23 April 2013

As the world’s attention shifts away from Bahrain, the authorities have sharply intensified the crackdown on ordinary citizens. The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) are both seriously concerned for the well being of Nafeesa Al-Asfoor (pictured above, left) and Rayhana Al-Mosawi (pictured above, right) who were arrested on April 22nd after peacefully protesting at the F1 race with t-shirts and slogans that support the freedom of imprisoned human rights activist Zainab Al-Khawaja and imprisoned photographer Ahmed Humaidan. The husband to Rayhana Al-Mosawi was also arrested and interrogated, but has been released. Both women have been charged under the terrorism law for attempting to detonate a bomb at the F1 race, according to the defendants’ lawyers. Both activists stand accused of:

(1) joining an illegal group aimed at disrupting the provisions of the Constitution, terrorism was among the means used to achieve or execute the objectives;
(2) awareness of a terrorist schema without informing the authorities.

The official Ministry of Interior statement about the arrest states that:
“On the second day of the Grand Prix, police assigned to the BIC gate stopped two girls who were acting suspiciously. After searching them it was found that one of them was carrying a pillow stuffed under her dress. The girl told police she was testing the security procedures as part of a recce for a terrorist act. The girls were referred to the Public Prosecutor.”(Link to the MOI statement: http://www.policemc.gov.bh/news_details.aspx?type=1&articleId=14173)

The BCHR and the BYSHR believes that the decision to charge these women as terrorists under such outrageous charges is intended to send a clear message to other peaceful protesters that there will be severe consequences for speaking up for human rights. Their initial detention period will be for sixty days.
The BCHR has received reports that the women were forced to provide names of other individuals, and implicate them in illegal activities. The BCHR has documented a pattern of behavior by the authorities to use torture to extract false confession from human rights activists and pro-democracy protesters.

On the same day that the Bahraini authorities imprisoned these women on trumped-up charges, the U.N. Office of the Special Rapporteur on Torture or Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment announced that they would again delay their visit to Bahrain at the request of the Bahraini authorities. The Special Rapporteur, Professor Juan Mendez, was also denied access in March of 2012 when he was last scheduled to visit the country.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights and the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights demands that:

1. The immediate release of Nafeesa Al-Asfoor and Rayhana Al-Mosawi, and the dropping of all trumped-up charges against them.
2. The Special Rapportour on Torture be allowed to visit the country and speak with the dozens of prisoners and ordinary citizens who have reportedly been tortured by the authorities.

April 22, 2013

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its great concern for the increase of human rights violations in the period (18 – 21 April), after the Bahraini Authorities decided to suppress the protests against the Formula 1 which was held in Bahrain during (19 – 21 April).

Introduction:

The political movements decided (the five opposition societies – 14 February Youth Coalition) to hold daily protests against organising the Formula 1 race. They find that this sports race is used for political interests by the Bahraini Authorities and which is to cover up the daily human rights violations and to claim that there are no demonstrations for political and social demands in Bahrain by using the international media that is participating in covering the car race.

The BYSHR monitored various human rights violations through the observers in the villages. The information mentioned in the report is either obtained by the BYSHR or other independent bodies.

Full Report (Here)

15 April 2013

Four NGOs, including the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, the Bahrain Press Association, the Campaign Against Arms Trade, and the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights have submitted a series of letters to F1 race organisers, drivers, sponsors and broadcasters to ask them to reconsider their participation in the event that is scheduled for this Sunday, April 21st.

Link to all four letters

The full text of the letter addressed to Formula One teams is below:

Dear Formula One team,

We are writing to ask you to rethink your commitment to the 2013 Bahrain Grand Prix and pull out of the race. If the race goes ahead, it will be taking place in a country whose government continues to commit gross human rights violations, from arbitrary arrests to torture. Bahrain’s jails contain hundreds of political prisoners, police use excess force with impunity, and opposition members have been stripped of their citizenship.

Given the global controversy and public outcry, last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix was an embarrassment to the sport and all those who took part. The race was used by the Bahrain government to broadcast a false picture of normality to the outside world, whilst also preventing entry to journalists who wanted to see the reality on the ground.

The 2012 race was held under conditions which effectively amounted to martial law. In the weeks preceding it, many activists and protest leaders were arrested, some of whom subsequently spent months in jail. Foreign journalists were attacked, arrested, and even deported. During the weekend of the race, a young man, Salah Abbas Habib, was shot dead by security forces. His body, bearing marks of torture, was dumped on a rooftop.

The situation in Bahrain has not improved since last year. If anything, it is getting worse. The Bahrain government has made many pledges of reform, but it is doing nothing to implement them. In November 2012, a report by the Project on Middle East Democracy found that only three of the twenty-six recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry have been fully implemented. In the same month, Amnesty International released a report describing the human rights situation in Bahrain as, “Reform shelved, repression unleashed”. In February 2013, Human Rights Watch visited Bahrain and found there to be “no progress on reform”. In the same month, police killed two protesters.

The race is scheduled to take place at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) on 21 April 2013. In 2011, at the height of the government crackdown, many permanent members of BIC staff were dismissed from their jobs, arrested and tortured. To date, there has been no justice for these Formula One workers. By continuing to race on this track, Formula One is facilitating the culture of impunity through which the authorities have operated.

Nabeel Rajab, the President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said last year of the Formula One teams: “We would prefer it if they didn’t take part. I am sure the drivers and teams respect human rights.” These words sadly fell on deaf ears. Nabeel is now serving a two-year sentence related to peaceful protests, which a United Nations Special Rapporteur called, “another blatant attempt by the Government of Bahrain to silence those legitimately working to promote basic human rights.”

We hope you do not repeat last year’s mistake. If you do, you will be once again allowing a repressive regime to hijack your sport for political purposes, whilst it also unleashes further repression to try and silence its critics. We therefore urge you to respect human rights and cancel your plans to participate in the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Sincerely,

Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
Bahrain Press Association (BPA)
Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR)
Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT)

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its great concern towards the Bahraini Authorities arrest of dozens of protestors from various villages in order to protect the Formula 1 race and to prevent any protests from taking place beside the track.

According to the information received by the BYSHR , the Authorities arrested 85 protestors – in the period between 2 to 11 April 2013 – from 15 villages (and especially the villages near the racetrack). The Security Forces had raided the houses at dawn.

The information received by the BYSHR clarified that the Bahraini Authorities wants to prevent the protests from taking place during the Formula 1 race in Bahrain, on 19-20-21 April 2013.

Last year, thousands of citizens from different villages went out in protests against the Formula 1 race, and it led to the death of one the demonstration leaders in the village of Abu Saiba – Salah Abbas Habib (36 years old) – the Security Forces used the shotgun weapon to kill him. His body was only discovered a day later – 21 April 2012 – on the roof of one of the houses. ( more information: http://byshr.org/?p=1055 )

The Security Forces, last year in 2012, had used during the Formula 1 race the shotgun weapon intensively against the protestors; dozens were injured and were treated at home for fear of arrest when being treated at Salmaniya Medical Hospital – “the government hospital which is surrounded by the Security Forces since the protests in 2011, where many were arrested from the hospital, interrogated and at sometimes even tortured.”

The Bahraini Authorities arrested in 2012, prior to the race, human rights activists and two employees from the Human Rights Watch organization in one of the protests while they were attempting to monitor the protests.

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

1. The immediate release of detainees who were arrested arbitrarily due to expressing their opinion peacefully;
2. dropping all charges related to freedom of opinion and assembly;
3. allowing demonstrations during the Formula 1 race.

A list of the Twitter hashtags for drivers, teams, PR staff, and team principals is available here

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.

Mr.Salah Abbas Habib-36 years old- died today morning (April 21, 2012) in the village of Abusaiba.

Mr.Salah is the leader of protests in the areas of Abu Saiba.

As witnesses told Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) that Mr.Salah Was participating in a peaceful protest in the village of Abusaiba on April 20, 2012.He was leading the demonstrations in the village.At approximately 11:20PM Riot forces stormed the village and used the birdshot, tear gas and stun grenades.

Other witnesses told BYSHR that the Mr.Salah was with a group of demonstrators – approximately 13 protestors – and during the storming of the village by the riot police, the following event happaned:

1-Five of the protesters escaped to a farm.
2-Five of the protesters were detained by riot police and were tortured and then released.
3-Three people were injured because of the birdshot (two of them escaped to the farm) and Salah was injured and could not escape.

other witnesses told BYSHR that Mr.Salah was arrested by riot police.

The BYSHR can not confirm the cause of death, whether birdshot or torture after arrest.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demands urgent and immediate investigation into the death of Mr.Salah Abbas.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding the use of shotgun by riot police against protesters on yesterday (18 April).

Thousands of people demonstrated yesterday (18 April) in many areas (areas: Sitra, Ma’ameer, Tubli, A’ali, Hamad Town, Karzakan, Sar, Juffair, Karranah, Aboqowa, Sanabis, Bilad Alqadeem, Manama, Mahooz and AlDair)

The demonstrators demanded an end to Formula One in Bahrain and the release of a prominent human rights activist Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja.

Riot police used the shotgun extensively to suppress the demonstrators, and according to the BYSHR “at least 40 demonstrators were treated in different areas and has not been transferred to hospitals for fear of arrest and ill-treatment”

Video ( treatment the demonstrator in the village of Sitra):

Injured protesters in Sitra:

Injured protesters in Karzakan

Injured protesters in A’ali

Injured protesters in Sanabis