Bahrain fathers want justice

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses grave concern over the escalated level of impunity in Bahrain that has gone as far as detaining the fathers of victims of extra-judicial killings who continue to demand justice for their sons.

On 11 August 2013, Ahmed Abbas Mowali was arrested from Arad following a police attack on a peaceful protest calling for rights and freedoms. On 13 August, the public prosecution ordered Mowali's detention for 45 days pending investigation on charges of “illegal gatherings”.

Ahmed Mowali is the father of Yousif Mowali, 23-years-old, who was arrested, tortured and then drowned in January 2012. At the time, his mother was told at the Samaheej police station that Yousif was at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and that he was fine.

A few days later, police said they found Mowali's body floating in the water on 13 January 2012 in the Amwaj area. A state doctor reported the cause of death as drowning and ruled out signs of violence. However, a second autopsy performed by an independent forensic pathologist concluded Mowali was electrically tortured, and was unconscious when he drowned.

The investigation into Yousif Mowali's death has not made any progress, and no one has been held accountable for his death or his torture.

On 22 August 2013, Abdulhadi Mushaima was arrested from his home following a raid by riot police and security officers dressed in civilian clothing during the early hours of the morning.

On 24 August, he called his family and informed them that he was given a detention order of 45 days. He was interrogated at the public prosecution in the absence of a lawyer and was charged with “illegal gathering” on the basis of his participation in peaceful protests.

Mushaima is the father of Ali Mushaima, the first protester to be killed in the Bahraini protests on 14 February 2011; Ali Mushaima was killed in front of his own house by police officers firing birdshot.

His death was confirmed in the Bahraini Commision of Inquiry Report (BICI) under Case #1 where it was stated that:

“The death of Mr Almeshaima can be attributed to the use of excessive force by police officers. At the time of the shooting, there were no reports of any disturbances in the Daih area. Furthermore, the fact that Mr Almeshaima was shot in the back at close range indicates that there was no justification for the use of lethal force.”

Since his death, Mushaima's family has been subjected to ongoing attacks by the authorities. The family's home has been attacked more than three times.

On 13 January 2012, their home was directly attacked with tear gas after security forces raided the house by entering through the kitchen, where they broke teapots and assaulted the deceased victim's sister by spitting in her face and shouting at her.

From what she recognized, the security forces were Yemeni and they were filming the assault. The officers attempted to beat Ali Mushaima's father, then they threw tear gas at the entrance of the house, which caused it to spread throughout the house. Ali Mushaima's aunt was present at the time, and the tear gas caused the 83-year-old woman to have difficulty breathing, high blood pressure, and an infection in her kidney, all of which she had not suffered from prior to the attack.

Although the family attempted to leave the house to escape the toxic gas, the security forces encircled the home and prevented their exit for a period of time.

On 31 January 2013, the 3rd Criminal Court sentenced one policeman who is accused of “the beating that led to the death” of Ali Mushaima to seven years in prison. He was released during the appeal trial and the court will hear his appeal on 16 September 2013.

BCHR believes that both Ahmed Mowali and Abdulhadi Mushaima were targeted and detained for exercising their basic rights and publicly demanding justice for their murdered sons.

BCHR has previously documented several cases of attacks on families of extra-judicial victims that included detention. On 26 October 2012, Jawad Al-Shaikh was arrested at a peaceful protest in Manama that demanded self-determination. Until this day, no one has been held accountable for the death of his 14-year-old son, Ali Al-Shaikh, who was killed by police with a shot to his neck from behind on 31 August 2011.

These arrests are acts of intimidation directed at all other relatives of killed victims, who continue to accuse the regime with the killing of their sons and continue to participate in peaceful protests to demand justice. This is part of a systematic policy of granting impunity to the violators of human rights as a previous report by BCHR shows.

BCHR calls on the Bahraini government to:

Release Ahmed Mowali and Abdulhadi Mushaima immediately, as they have been targeted for practicing their legitimate right to peacefully assemble and demand justice;

Stop the acts of harassment and intimidation directed at the relatives of the victims of human rights violations who continue to raise awareness about it and demand justice;

Hold those responsible for the killing of civilians accountable and bring them before an independent judicial system;

Compensate families of extra-judicial killings both morally and materially for their losses, as well as for the attacks they have been subjected to.

BCHR also calls on the international community to condemn the Bahraini regime's use of vengeance in the cases of families of victims of extra-judicial killings.

Source: IFEX

Bahrain: Reprisals Against Journalists

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, March 15, 2011 - Armed assailants stormed the Manama printing facility of the Bahraini independent daily Al-Wasat early this morning, damaging the press and hindering production of today's edition. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the attack, which comes just as military contingents from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been enlisted to help contain political unrest in the kingdom.

In Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, the government withdrew the accreditation of Ulf Laessing, a senior Reuters correspondent based in Riyadh, the news agency reported today. The government asserted that Laessing's coverage of a recent protest in that country was inaccurate, but it provided no details and Reuters stood by the reporting. The withdrawal of the accreditation requires Laessing to leave the country, Reuters said. Earlier this month, Saudi authorities indefinitely banned three critical columnists for the government-controlled daily Al-Watan. Authorities did not cite a reason, although columnists Amal Zahid, Ameera Khashghari, and Adwan al-Ahmari had written about political unrest in the region, according to CPJ research.

In Bahrain, where pro-reform demonstrations have been staged by Shiite majority protesters for several weeks, King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa declared a three-month state of emergency today, according to news reports. On Monday, about 1,000 Saudi and 500 UAE troops entered Bahrain at the king's behest, according to news reports, a move that heightened regional tensions.

Around 1 a.m. today, dozens of men armed with knives and clubs stormed the printing facility of the daily Al-Wasat, said Mansour al-Jamri, the paper's editor-in-chief. The assailants forced their way into the facility, threatened employees who were preparing to print today's paper, and then damaged the press to make it inoperable, al-Jamri told CPJ. He said the newspaper contacted the Ministry of Interior, which dispatched security forces to disperse the mob. Another Bahraini newspaper, Al-Ayam, agreed to print today's edition of Al-Wasat.

"We condemn this attempt at censorship through mob violence and intimidation," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "The government of Bahrain is responsible for the safety of journalists and the physical security of media installations. The authorities must prosecute all behind this assault on Al-Wasat."

Al-Jamri said some of the assailants remained outside the newspaper's premises later today in an apparent intimidation effort. Government supporters have been harassing Al-Wasat press employees for the past several days, according to news reports and a CPJ source.

Al-Jamri told CPJ his newspaper has been targeted for reprisal in connection with its coverage of the political demonstrations. On Sunday, Al-Wasat photographer Mohammed al-Mukharaq was beaten by pro-government supporters. And a number of Al-Wasat journalists, including al-Jamri, were named in an anonymously authored "Bahrain list of dishonor" that has circulated widely online.

For more information:

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568
http://www.cpj.org/

Journalists Beaten in Bahrain. Expelled from Yemen

(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, March 14, 2011 - Authorities in Yemen and Bahrain are continuing to obstruct news coverage of ongoing political unrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today as it called on the two government to allow journalists to work without reprisal. In Yemen, at least six international journalists were expelled since Saturday, according to news reports and CPJ interviews. In Bahrain, security forces and plainclothes men attacked an Al-Wasat photojournalist covering a demonstration in the capital, Manama.

Yemeni security forces today raided a Sana'a apartment shared by four international journalists, The New York Times reported. The Times identified the journalists as Oliver Holmes, a contributor to The Wall Street Journal and Time magazine; Haley Sweetland Edwards, a contributor to the Los Angeles Times; Joshua Maricish, a photographer; and Portia Walker, a contributor to The Washington Post. The four were brought before immigration authorities who ordered their expulsion for "national security reasons." The Times identified Holmes and Walker as British, Maricish and Edwards as American.

"I'm positive that this is related to the fact that all four of us have been reporting about the upswing of violence against protesters," Holmes told the Times by phone from the airport. Edwards said their expulsion was a clear indication that the crackdown against protesters will intensify "and there's no one here who's going to see it."

Reporter Patrick Symmes and photographer Marco Di Lauro, on assignment for Outside, a U.S.-based travel and adventure magazine, were detained Saturday by security agents, Symmes told CPJ. Although they had press visas, they were put on a flight to Istanbul. "It is obvious that we are being expelled simply to prevent the chance that we are in any way capable of learning what is happening in Sana'a," Symmes told CPJ in an e-mail. Symmes said they were working on a travel article and had repeatedly emphasized to authorities that "we have not asked to cover demonstrations, and have not done so."

Government supporters continue to intimidate local reporters. On Saturday, a group of about 20 people believed to be government supporters went to the Journalists Syndicate in Sana'a and threatened to burn it down, according to two local journalists and an item posted on the syndicate's website.

"We are alarmed by the expulsion of foreign journalists and fear that it may be the prelude to intensified repression of local journalists seeking to cover the protests in Yemen," said CPJ Deputy Director Robert Mahoney. "We call on the authorities to revoke these expulsions and allow all journalists to work freely."

In Bahrain, security forces and men in plain clothes beat Mohammed al-Mukharaq, a photographer working for the independent daily Al-Wasat, according to news reports and local journalists. Mukharaq, wearing a vest that carried the name of his newspaper, told CPJ he was covering a demonstration on Sunday in Manama when a group of 20 or more men approached, beat him, crushed his camera and mobile phone. Mukharaq said he suffered extensive bruising.

Local journalists told CPJ that a list called the "Bahrain list of dishonor," is circulating online and identifying 25 people as "collaborators aiming to sell their country." The author is unclear. CPJ, which reviewed the list, found the names of at least nine critical journalists, including Mansour al-Jamri, editor-in-chief of Al-Wasat; Abduljalil Alsingace, a Bahraini blogger and human rights activist; Ali Abdel Imam, a Bahraini blogger; and Qasem Hussein, a critical columnist. One journalist whose name appears on the list told CPJ: "I don't feel safe anymore. I'm receiving threats via phone telling me that they will stab me in the back and my name is also on the list." The journalist asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal.

"Reports of the existence of a 'Bahrain list of dishonor' are deeply troubling," CPJ's Mahoney said. "The authorities must condemn this list and ensure the safety of all journalists."


For more information:

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568
http://www.cpj.org/

Bahrain Protestors Passionate About Change

Thousands of anti-government demonstrators have marched into Manama's Pearl Roundabout, just two days after authorities used deadly force to seize and cordon off the area.

Witnesses say police fired rubber bullets at the crowd, but eventually left the scene.

A small number of people were rushed to the hospital.

Tanks and soldiers had been stationed at the roundabout since Thursday, when authorities used deadly force to disperse people camping there.

Bahrain's foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Khalifa, justified the crackdown saying it was necessary because the demonstrators were threatening the country's stability.

Protesters attempted to march back to the scene on Friday, but again had rubber bullets, tear gas and birdshot fired at them.

Shortly afterwards, Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Khalifa called for a national dialogue to resolve the crisis.

However, the country's main opposition group rejected the offer.

Speaking from the Pearl Roundabout shortly after protesters entered on Saturday, Ali Ahmed said the people's passion for change is stronger than their fear of the authorities.

"I was coming here and I was telling myself and the family - I don't care whether I die or live, but if I die I'll bring you freedom. If I live, I'll live the freedom with you," he said.

Nabeel Rajab from the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, described the mood on Saturday as "victorious."

"People feel a little bit of victory, especially because they have lost six lives over the past few days and four lives because of this square. It was a smart move by the government and by the riot police to pull out, because I would expect more people would have been hurt and attacked and we could have had more people dead," said Rajab.

Protests inspired by the recent uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt began in Bahrain on February 14. Originally, demonstrators were calling for more equality, more rights and for the release of political prisoners, but they have since started demanding a new government.

Source: Voice of America

Bahrain Blocks "Dissident" Bloggers

BCHR/IFEX) - The Bahraini authorities have widened their campaign against all Internet outlets, inside and outside Bahrain, which covers all aspects of public affairs in the country.

The lastest victims of the site-blocking campaign, led by Mai Al-Khalifa, the Minister of Culture and Information, are http://www.aafaq.org/ , a Washington-based news site, and http://www.bahrain-eve.blogspot.com/ , the blog of female activist Ghada Jamsheer. The authorities have also blocked the alerts site http://www.bahrainblogs.org/ that lists reports about any posting or updates made by bloggers in Bahrain and includes alerts from the BCHR site: http://www.bahrainrights.org/ .

All sites were blocked on the morning of 21 April 2009.

The Aafaq site is a webpage of news, views and reports covering many countries. It is managed by an independent US-based owner and focuses on political and other developments in Bahrain and the Arab region.

Bahrain-eve, on the other hand, is a personal blog owned by Jamsheer, who is well-known for her views on women and other human rights issues.

The campaign is managed by a special branch reporting directly to the minister, who explicitly stated in her resolution that the decision to impose or lift a block on a particular site is under her discretion. This contradicts the cause of the campaign which is said to focus on pornography-related sites.

Since its launch on January, the attack on Internet sites has included personal blogs, public forums, NGOs' and human rights webpages, political, religious, cultural, and other sites which reflect dissident views, news and reports on public issues.

As per a report by a project launched by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University, up to this moment there are "598 reports of inaccessible sites in Bahrain, 159 of which are unique". The enormity of the figure is a result of the spectrum of sites blocked based on certain tags and keywords which include the word "proxy", something which users have used to bypass the block.

Nabeel Rajab, president of BCHR, responded to this latest move: "One can see that the State is going hysterical and (is not acting rationally) in the way it is treating dissident views and issues of relation to public affairs". He added: "They want to control every in and out byte of information. We all know this is impossible and the state advisors should voice that this is a lost war against freedom of expression and exchange of information in the high tech world we are living in".

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Send appeals to authorities asking them to lift the ban and blockage on the Aafaq news site and the Bahrain-eveblog, as well as all public affairs sites- put an end to the campaign against all forms of freedom of expression and lift the ban on dissident voices on the web- repeal all administrative resolutions targeting web accessibility and restricting freedom of expression, and constrain the Minister of Information's involvement in media censorship - amend the Press Code of 2002, ensuring its conformity to international conventions

APPEALS TO:
His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa
King of Bahrain
Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa
Cabinet Prime MinisterFax: +97 3 1 721 1363

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

Updates alert on the recent online crackdown:
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/102205

Former Bahrain President Barred from Travel

(BCHR/IFEX) - The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is very concerned after learning of a travel ban against its former president, Mr. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, and the unjustifiable charges and unfair trial against him for delivering a speech highlighting human rights issues and expressing his opinion on the political situation in Bahrain.

On 9 February 2009, at 9:00 a.m. (local time), Alkhawaja was prevented from leaving Bahrain Airport. According to him, the officer at the passport point told him that there is an official order from the General Prosecution Office to prevent him from leaving the country. As the Middle-East Coordinator for Front Line (the International Foundation to Protect Human Rights Defenders), Alkhawaja was leaving for a field visit to Iraq.

On 8 February, the first trial session against Alkhawaja took place at the High Criminal Court. He faces charges related specifically to a speech he delivered on 7 January. The charges were: 1. instigating hatred and disrespect against the ruling regime; 2. broadcasting false and malicious statements; and, 3. spreading provocative propaganda related to internal affairs that could cause damage to the public interest. According to the related article of the 1976 Penal Code, Alkhawaja could be sentenced up to 10 years in prison. The Head Judge adjourned the case until 11 March.

For further information on the Alkhawaja case, see: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/95965

Bahrain: Women's Rights Activist Jailed

Women's rights activist Ghada Jamsheer threatened, media ban continues, her home reportedly put under surveillance by state security agents

Bahrain: ARTICLE 19 Calls for the End of the Harassment of Ghada Jamsheer.

ARTICLE 19 has written to Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, King of Bahrain, asking him to ensure that women's rights activist Ghada Jamsheer is protected from harassment and guaranteed her right to free expression.

Jamsheer is leader of the Women's Petition Committee, which works to protect women and advocate for improved women's rights in the country's sharia courts. She has been repeatedly harassed in the course of her work and has been effectively banned from the country's media since 2007.

In November 2008, while attending the AWID (Association for Women's Rights in Development) Conference in South Africa, Jamsheer's home was reportedly entered by a state security agent and detailed photographs were taken of her residence. Her house phone, mobile phone and email account were also reportedly put under surveillance.

After reporting this incident to the police, Ms Jamsheer's 74-year-old mother and sister were then accused by the police of attacking the state security agent. They are now facing court proceedings. Rather than the legitimate process of justice, this appears to be another attempt to intimidate Ms Jamsheer.

Ghada Jamsheer and her family have also received threatening text messages and have allegedly been followed by a car.

Jamsheer is unable to publish any articles or obtain any media coverage under a reported media ban issued by His Excellency Khalid bin AhmedAl-Khalifa, Minister of the Royal Court.

"The harassment campaign and the media ban against Ghada Jamsheer are directly related to her legitimate work in the defence of women's rights in Bahrain and are a clear violation of her right to freedom of expression and of the freedom of the press in Bahrain," comments Dr Agnès Callamard, Executive Director, ARTICLE 19. "It undermines much needed debate in Bahrain and, in particular, silences women's voices and discourages their participation in civil society."

In the letter to the Bahraini monarch, ARTICLE 19 expressed its concerns about the physical and psychological welfare of Ghada Jamsheer and her family, and urged the authorities to restore freedom of expression, including freedom of the press, by lifting the ban and putting a stop to all intimidation of human rights defenders in Bahrain.

Updates the Jamsheer case: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/87019