The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding use of the law no. 58 for 2006 related to the protection of society against terrorist acts against pro-democracy demonstrators who were arrested during the past weeks.

According to information of BYSHR, more than 30 pro-democracy demonstrators to be held in custody for 60 days pending investigation.

Penal Code: Held in custody for pending investigation must not exceed 45 days.

Punishments in the law of Terrorist “harsh” may reach Death Penalty or Life Imprisonment.

On 25 July 2006, An independent United Nations human rights expert urged Bahrain’s Government to amend a new counter-terrorism bill, expressing concern that the law could harm human rights in the country and would be “particularly troubling” as the Kingdom is a member of the newly constituted UN Human Rights Council.(More )

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) has learnt from family members that both human rights Activist Ms.Zaynab Alkhawaja as well as pro-democracy activist Ms.Masooma Alsayyed were transferred Monday (21 May) to the Bahrain Defense Force Hospital after a drop in their blood sugar. The BYSHR was informed that the activist refused to be treated in the military hospital and were consequently transferred to the Ministry of Interior Clinic for IV.

Ms. Zaynab Alkhawaja was once again transferred to the clinic yesterday (22 May) after another drop in her blood sugar. Alkhawaja is on her third day of hungerstrike protesting the detention of pro-democracy activist Ms. Masooma Alsayyed who is also on hungerstrike demanding freedom. Ms. Alsayyed has at least three cases filed against her for protesting.

In another development Ms. Alkhawaja was fined yesterday in court for allegedly insulting a police officer but remains in detention as she has other cases filed against her, one at least which also includes a detention order. The BYSHR has also been informed that Ms.Alkhawaja has also been given summons for two additional cases other than the one she was acquitted for, one she was fined 200BD for and the two pending sentence.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern after the riot police using birdshot in all the villages in Bahrain to suppress the protests.

According to information of BYSHR, More than 20 injured were treated at home last night (17 May)

Many pro-democracy demonstrators refuse to be treated in the hospital for fear of arrest and ill-treatment.

In other cases of use the birdshot against the demonstrators, Bahraini authorities arrested Mr.Ahmed Aoun – Injured by birdshot – from a private hospital in Bahrain after he was waiting there for surgery on his eye due to his injury by riot police.

According to Aoun’s family, he still needs urgent surgery.

The BYSHR stresses that health care, especially for pro-democracy demonstrators in a crisis.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demanding the authorities to allow pro-democracy demonstrators access to health care without being subjected to legal prosecution

Bahraini authorities launched a Mass arbitrary arrests of pro-democracy demonstrators since early morning (16 May) , Where the security forces stormed the houses of protesters in villages:

1-Sanad.
2-A’ali .
3-Salmabad.
4-Al-Dair.
5-Samaheej .
6-Maqaba.
7-Al-Bilad Alqadeem.
8-Al-Diraz.
9-Bani Jamra.
10-Al-Sanabis.
11-Jidd Haffis.
12-Karbabad.
13- Al-Sehla ( North and South)
14-Barbar.
15-Al-Aker.
16-Sitra.

The Security forces stormed the houses since 2 am until approximately 5 am.

According to information of Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), more than 14 demonstrators were arrested and authorities did not find the rest of the wanted in their houses.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demanding the authorities for the immediate release the demonstrators, who were arrested for expressing their opinions, and their participation in the pro-democracy protests.

Statement of the Public Prosecution: ” A quash of judgment does not result in release of the defendants as long as they were imprisoned when presented in the first trial, because a quash of judgment brings the case to the same condition when it emerged from the Public Prosecution. Whereas a verdict to quash a judgment does not result in or potentiality of giving preference to acquittal on the conviction in the case, but the court may return it after legal error correction, which occurred in the first judgment to adjudicate with the same previous penalty, mitigate, or innocence of the defendant. It retrieves full freedom to issue judgment without being bound by verdict of the First Degree as a new case that did not receive the judgment before. However, it is prohibited to adjudicate with severe punishment as long as the defendant was the appellant before the Court of Cassation”

The Public Prosecution continue, ” In the case of re-trial and due to the previous guilty verdict from First Degree Court and the Court of Appeal, which means an agreement and persuasion of two departments’ judges on conviction, it is likely to result in a resumption of the judiciary, usually, with reconviction due to the absence of any changes in the case or in its subject or evidence”.

According to the law of its establishment, Supreme Court is specialized only to monitor and preserve legal uniformity .Its provided in the Supreme Court law that Cassation is a check on the quality of contested judgments given by the courts of appeal as regards both the application and Interpretation of law.

For further clarification:

1-Confessions of the accused before military prosecutor will not be canceled.

2-Defendants will not be released (due to the first sentence in a military court).

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) believes that the Bahraini authorities will not re-trial of 14 prominent activist but had published false information in the local media and international.

The defendants were subjected to ill treatment and torture before and after their arrest by the National Security Apparatus, the army and the police.

The BYSHR demands:

1-Immediate release and unconditional of 14 prominent activist due to accusations linked to freedom of opinion and expression.

2-Bring those responsible for torture and ill-treatment to justice.

3-To allow human rights activists, dissidents and pro-democracy demonstrators express their opinions peacefully without restrictions.

The Public Prosecution accused Mr. Nabeel Rajab “involvement in inciting illegal rallies and marches online on social networking websites” and “Police investigation has also revealed that the defendant’s cyber incitement proved detrimental as they fuelled rioting, road blocking, arsons, acts of sabotage targeting public and private properties, in addition to the use of Molotov cocktail incendiary bombs.The inquiry has also revealed compelling evidence on the defendant’s role in instigating, online, acts targeting policemen whilst on duty, leaving some of them injured” Senior Attorney said.

The Lower Criminal ordered Mr.Nabeel Rajab to be held in custody for seven days pending investigation, accusing him of defaming an official authority.

Mr.Rajab, director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, and president of the Bahrain Center for Human rights, was arrested upon arrival at the Bahrain airport ( 5 May, 2012). Mr.Rajab was returning from Lebanon where he met the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, according to activist Mr. Mohammad Al Maskati “President of the BYSHR”, who travelled with him.

In other cases of attacks on human rights defenders, independent activist Ms.Zainab Al-Khawaja remains detained with five cases in court. Al-Khawaja is due to have three hearings on the 6th of May, one hearing on the 9th and another on the 15th of May. The charges leveled against Al-Khawaja are ” More info” :

1-Illegal gathering.
2-Obstructing traffic.
3-Two charges of assaulting an officer.
4-Swearing at an officer.

Ms. Zaynab Alkhawaja – a 27 years old Cyber Activist, better known as Angryarabiya on twitter.

Mr.Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former president of the BCHR, main founder of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, and former regional director for the MENA region at Frontline Defenders, was arrested on the 9th of April 2011. He was beaten unconscious in front of his family, then subjected to severe torture during his detention as documented in case nr. 8 of the BICI report. Al-Khawaja was sentenced to life imprisonment in a military court, in a case that was fabricated and on trumped up charges. His appeal in a military court was rejected in September 2011. On the 30th of April 2012 the Court of Cassation issued a decision to subject the case to another appeal in a civilian court. Al-Khawaja is today on his 87th day of a hunger strike, after he was reportedly held in solitary confinement, drugged and force fed in a very painful process he told his wife when she was allowed to see him last Sunday, 29th February 2012. “More info“