Bahrain Tribune – 13 April, 2008

Youth leaders have protested a government move to hand over the youth parliament project to the National Institute for Political Development saying this would politicise the youth movement.

“They are mixing youth issues with politics. It only shows that the General Organisation for Youth and Sports has failed to implement the project. So it is being transferred to a political institute,” Bahrain Youth Society president Hussain Oraibi told the Tribune yesterday.

Last month the authorities had announced that the institute would supervise the project.

Youth societies are upset that the project is yet to take off.
“A lot of time has been wasted on the project which is yet to start. I think civil societies should set up a committee which should have two government representatives to supervise the youth parliament,” Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights president Mohammed Al Maskati said.

The youth parliament will comprise 40 members and have four permanent committees similar to the Chamber of Deputies.

Eight youth will be appointed to handle the media. Candidates will have to undergo intensive training to enhance legislative skills before they contest for the youth parliament.

The project aims to educate youth on the democratic practices in Bahrain and their rights.

Candidates should be in the age group 14-18.
But youth societies want to raise the maximum age to 21. “The 14-18 age group includes mostly schoolchildren who are usually unaware of youth issues. The authorities should raise the age to 21,” Al Maskati said.

Oraibi agreed with Al Maskati and said the youth parliament elections should be held immediately in a transparent manner. “The 21 year age limit will ensure good participation,” he said.

The youth parliament will work in coordination with similar parliaments around the world.

Tear gas hits girl, expectant mother

Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter

A 10-year-old girl and an expectant mother from Sitra were rushed to hospital after they inhaled tear gas the anti-riot police used to disperse an unauthorised rally last week, families claimed yesterday.
Fatima Hassan Mohammed Sitrawi, 10, was admitted unconscious at the accident and emergency department of the Salmaniya Medical Complex by her family, while Jehad, sister of municipal councillor Sadiq Rabea, was admitted to the SMC on the same day after she experienced difficulty in breathing. She is into the fourth month of pregnancy.
According to human rights activists and both families, the rally for the release of the detainees arrested last December, was not permitted by the Ministry of Interior.
The families claimed that the police had used excessive tear gas.
Fatima’s father, Hassan Mohammed Sitrawi, said she had gone to a nearby cold store to buy juice when the demonstrators went unruly. “She and other siblings brought foodstuff from the store and we left them with relatives. I received a call five minutes later that Fatima was unconscious.”
She was first rushed to the Sitra Health Centre where doctors performed a CPR and then shifted her to the SMC.
Sitrawi also claimed that several residents came out of homes as the police dispersed the protesters.
He threatened to sue the ministry for his daugther’s condition and said he was waiting for a medical report and would send it to hospitals abroad.
Fahmi Abdulsaheb Ahmed from Al Amal Islamic Society said they were following up Fatima’s case and would help Sitrawi file a case against the ministry. “It was not the girl’s fault. She woke up on Sunday and had no clues as to what happened. She fell unconscious because of the tear gas.”
Sadiq Rabea said, “We were scared about my sister Jehad and baby. She could not breathe because of the tear gas. I took her to the SMC where she was treated and later discharged.”
Moments after they returned home, Rabea said, Jehad called him and said she wanted to go to hospital again. “This was because of the intense smell in the area which affected my sister’s health. She is admitted at the SMC and her condition has improved a bit.”
Fatima and Jehad are expected to be discharged soon.
Mohammed Al Maskati from the Bahrain Youth Society of Human Rights alleged that the tear gas had affected many women and children. “We have written to the ministry on the use of tear gas to disperse gatherings. The police should adopt other ways to do it.”

Rights groups vow to raise the issue at Geneva Council
Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter

Fifty- five local and International non-governmental organisations (NGOs) dealing with human rights have joined hands in demand for the release of 15 Bahraini detainees arrested during the disturbances in December last year.
Six groups from Bahrain have sent an urgent appeal to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday.
These are- Bahrain Human Rights Society, now defunct Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), the Haq Movement of Liberties and Democracy, Society of Supporting Freedom and Democracy and the Women’s Petition Committee.
“ We were planning to have at least hundred International organisations to be signatories for this campaign, but we had to launch it immediately,” said activist Nabeel Rajab.
Rajab claimed that he was not allowed to enter the court hearing held on Sunday. “ The officers told me there was a special order issued by the authorities banning me from attending the proceedings,” he said.
The Higher Court on Sunday adjourned the case to March. The deatinees are charged with torching a police jeep and stealing weapons. The authorities had arrested the men following the riots in December last year after Jassim Al Makki from Jidhaf allegedly died of tear gas inhalation. Rajab said they would continue with their campaign and raise the issue of the 15 detainees at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on April. “ The detainee issue would be on top of our agenda when Bahrain human rights record would be reviewed in the Council. We would also speak about the issue during our campaigning in Europe,” the activist said. Meanwhile, Bahraini observers assigned by International organisations to monitor the court trials sent a detailed report yesterday on the court proceedings.

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Hundreds take to streets, authorities deny ill treatment to prisoners
Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter

Over 2,000 people took to the streets yesterday in Manama urging the authorities to release the detainees arrested during the recent disturbances.
Human rights activists and family members of the detainees marched from Ras Ruman to Bab Al Bahrain chanting slogans.
“ We want these men to be released by the authorities. Family members and lawyers are facing problems to meet their loved ones.
The authorities say the prisoners were not ill treated, then why did they stop the Bahrain Human Rights Society team to meet the detainees,” said Hassan Mushaima from the Haq Movement of Liberties and Democracy.
Riot police were stationed in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs premises and the open ground opposite the Ras Ruman mosque as a precautionary measure. Traffic was halted and diverted on Isa Al Kaber Avenue and vehicle access was prohibited on all roads leading towards Manama.
Activists waved placards and posters of the detainees while others distributed flyers during the march, which lasted for more than an hour. A sexagenarian was seen holding wooden board displaying tear gas shells and rubber bullets.
An official from the General Prosecution had said the authorities detained 22 men in connection with the incidents. Those detained are being charged for arson attacks and stealing a weapon during the disturbances in December last year.
Al Wefaq Deputy, Jawad Fairooz told the Bahrain Tribune, “ The detainees should be guaranteed a fair trial. The authorities should allow them to meet their families,” he said
Braving the cold weather, demonstrators wore mufflers and earmuffs as they marched and waved yellow flags with women protesters following them. The peaceful protest was organised by several political societies and human rights group. The Vice Chairman of the now defunct Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab was supervising the protest, which ended at the starting point in Ras Ruman at 5 pm.
There had been a series of protest by families of the detainees outside the Public Prosecution against the alleged torture inflicted on their kin by the authorities.

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Observers fail to attend trial hearings of accused

Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter

Observers assigned in Bahrain by International human rights group were not allowed yesterday to attend the hearing of 15 people arrested in connection with the disturbances last month.
Mohammed Al Maskati, who was assigned by Defender International (DI), an International human rights body to monitor the court hearing, alleged that the authorities changed the timing of the hearing from 10 am to 3 pm.
“The authorities changed the timing from morning to afternoon, which is after government working hours. This is a violation of human rights as they knew that I had the permission to attend the court hearing with a journalist only in the morning,” said Maskati, who is also the President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights.
The activist alleged the authorities changed the timing of the trial on purpose so that he could not prepare a report on the proceedings and circulate to International Human Rights Organisation.
However, Maskati said he has prepared a detailed report on the incident which has been sent to the DI headquarters in Norway.
The trial was postponed to February 24. Those detained are being charged for arson attacks and stealing a weapon.
Family members of the detainees started to gather since morning in front of the court building at the Diplomatic Area.
Maskati said family members were not aware of the time change of the hearing and ended up protesting until the afternoon.
“The family members were not initially allowed to enter the building as the security had closed the gates. In the afternoon, some family members were allowed to attend the court hearing,” Maskati said.

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Bahrain Tribune: Four groups will monitor detainees’ trial
Four groups will monitor detainees’ trial on Feb. 3
Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter

An international human rights group is arriving in the Kingdom to monitor the court hearing of those detained following disturbances last month.
“There will be two activists who will monitor the trials of the accused slated on February 3,” Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights president Mohammed Al Maskati told the Tribune yesterday.
The charges against the detainees, include torching a police Jeep and stealing weapon.
Nabeel Rajab from the defunct Bahrain Centre for Human Rights said four international rights group had confirmed participation. They are, International Federation of Human Rights, the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and the Human Rights Watch and a group from the European Union.
The families of the detainees have protested several times outside the Public Prosecution offices in the Diplomatic Area during the hearing.
Now activists plan to demonstrate outside the premises on February 3.
“We are inviting public to take part in the protest to show solidarity for the detainees who have complained of ill-treatment by the authorities,” Maskati said.
The General Prosecution had said 22 men have been detained. This is the second time, rights group have sought intervention of international organisations. The local groups contacted the Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and other organisations and sent an open letter to US President George Bush during his visit in Bahrain to urge the government to release all the detainees.
A symposium was held last night in this regard at the National Democratic Action Society in Umm Al Hassam.
Victims of alleged torture gave testimonies in the presence of lawyers and families.

Sandeep Singh Grewal

Rights activists rally behind head of unregistered society

Human rights activists in the region have called on the Bahraini authorities to drop charges against activist Mohammed Al Maskati.
He is been charged with heading the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights which is not registered. “My mother received the court notice asking me to be present during hearing on November 27. I was charged for running a non-registered association,” Al Maskati told the Tribune.

He claimed that the society had submitted all the required documents for approval from the Ministry of Social Development.
Al Maskati alleged that the ministry did not explain why the society would not be registered.

The Tribune tried to contact ministry officials but they were not available. The case has been postponed to January 21.
“I have consulted my lawyers. Bahrain has signed the International Convention for Civil and Political Rights. The charges against me are in violation of this international convention,” Al Maskati said.

Cairo-based non-governmental organisation, the Arab Programme for Human Rights Activists, which monitors human rights violations in the region, has launched a petition calling for dropping charges against Al Maskati.

In Bahrain, the now dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and the Haq Movement have taken up the case. “The United Nations will review Bahrain’s record in the field of human rights in April 2008. But such acts against Al Maskati will give a bad image to the country,” BCHR vice president Nabeel Rajab said.

Meanwhile, the Committee of Underpaid and Unemployed told the Tribune that their rally slated for today had been cancelled as it was not permitted by the authorities. The rally was to start from the Chamber of Deputies to Gudaibiya.

Centre offers to train cops on new ways to tackle protests
Sandeep Singh Grewal
Staff Reporter

Rights advocates have stepped in to train policemen on non-violence strategies and human rights principles.
The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) has offered proposals to train policemen as part of its campaign for non-violence.
“We have conducted two workshops in the past where we discussed human rights principle with the officers. This time we want to discuss our non-violence strategies with them,” said society President Mohammed Al Maskati.
BYSHR has established a centre, the first of its kind in the Middle East, under the theme “Youth Against Violence”, to help prevent violent demonstrations.

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Goal: Non-violence
Sandeep Singh Grewal

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights will hold its second football match in Bilad Al Qadeem today in an effort to promote non-violence among youth.
The society has established a non-violence centre which is organising events in several villages.
“We have completed the first phase of our training programme by training about 150 youth in human rights principle. We have covered Sitra, Bani Jamra, Sanabis, Dumistan and Bilad Al Qadeem,” said society president Mohammed Al Maskati.

The strategies implemented by the centre include presenting bouquets to riot police before a protest and wearing common colour attires as a symbol of protest.
“The society held the first football match in Sitra. We will continue to hold matches in villages to keep the youth occupied. We distribute brochures to the people who attend the match and address gatherings during the match.

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Youth society probes ‘erotic’ website visitors
By Our Staff Reporter

It is 14,739 now.They are prostitutes and clients registered on several websites for dating services in Bahrain.

After investigations, the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights has found the details and launched a campaign for blocking the “malicious” sites.

“There are about 50 websites which carry women’s pictures and offer the services,” society president Mohammed Al Maskati told the Tribune.
“A regular visitor of one website told us about his experience and the discovery that the site is used as a platform for prostitution.

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