Members of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) will be on hunger strike on Monday, January 30, 2012 in solidarity with prisoners of conscience in Bahrain.

Mr. Mohammed Al-Maskati – President of the BYSHR – and members of the Board of Directors will participate in the hunger strike.

In solidarity with the Pro-democracy Protests and protesting against the brutal crackdown, 14 Prominent Human Rights activists and Opposition Leaders announced an open hunger-strike from their prison in Jaw Prison.

Prisoners of conscience announced their hunger strike on Sunday, January 29, 2012 Protesting against human rights violations and unfair trials.

On January 1, 2012, Mr. Hani Alqmich was injured in the head by teargas canister were fired by the riot police during the assault on a peaceful protest.

Mr.Hani had surgery in the head, but he is still in hospital suffering from injury.

Mr.Hani activist in defending the rights of the unemployed.

On January 1, 2012, Bahraini authorities arrested Mr. Ahmed Abbas (a member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights-BYSHR) and he has been subjected to ill-treatment.

In October and November 2011, the authorities attempted to arrest Mr. Ahmed Abbas, a member of the BYSHR, in relation to the monitoring and documentation of human rights violations in the village of Nuwaidrat. Mr. Ahmed Abbas has since then been forced to remain in hiding to continue his human rights work.

In the evening of January 6, 2012, Mr. Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights was beaten severely by the security forces in Manama while he was participating in a peaceful demonstration to call for the release of political prisoners and human rights activists. According to testimonies, policemen attacked the demonstrators and a group of police officers gathered suddenly around Mr. Rajab and started beating him. He was kicked, punched and beaten all over his body and especially on the face and back, while lying on the ground.

In the evening of January 12, 2012, Mr. Nader Abdulemam, Human Rights Activist was injured in the face by teargas canister were fired by the riot police during the assault on a peaceful protest.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demands to punish the perpetrators and the protection of human rights defenders in Bahrain

The Arab-American Organization for Democracy and Human Rights has awarded three prominent Bahraini Human Rights Defenders the International Human Rights Defenders Personality of the year 2011 along with other prominent Arab activist from the region.

The three defenders are:

1. Mr. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, currently serving a life sentence for his human rights work in Bahrain. Was previously the Middle East and North Africa Coordinator with Frontline Defenders and the previous President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR)

2. Mr. Nabeel Rajab, An Ion Ratiu Democracy Award Winner 2011, President of Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), Deputy Secretary General of FIDH, and MENA Advisory member of Human Rights Watch.

3. Mr. Mohammed Al-Maskati, President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR)

The award identifies these 3 activists as brave leaders of the Arab spring along with other prominent activists such as Nobel award winner Tawakul Karman, Eqyptian blogger Alaa Abdulfatah and Egyptian activist Wael Ghunaim.

The Bahraini security forces yesterday (December 24, 2011) detained three demonstrators, and were subjected to brutal torture.

The Security forces used batons and wooden sticks.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) interviewed them yesterday.

Additional details:

Dozens of protesters took part in the march (Village of Karzakan).At 5 pm, security forces arrested three protesters.

Security forces detained them in a building belonging to the Ministry of the Interior.

Had been tortured for two hours and then were released.

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern due to torture of demonstrators and demanded an immediate investigation into these allegations

Ministry of Human Rights dissolves democratically elected board of directors of Bar Association in Bahrain.

Election of the board of directors was held on November 26, 2011 and observed by Human Rights Society.

On November 30, the Ministry of Human Rights informed the board of directors that the elections were annulled and the board dissolved

One of the lawyers told BYSHR that : ” The reason for the Ministry’s action is due to the fact that many of the new board members are critical of recent Human rights violations”

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern for the targeting of lawyers and their association.

The President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) Mr.Mohammed Al-Maskati yesterday (December 5, 2011) received death threats on social networks (Twitter).

Adel Fleifel-Former official in the security of the state and accused of torturing hundreds in the nineties-broadcast threat to Mr.Al-Maskati and other activists ( Mr.Nabeel Rajeb – President of the Bahrain centre for Human Rights And a member of the Centre Mr. Yousef AlMahafdha)

Fleifel called previously to the formation of armed militias to face the pro-democracy demonstrators.

Members of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights are always subject to harassment :

1-Mr. Yousef Abdul rasool – member of the Board of Directors in BYSHR- subjected to harassment and interrogation by security forces in Bahrain International Airport – Friday, December 2 – After his return from participating in a training session with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

2- Mr.Ahmed Abbas- Member of the BYSHR- authorities are trying to arrest him because the monitoring and documenting human rights violations in the village of Nuwaidrat.

The BYSHR has been a major source of information to international human rights organizations as well as international journalists since the February 14th protests. Members have acted as guides and translators to these organizations and have been documenting cases of human rights violations as observers. The BYSHR has distributed information and restarted its non-violence campaign since then in order to raise awareness on non-violence strategies.

The BYSHR places full responsibility for any harm to the safety and well being of active human rights defenders on the Bahraini Authorities and warns that these calls for liquidation and killing if left without appropriate reaction will set a dangerous precedence and compromise the work of human right defenders. The BYSHR calls on international human rights organizations to approach the Bahraini authorities in regards to this latest development and require guarantees for the safety and security of human rights defenders.

The BYSHR will continue, regardless of these intimidation campaigns, in its work of documenting human rights violations and providing international human rights organizations and journalists with information regarding the human rights situation in the country.

Background:

On March 2011, the President of the BYSHR Mr.Mohammed Al-Maskati has received numerous phone-calls since yesterday evening of threats to his life as well as insults after his personal information, personal mobile number, CPR number, photo and home address were being circulated through blackberry messenger, forums, twitter, facebook by unknown sources. Mr. Najji Fateel, a member of the BYSHR board of Directors and a torture victim as well as Mr. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, previous regional Coordinator at Frontline and previous President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights also had their personal information distributed in addition to their car numbers.

A military court in Bahrain today (December 4, 2011) has sentenced three athletes to one year in prison for taking part in pro-democracy protests.

The three were working in the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF)

Athletes:

1-bodybuilder Mr.Tareq al-Fursani, a gold medallist in several Asian championships.

2- Mr.Ali Said, a goalkeeper in the national soccer team. ( More info : Bahrain TV presents confession of the national team goalkeeper)

3-Mr.Mohammed Hassan al-Dirazi, a member of the national basketball team.

Others in the same case:

1-Hameed Ali Ahmed.

2-Hassan Hameed Hassan.

3-Mohammed Zaher.

4-Abdulhadi Mahdi.

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern due to siege of opinion and freedom of peaceful assembly

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry says a former Miami police chief will lead training programs for Bahraini security forces.

Mr. John Timoney, the former Miami Police Chief most notable for his violent handling of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) Protests in 2003.

On November 2003, Tens of thousands of demonstrators who came to Miami to protest the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) ministerial meetings met with police harassment, provocation, and brutality. More than 100 protesters were treated for injuries, 12 were hospitalized and an estimated 250 were arrested. ( More info: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/nov2003/miam-n26.shtml )

Bahraini security forces have been accused of using torture and excessive force against pro- democracy protestors.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern because of recruitment of Former American Police Chief accused of committing human rights violations.

Bahraini authorities prevented today -November 30, 2011- the representative of Human Rights Watch from attending the trials of journalist Reem Khalifa and members of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society.

The trial of journalist Reem Khalifa was postponed to December 15, 2011.

The trial of members of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) was postponed to January 9, 2012. Additional information on trial ( http://byshr.org/?p=855)

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding the trial of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) and journalist Reem Khalifa.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding the trial of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) because of their peaceful activities.

The hearing session on November 30th.

The defendants are present at the trial :

1- Mr.Anwar Abdul Aziz Akbar.
2- Mr.Salah AlBari.
3- Ms.Afrah AlAsfour.
4- Ms.Sana Abdul Razak.
5- Mr.Ali AlBanaa.
6- Ms.Fakharia Milad.
7- Ms.Gasoon Sayad Hamza.

Charges:

1-Taking part at illegal gatherings;
2-Inciting others to commit crimes;
3-leaving work on purpose and encouraging others to do so;
4-Disrupt the implementation of laws.

The Society was founded in 2002, previously called for improvement in teachers working conditions, and contributed to the protests since February 14, 2011.

BTS: Activities”2009″

On 13 March 2011, The BTS issued a statement criticizing the violations by the security forces in schools and called for a strike. (Ref: http://www.bhteachers.org/portal/news.php?action=view&id=61)

On 23 March 2011, Issued a statement to suspend strike. (Ref: http://www.bhteachers.org/portal/news.php?action=view&id=62)

On 6 April 2011, The Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) suspended by Ministry of Development. (Ref: http://www.bna.bh/portal/news/451949).

BTS’s website blocked by Bahraini authorities: www.bhteachers.org

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses deep concern at the targeting of institutions of civil society and calls for urgent action to stop the punishment of civil society institutions by the Bahraini authorities.