The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern for the sentence issued from the Criminal Court (the Court of First Instance) today – 15 May 2013- against 5 Twitter Users with one year of imprisonment, on the charge of ‘defaming the King’ Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.

The Court issued its rulings against:

1.Mr. Mahmood Abdul-Majeed Abdulla Al-Jamri (34 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn.
2.Mr. Hassan Abdali Isa (33 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn.
3.Mr. Mohsen Abdali Isa (26 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn.
4.Mr. Ammar Makki Mohammed Al-Aali (36 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn.
5.Mr. Mahdi Ebrahim Al-Basri (25 years old): arrested on 11 March at dawn. His relatives confirmed to the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) that the contents of the house were destroyed and they were verbally abused. Mahdi also faced mistreatment in the Criminal Investigations. Mahdi is a practicing lawyer.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) emphasizes that the Bahraini Authorities had violated the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and what the Authorities are doing is considered a security campaign against freedom of opinion and expression.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demands:

1. the immediate release of those who were arrested due to freedom of opinion and expression and to drop all charges against them;
2. put an end to the restrictions against social media in Bahrain;
3. protect the free exchange of information on the Internet and not restrict it.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern for the Bahraini Authorities arrest of a number of Twitter users on the charge of ‘defaming the King’ Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa. These arrests coincide with the world celebration of countering cyber censorship.

According to the information obtained by the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) from the families of detainees, the Authorities arrested 6 people who have accounts on the electronic website, Twitter:

1.Mr. Ali Faisal Al-Shufa (17 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn, and the Public Prosecution ordered that he be taken to custody for 7 days, pending trial.
2.Mr. Hassan Abdali Isa (33 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn, and the Public Prosecution ordered that he be taken to custody for 7 days, pending trial.
3.Mr. Mohsen Abdali Isa (26 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn, and the Public Prosecution ordered that he be taken to custody for 7 days, pending trial.
4.Mr. Ammar Makki Mohammed Al-Aali (36 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn, and the Public Prosecution ordered that he be taken to custody for 7 days, pending trial.
5.Mr. Mahmood Abdul-Majeed Abdulla Al-Jamri (34 years old): arrested on 12 March at dawn, and the Public Prosecution ordered that he be taken to custody for 7 days, pending trial.
6.Mr. Mahdi Ebrahim Al-Basri (25 years old): arrested on 11 March at dawn. His relatives confirmed to the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) that the contents of the house were destroyed and they were verbally abused. Mahdi also faced mistreatment in the Criminal Investigations. Mahdi is a practicing lawyer.

The family of detainees confirmed that the Security Forces had confiscated “computers and mobile phones” from their houses.

The Ministry of Interior’s statement, issued after the Public Prosecution had interrogated the detainees, indicated that, “the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security stated that within the framework of the Security Apparatuses work in combating violations and crimes that occur through the use of social media, a group of people were detected for abusing those methods to defame the King, and thus an inquiry was launched to identify those involved. Six people accused of committing those acts have been referred to the Public Prosecution to face legal action”.

The Constitution of Bahrain points out in Article (33/a): “The King is Head of State, and its nominal representative, and his person is inviolate. He is the loyal protector of the religion and the homeland, and the symbol of national unity.”

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) emphasizes that the Bahraini Authorities had violated the articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and what the Authorities are doing is considered a security campaign against freedom of opinion and expression.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demands:

1. the immediate release of those who were arrested due to freedom of opinion and expression and to drop all charges against them;
2. put an end to the restrictions against social media in Bahrain;
3. protect the free exchange of information on the Internet and not restrict it.

The Public Prosecution accused Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja “Assault on Police”. The decision made by the prosecutor to imprison Ms. Al-Khawaja for 7 days pending investigation.

Ms. Zaynab Alkhawaja – a 27 years old Cyber Activist, better known as Angryarabiya on twitter.She was arrested yesterday (April 21, 2012) after Sit in the middle of the road which leads to the Circuit Bahrain Formula One.

Ms. Alkhawaja, Was protesting against Formula One, human rights violations and demanding the release of her father, who on hunger strike since February 9, 2012.

Ms. AlKhawaja, inspired the recent mass hunger strike in Bahrain after going on hunger strike in support of her detained father and prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja (former MENA Coordinator with Frontline Defenders, former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and The founder of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights). Ms. Alkhawaja continued her strike for a period of 8 days until she was pressured to end the strike by international human rights organization.Ms.Al-Khawaja was previously arrested and She reported being beaten during her arrest.

Ms. Zaynab Alkhawaja – a 27 years old Cyber Activist, better known as Angryarabiya on twitter.She was arrested yesterday (April 21, 2012) after Sit in the middle of the road which leads to the Circuit Bahrain Formula One.

Ms. Alkhawaja, Was protesting against Formula One, human rights violations and demanding the release of her father, who on hunger strike since February 9, 2012.

The Public Prosecution will interrogate Ms. Alkhawaja today (April 22).

Ms. AlKhawaja, inspired the recent mass hunger strike in Bahrain after going on hunger strike in support of her detained father and prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja (former MENA Coordinator with Frontline Defenders, former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and The founder of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights). Ms. Alkhawaja continued her strike for a period of 8 days until she was pressured to end the strike by international human rights organization.Ms.Al-Khawaja was previously arrested and She reported being beaten during her arrest.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern on the health of a prominent human rights activist Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, which was transferred to the hospital, “the Ministry of the Interior” after the deterioration of his health.

Ms. Zaynab Alkhawaja – a 27 years old Cyber Activist, better known as Angryarabiya on twitter.She was arrested yesterday (April 5, 2012) after Sit in front of the Interior Ministry to demand the release of her father, Mr.Al-Khawaja.

Ms. AlKhawaja, inspired the recent mass hunger strike in Bahrain after going on hunger strike in support of her detained father and prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja (former MENA Coordinator with Frontline Defenders, former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and The founder of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights). Ms. Alkhawaja continued her strike for a period of 8 days until she was pressured to end the strike by international human rights organization.Ms.Al-Khawaja was previously arrested for participating in a public protest on 15 December 2011.She reported being beaten during her December arrest.

Mr.Naji Fateel : is a board member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and blogger who has been active in reporting human rights violations in Bahrain.He used his account on Twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/najialifateel) for dissemination of human rights information. He was previously detained between Dec 2007 and April 2009, and has been reportedly tortured. His house was stormed in search for him several times last year following the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. He was suffering from damage to his spine and was supposed to travel abroad to get medical treatment.

On February 14, 2012, the security forces in Bahrain arrested Mr.Naji Fateel, as he was participating in a march towards the Pearl Roundabout in Manama city, exercising their right to peaceful assembly to this symbolic Roundabout, which was the centre of last year protests.

On April 4, 2012, Public prosecutor issued a decision for the release of Mr.Naji Fateel on bail, but Mr.Fateel refused to get out of jail in solidarity with Al-Khawaja and demanded his release.

Mr.Ahmed Abbas: An active member in BYSHR.On January 1, 2012, Bahraini authorities arrested Mr.Abbas and he has been subjected to ill-treatment.

Mr. Ahmed is currently suffering from the disease.

Ms.Zainab, Mr.Ahmed and Mr.Naji, announced a hunger strike in solidarity with Al-Khawaja and demanding his release immediately.

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding the threat of the Bahraini authorities to punish the activists who call for protests on Facebook and Twitter.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the call to protest in social networks is a “crime” punishable by law. (Ref:http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/473522?date=2011-09-21)

On August 29, 2011, Bahraini authorities blocked a website that broadcasts live events on Twitter (http://twitcam.livestream.com/), after signing up on the site, it provides a link that the user can use to broadcast live events on the Internet and the broadcast is viewed on Twitter pages.

Bahrain Youth Society For Human Rights (BYSHR) believes that blocking the site is due to protesters in Bahrain broadcasting live events on Twitter, especially the events of repression of the demonstrators demanding political reforms.

Authorities have also blocked ( http://www.livestream.com/).

Since September 21, 2011, the riot police surrounded some areas to prevent protests in September 23 to 24 (parliamentary elections), and also used an iron fence near the “Pearl Roundabout” with the presence of National Guard.

The BYSHR believes that Riot Police will target pro-democracy protests randomly and will target participants by using rubber bullets and tear-gas. The riot police use such weapons intensively against children, women, youth, and seniors.

Mr. Hussein Ali Makki – Cyber Activist, better known as “Hussain Bahrain” on Facebook.He was arrested on Thursday, June 9th 2011.

Security forces stormed his house and confiscated a computer.

Mr.Makki, Administrator of the Pages ( RASAD NEWS) on Facebook and Twitter.

“RASAD NEWS” is broadcast news and information about human rights violations in Bahrain, publish images and video of events and is considered an important source of information.

After the arrest of Mr.Makki, security forces have confiscated the pages password’s and broadcast news against the demonstrators and support Bahraini authorities actions against the protests.

On 9th April 2011, Mr. Zakariya Rashid Alashiri, 42 years who had died in police custody, was a cyber activist and was running the Aldair website. This website included forums that dealt with political discussion and developments.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its concern about the arrest of Mr. Hussein Ali Makki and demanding that he be released immediately.