quarantine block at 2:00 A.M. Doctors suspected inflammation and prescribed medications, stating that his condition requires regular follow-ups. After his health deteriorated, neither he nor his family was allowed to see his medical records. Moreover, the Ministry of Health in Bahrain posted a false statement in which it said that Mr. Mushaima’s situation is stable and being monitored.

     

    Two months later, in July 2021, due to his medical situation, Mr. Mushaima was moved to the Kanoo Medical Center, where he remains. His tests showed extremely high blood sugar and blood pressure levels. He also suffers from undetermined damage to his kidneys and stomach, a cyst on his eye, and a heart muscle issue. However, he has not been receiving the needed treatment and is still suffering from many medical complications. The lack of movement and unsuitable food which was devoid of vegetables and lacked nutritional value appropriate to his condition aggravated his condition. Moreover, he has been subjected to punitive measures and stifling psychological pressure.

     

    In mid-September 2021, Mr. Mushaima was offered an alternative sentence by a delegation from the Ministry of Interior. This deal proposed his release on the same day, but it came with numerous conditions and restrictions, primarily requiring him to remain silent about the Bahraini government after his release. Mr. Mushaima refused the offer, emphasizing his right to unconditional freedom. His treatment worsened immediately after his refusal, and authorities denied him the right to make phone and video calls and gradually stopped his medical follow-ups. He was finally allowed to make phone calls after a year of deprivation.

     

    Furthermore, Mr. Mushaima has complained of provocation in the center, with an argument breaking out between him and the police in March 2022. Mr. Mushaima has remained at the center in order to monitor his medical status. However, his extended stay there has been used as an excuse to isolate him after he refused alternative sentencing rather than to provide him with the medical care he needs, as he has been denied his right to call his family. Mr. Mushaima has been demanding to return to Jau Prison, describing his stay at the medical center as ‘solitary confinement”.

     

    Between October and November 2022, his family held daily sit-ins in front of the Kanoo Medical Center, requesting Mr. Mushaima’s transfer to a dentist after 10 months of suffering from broken teeth. On 22 November 2022, the Bahraini police arrested some of Mr. Mushaima’s family members during their sit-in. He was only taken to a dentist in December 2022.

     

    Mr. Mushaima is also denied treatment for knee pain and access to specialists for his different chronic diseases. Members from the Ministry of Interior periodically visit him and promise him that things will improve. Additionally, on 28 November 2022, Mr. Mushaima was visited by a committee from the NIHR at Kanoo Medical Center. The NIHR later tweeted that they listened to his health status request as well as his rights as an inmate. However, his situation has not improved, and no specialist has visited him.

     

    Since his transfer to the Kanoo Medical Center in 2021, Mr. Mushaima has been deprived of leaving his room, despite repeated requests to allow him to exercise. From September 2023, he has been allowed to leave his room twice a week to exercise and access the sunlight, however, for a very short duration (30 minutes each day), which is insufficient. Also, Mr. Mushaima is currently prevented from seeing and talking to the prominent detained human rights defender Dr. AbdulJalil AlSingace, who is also detained in the same section in the Kanoo Medical Center, with both of them currently being isolated and prohibited from meeting other inmates. Moreover, during his isolation at the Kanoo Medical Center, Mr. Mushaima has been barred from participating in key religious events, including the recent Ashura rituals in July 2024. He is also prohibited from communicating with other prisoners during these occasions, further deepening his psychological and emotional isolation and infringing on his right to practice his religious beliefs freely. 

     

    On 15 November 2023, Mr. Mushaima’s diabetes medications were changed due to the adverse effects on his kidneys, and his new medications are causing him to have unstable blood sugar levels, according to his doctor. Despite his unstable blood sugar levels, he has not been provided with an insulin pump or another medical device to regulate his insulin levels.

     

    On 16 November 2023, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) adopted an opinion on four elderly Bahraini opposition leaders, including Mr. Hasan Mushaima, determining their detention to be arbitrary. The WGAD urged Bahrain to immediately and unconditionally release all four opposition figures, conduct a comprehensive and independent investigation into the violations of their rights, and hold the perpetrators accountable.

     

    On 30 November 2023, Mr. Mushaima’s doctor at the Kanoo Medical Center indicated that his kidneys are significantly damaged and that he might soon need dialysis. When the detained opposition figure insisted on knowing the details of the damage, the doctor told him that they could not disclose this information without permission from the Ministry of Interior. His family is highly concerned about his declining health and the lack of information he has been provided about his diagnosis and health crisis.

     

    In 2023, Mr. Mushaima was forced to wait for months to be seen by a nephrologist and was denied treatment for hearing loss in his right ear. He has also not been referred to a neurologist to check tremors in his hands.

    On 25 and 28 March 2024, Mr. Mushaima was transferred to the emergency room due to severe knee pain that made him unable to move or sleep. He was given pain-relieving injections after an X-ray examination. The center administration refused to inform him of the X-ray results and then returned him to isolation in the Kanoo Medical Center.

     

    On 2 April 2024, after two weeks of suffering from severe knee pain without receiving the necessary treatment, which was only partially alleviated by painkillers with limited effectiveness, the general physician at the center confirmed to Mr. Mushaima that his referral to a specialist physician for the required treatment depends on an order from the Ministry of Interior. Mr. Mushaima’s family made numerous calls to the Jau Prison administration demanding treatment but to no avail. They also visited the specialist doctor who had treated him more than a year ago and found that he was available; however, he could not provide the treatment without a request and permission from the Ministry of Interior (MOI).

     

    On 26 April 2024, Mr. Mushaima developed new symptoms, including sudden significant swelling in his legs and feet, along with persistent severe pain. Consequently, he was transferred to a non-specialist physician, who told him to reduce his water intake and elevate his foot as much as possible until a nephrologist could diagnose him. Despite this health setback, he hasn’t been seen by a specialist or given any medications other than painkillers. 

    In recent months, prison authorities have tightened restrictions on Mr. Mushaima’s access to simple food items like dates, biscuits, and milk. While these were previously permitted, they now require prior approval through submitted requests and administrative orders, which are often delayed or denied, leaving him in a precarious nutritional state. He is also barred from accessing the center’s canteen, relying solely on what his family can provide for food and health products. In July 2024, the Kanoo Medical Center administration removed the BBC Arabic channel from the list of channels available to Mr. Mushaima, further isolating him from the outside world. This channel, along with others, is typically accessible to prisoners in Jau Prison, highlighting the increasing restrictions imposed specifically on Mr. Mushaima.

    Mr. Mushaima’s isolation at Kanoo Medical Center remains ongoing, now lasting for 1,165 days. Despite this prolonged confinement and his deteriorating health, the authorities continue to subject him to medical neglect. Recently, in July 2024, Mr. Mushaima developed a nerve issue in his right hand, resulting in loss of movement and severe pain. Unable to control the hand, he now uses his left hand to adjust his thumb. Alarmingly, the condition has begun affecting his left hand as well. Despite a doctor’s recommendation at Kanoo Medical Center for him to consult a specialist, Mr. Mushaima is denied this care because it requires approval from the Ministry of Interior—a process that typically takes an excessive amount of time. He is still waiting for this approval, further worsening his condition. This delay has occurred repeatedly in the past, consistently leaving Mr. Mushaima without the proper medical attention he needs. In addition, his right knee pain has intensified, making daily activities like getting out of bed or performing prayers increasingly difficult. Yet, permission to see a specialist for this issue is also delayed pending the MOI’s approval, prolonging his suffering.

     

    Mr. Mushaima still suffers from medical neglect for his hand nerves, knees, teeth, and kidney issues, in addition to ongoing neglect for his chronic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart muscle problems. Moreover, he is still prevented from undergoing regular Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans, which he requires every six months since he is in cancer remission. Furthermore, he is still denied access to the results of the medical tests and images he has undergone.

     

    Opposition leader Mr. Hasan Mushaima’s warrantless arrest, torture, enforced disappearances, solitary confinements, deprivation of contact with his family, religious-based insults, unfair trial, reprisal, isolation, and medical negligence all constitute clear violations of the Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party. Moreover, the violations he faced during his imprisonment, particularly medical negligence, constitute a breach of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

     

    Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to comply with the opinion of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention opinion by immediately and unconditionally releasing Mr. Mushaima, who was arbitrarily detained due to his peaceful activism, along with all other political prisoners. This call is especially pertinent in light of the recent royal pardons and alternative sanctions that have resulted in the release of several prisoners, including political detainees. However, these releases did not include elderly imprisoned opposition leaders, such as Mr. Mushaima, who are facing serious health complications due to medical neglect. Given their age and health issues, it is imperative that these releases also include them. ADHRB also urges the Bahraini government to investigate allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearances, solitary confinements, deprivation of contact with his family, religious-based insults, reprisal, isolation, and medical negligence and hold perpetrators accountable. ADHRB further calls on the Bahraini government to compensate Mushaima for the violations he suffered, including serious medical negligence. ADHRB warns of Mr. Mushaima’s seriously deteriorating health condition resulting from years of medical neglect and urges the Kanoo Medical Center administration to end his isolation and urgently provide him with appropriate and necessary medical care, holding it responsible for any further deterioration in his health. Finally, ADHRB calls on the international community to further advocate for Mr. Mushaima’s immediate and unconditional release and to call for his urgent provision of appropriate and necessary medical care.

    The post Profile in Persecution: Hasan Mushaima appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Nigerian humanist jailed for 24 years after pleading guilty to blasphemy

    Mubarak Bala’s case seen as part of a clampdown on critics of religious orthodoxy in a deeply conservative region

    A prominent Nigerian humanist has been sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to blasphemy charges, in a landmark case that has put a new focus on the threats to freedom of expression in the west African country.

    Mubarak Bala, the president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, was sentenced on Tuesday afternoon, two years after his arrest at his home in the northern Kaduna state on 28 April 2020. He was then taken to neighbouring Kano, where calls for action against him had been made by members of the religious establishment in the majority Muslim and conservative state.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, imprisoned for ‘insulting Islam’, freed after 10 years

    It’s unclear if Saudi authorities placed restriction on his release but human rights campaigners promise to fight them

    Saudi blogger Raif Badawi has been released from prison in Saudi Arabia after serving a 10-year sentence for advocating an end to religious influence on public life, his wife said on Friday.

    “Raif called me. He is free,” his wife, Ensaf Haidar, who lives in Canada with their three children and had been advocating for his release, told AFP.

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    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • I don’t have to choose between my hijab and going to school, but my sisters aren’t so lucky | Anhaar Kareem

    As a 14-year-old Australian, I urge you to stand in solidarity with me against policymakers in France and India, where they are oppressing Muslim women

    This morning as I was intricately pinning my school hijab around my head, I was thinking of how privileged I am to be able to wear my hijab to school. But it shouldn’t be a privilege, it is my right. It shouldn’t be something that Muslim women everywhere have to continue to fight for day after day. I feel for my hijabi sisters all around the world. What would I do if I had to choose between getting an education and wearing my hijab?

    Recently, a young Muslim student wearing a hijab in the Indian state of Karnataka was taunted by a mob of male anti-Muslim protesters. Watching the footage, I felt disgusted and scared, seeing a young hijabi woman like myself being assaulted, while doing absolutely nothing wrong. Simply trying to get an education. Just last week, shockingly close to home, a hijabi high school student in New Zealand was filmed as other school students forcibly removed her hijab and proceeded to share the video of the taunting on social media. The hijab these women wear is demonised by many in their communities, countries, and unfortunately all around the world. This Islamophobia is devastating, but unfortunately, Muslim women being the subject of hatred and abuse is nothing new.

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    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • ‘Gay cake’ row: man loses seven-year battle against Belfast bakery

    ECHR says Gareth Lee’s case against bakery that refused to make cake with ‘support gay marriage’ message is inadmissible

    A man has lost a seven-year legal battle against a Belfast bakery that refused to make him a cake emblazoned with the message “support gay marriage” as the European court of human rights ruled that his claim was inadmissible, prompting disappointment from gay rights groups.

    On Thursday the ECHR, by a majority decision, said it would not reconsider the decision of the UK supreme court, which had overturned a £500 damages award imposed on Ashers bakery, which is run by evangelical Christians.

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    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • US citizens v FBI: Will the government face charges for illegal surveillance?

    Muslim citizens are suing the FBI for subjecting them to undercover surveillance after 9/11 in violation of rights

    On Monday, the US supreme court will hear arguments in a case which could determine whether the US government faces accountability for its mass surveillance of Muslim Americans after 9/11.

    The nine justices will be asked to decide on whether Muslim US citizens who were subjected to undercover surveillance by a paid informant at their southern California mosque can receive redress through the courts.

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    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Profile in Persecution: Sayed Adnan Majed Hashem

    Updated: Sayed Adnan Majed Hashem was a 22-year-old worker at the Al-Manhal water factory when he was arrested in October 2018, for the fourth time, from a house in AlDair. During his detention, Sayed Adnan endured physical and psychological torture, forced disappearance, medical neglect, and denial of contact with his family and attorney. He was also subjected to an unfair trial based on confessions extracted under torture. Furthermore, he faced sectarian-based insults and medical negligence at the hands of the Bahraini authorities. Currently, he is held in Jau Prison, serving a sentence of nearly three decades on politically motivated charges.

     

    Sayed Adnan was first arrested in 2014 as he returned from the Etehad AlReef Club Stadium in the Shahrakan area. He was with a group of players from the Abu Quwa team after their victory in the Youth Championship. They were on a bus, honking the horn in celebration of their victory when security forces stopped and arrested them, alleging their honking was illegal. Sayed Adnan’s second arrest occurred in mid-September 2015 while visiting his grandfather’s house in Al-Daih. On that day, amid political demonstrations, Sayed Adnan was chased and arrested by security forces. He was detained for around a month and a half before being released without any judgment being issued against him.

    In 2016, Sayed Adnan was arrested for the third time when security forces and armed masked men affiliated with the Ministry of Interior stormed into his father’s house late at night, arresting him without presenting any arrest warrant or order from the Public Prosecution Office (PPO). Upon his arrest, Sayed Adnan was taken to the CID, where he was held for 12 days. On the twelfth day, he called his family, asking them to bring him clothes as he was being transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Center. Shortly after, he was released from prison on bail, awaiting trial. Following his release, as his case proceeded, Sayed Adnan was summoned multiple times, and his house was frequently raided, though he would not be present. Knowing he was wanted, Sayed Adnan did not attend his trial sessions out of fear of being arrested in court. During Sayed Adnan’s arrest in 2016, his father visited him and observed traces of torture on his face and other parts of his body. He informed Sayed Adnan’s lawyer about the matter, who filed a complaint requesting accountability for the policeman responsible for Sayed Adnan’s torture. However, Sayed Adnan was unable to attend his court sessions out of fear of being arrested, as he was being pursued by authorities.

     

    Sayed Adnan’s latest arrest occurred on 30 October 2018 when officers in civilian clothing apprehended him from a house in AlDair. He was subsequently taken to the investigations unit in Jau Prison and then to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) building in Adliya. Sayed Adnan forcibly disappeared for 10 to 12 days as his family was unaware of his fate or whereabouts. They contacted the Ombudsman and the CID to inquire about Sayed Adnan but received no response. After 10 to 12 days, Sayed Adnan contacted them and informed them of his location.

    During Sayed Adnan’s enforced disappearance, he was interrogated without legal representation both at the investigations unit in Jau Prison and at the CID in Adliya. There, armed masked officers in civilian clothing subjected him to psychological and physical torture to coerce false confessions. They threatened to harm one of his sisters and sexually assault her if he didn’t cooperate, and they insulted his religious sect and its symbols. Sayed Adnan was severely beaten on parts of his body that wouldn’t be visible, such as his stomach, back, and thighs, to conceal the injuries from his parents during visits. He was blindfolded, prevented from contacting his family, and coerced into making fabricated confessions under duress and torture.

    Sayed Adnan suffers from severe knee pain due to shotgun bullet injuries sustained while he was chased by authorities after participating in a peaceful demonstration in 2014. Despite requesting medical attention, he has not been examined, and the prison administration has refused to provide him with pain relief cream.

    Sayed Adnan faced numerous charges related to committing terrorist acts, including arson, negligent destruction, manufacturing explosives, illegal assembly, and rioting, involving nine cases. Between 2016 and 2020, he was sentenced to a total of 27 and a half years in prison and fined approximately 101,000 Bahraini Dinars. Throughout the interrogation and trial period, Sayed Adnan was denied access to his lawyer, and his confessions, obtained under torture, were used in court as evidence against him. Approximately a month and a half after his arrest, Sayed Adnan was transferred from the CID to Jau Prison following judgments issued against him in absentia.

    Sayed Adnan was only able to meet his family over a month after his arrest. In mid-2019, communication with Sayed Adnan was abruptly cut off. His family learned from other inmates that he had been transferred to the CID building, where he remained for 14 days. One inmate reported seeing him in court and noticed signs of torture on his body. He later contacted Sayed Adnan’s family, explaining that the torture was aimed at extracting confessions related to the charges against him.

    Update: On 26 March 2024, the administration at Jau Prison initiated pressure tactics on political prisoners to cease their sit-in protest against retaliatory policies that caused the death of medical neglect victim Husain Khalil Ebrahim on 25 March. This pressure was executed under directives from officers AbdulSalam AlAraifi, Hisham AlZayani, Nasser AbdulRahman AlKhalifa, and Ahmed AlEmadi. Retaliatory measures included severing communication with the outside world by suspending family visits and communications, blocking TV broadcasts, and confiscating newspapers.

    On 8 May 2024, about 500 detainees, including Sayed Adnan, refused meals after the prison administration reduced the quantity of food in retaliation for their demands for improved food quality that meets health standards. The administration targeted buildings where detainees were protesting, excluding those housing criminal inmates, thereby depriving them of their primary food source after blocking their access to necessities from the prison store.

     

    Sayed Adnan’s mother posted an audio message detailing some of the detainees’ hardships. Alongside reduced meals, political prisoners also endure shortages of food supplies, lack of clothing and footwear, and the absence of personal hygiene items they previously purchased with their monthly allowances sent by their families. She warned of the consequences of these measures, including the risk of epidemics and diseases due to the lack of cleaning supplies. She expressed concerns for her son’s health, who suffers from knee problems and skin diseases, having previously contracted scabies due to the poor conditions inside Jau Prison. Sayed Adnan’s mother reported that she contacted the Emergency Police Services and informed them of the violations against her son. They promised to take certain measures but to no avail. She also complained about the retaliation practiced by the prison administration against prisoners after families staged sit-in protests and sought support from human rights organizations for their children’s cases.

    Sayed Adnan continues to endure deliberate medical neglect. Despite severe pain, he has been denied treatment for the injury he sustained in his knee when security forces used shotguns against peaceful protesters in 2014. He has been deprived of treatment, and appropriate medications have not been prescribed. Additionally, the prison administration has refused to provide pain relief medication for his excruciating pain.

    Sayed Adnan’s family submitted several complaints to the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) and the Ombudsman regarding his torture and ill-treatment, but to no avail. They also lodged a complaint following the events of 17 April 2021 at Jau Prison, yet there was no follow-up by authorities. Sayed Adnan is also subjected to discrimination in prison based on his belonging to the Shia religious sect.

    Sayed Adnan’s warrantless arrests, mental and physical torture, forced disappearance, solitary confinement, deprivation of contact with his family and lawyer, denial of a fair trial, religious discrimination, and medical neglect constitute violations of Bahrain’s obligations under international treaties, namely the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party.

    Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Sayed Adnan. ADHRB also urges the Bahraini government to investigate allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture, forced disappearance, solitary confinement, medical neglect, denial of legal consultation, and religious discrimination, holding perpetrators accountable. ADHRB further calls for an immediate end to discriminatory policies against Sayed Adnan, including denying him communication with his family. ADHRB urges the Jau Prison administration to ensure the rights of all political prisoners, including providing adequate meals that adhere to health standards, as well as supplying personal hygiene essentials to prevent the spread of diseases and epidemics, holding it responsible for any deterioration in detainees’ conditions.

    The post Profile in Persecution: Sayed Adnan Majed Hashem appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

    This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

  • Mubarak Bala wins Humanist International 2021 Freedom of Thought Award

    In recognition of his efforts and contributions to promote humanist values in Nigeria, the General Assembly of Humanists International awarded Mubarak Bala with the 2021 Freedom of Thought Award during its General Assembly. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2021/04/29/un-experts-demand-release-of-nigerian-atheist-from-one-year-detention/

    Born in Kano state, northern Nigeria, in 1984 and a chemical engineer by training, Mubarak Bala is a prominent member of the Humanist movement. As President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, he has played a vital role in the Humanist community in Nigeria.

    Bala has been working to promote freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria and has been an outspoken religious critic in the conservative northern region, where open religious opposition is unusual. He has campaigned for the decriminalization of apostasy and blasphemy laws in states that implement Sharia in northern Nigeria. In addition he has engaged in human rights education and raised awareness on the importance of freedom of thought and conscience to peace, progress and stability in the region. He has organized meetings and conferences to enlighten the local populace especially those inclined to religious extremism and radical Islam due to indoctrination, lack of understanding or misinformation about freedom of religion or belief.

    Bala has been held in detention since his arrest on 28 April 2020. Held for 15 months without any charge, Bala now faces charges of public disturbance in connection with Facebook posts deemed “blasphemous” he is alleged to have published in April 2020. In addition to being arbitrarily detained for 15 months, there have been several other violations of his rights to a fair trial, which include denying Bala access to his legal counsel until October 2020, failing to comply with a Federal High Court order to release Bala on bail, and consistent attempts to obstruct Bala’s legal team.

    Andrew Copson, President of Humanists International, commented: “Mubarak Bala is an honorable humanist who has experienced great hardship and persecution in his realization of a life lived true to his values. Today he is a prisoner of conscience, whose thoughts are freer than he himself.”

    The award was accepted on his behalf by his wife Amina Ahmed during the General Assembly of Humanists International on 15 August, commenting the award with these words:

    “On behalf of my husband Mubarak Bala, I really want to thank humanists all over the world for this wonderful honour. This award has really shown that the world still cares for Mubarak, and that Mubarak has not been forgotten. This is to show that humanity is above all regardless of religion and belief. I thank Humanists International for your utmost support and care for Mubarak’s family. We don’t know how to thank you enough, all I can say is thanks a zillion! And I know this is indeed a phase which will come to pass soon. I also want to thank the Humanists Association of Nigeria who has struggled these past months for Mubarak’s release. You have all really shown so much love and care for Mubarak and we really appreciate it.“

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Morrison gov’t pushes on religious discrimination bill

    While the church hierarchy enjoys access to influence the federal govenrment on its Religious Freedom Bill, those wanting to stay democratic and secular, are left out in the cold. Suzanne James reports.

    This post was originally published on Green Left.

  • Turkey says EU headscarf ruling ‘grants legitimacy to racism’

    Allowing businesses to ban item of clothing at work will exclude Muslim women and encourage Islamophobia, critics say

    Turkey’s cabinet ministers have criticised a European Union court’s decision to allow employers to ban headscarves from their workplaces, saying it is “a blow to the rights of Muslim women” and that it would “grant legitimacy to racism”.

    The EU’s highest court, the European court of justice (ECJ), on Thursday ruled that private employers can ban workers from wearing religious symbols, including headscarves in their workplaces.

    Related: Les Hijabeuses: the female footballers tackling France’s on-pitch hijab ban

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.