6th September 2012

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

Bahrain appeals court," Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky said in a statement.

UN chief slams jailing of Bahrain opposition leaders

UN chief Ban Ki-moon Wednesday sharply criticized tough jail terms imposed on 13 leading Bahraini opposition gures, calling on the country's leaders to ensure the right to a fair trial. "The secretary-general is concerned by the harsh sentences, including life imprisonment, upheld by a

Bahrain sentences The jail terms, which included frustrate Pillay

seven life sentences, were imposed for charges of plotting to overthrow the Sunni Gulf monarchy during last year's Shiite-led protests. Ban "urges the Bahraini authorities to allow all defendants to exercise their right to appeal and to ensure that due process is observed." Read More charged with torture. Ten months on, the BICI's recommendations read as a hollow reminder that little progress has been made. On Tuesday, an announcement was made that the convictions of 20 prominent dissidents were being upheld, despite widespread condemnation over the politicised nature of the judicial process. Practical attempts to address the most heinous allegations have been minimal. Read More The High Court of Appeal on Tuesday upheld a life sentence given to Abduljalil Alsingace, a prominent independent blogger and human rights defender, on charges related to "plotting to topple" the regime, according to news reports. Alsingace had been convicted and sentenced by a military court in June 2011, the reports said. Read More It's "extremely disappointing" that an appeals court in Bahrain upheld the convictions of 20 human rights activists, the U.N. human rights chief said Thursday. The appeals court upheld military court convictions of

activists and opposition leaders charged with antigovernment actions in the country. Among those convicted was Abdulhadi alKhawaja who went on a 110day hunger strike to protest his detention. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said the ruling by the appeals court was regrettable. Read More Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said in a news release. The Government must engage in an open, genuine and meaningful dialogue with the opposition, across the political spectrum. This is the only constructive way to defuse an increasingly tense situation. Since February, there have been clashes in Bahrain between security forces and demonstrators, a year after widespread civil protests rst emerged in the Gulf country. Read More attempting to overthrow the regime in the Gulf kingdom.

Bahrain's citizens pay the price for Britain's dealings with the kingdom
Last year, the Bahraini government praised the ndings of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) into institutional failures that caused the death of 35 individuals between 14 February and 15 April 2011. It committed to the professionalisation of the police force and the introduction of greater accountability for those

Harsh sentences for Bahraini activists 'deeply regrettable' UN human rights chief
The United Nations human rights chief today described the a Bahraini appeals courts decision to uphold convictions and sentences of 20 human rights activists and political opponents as deeply regrettable. Criticizing the Government and calling for reforms are not crimes, the UN High

Opposition vows to hold rally in Bahrain despite the official ban

Bahrains opposition groups said yesterday that they would press ahead with a rally in the capital Manama, despite a ban by authorities. Todays rally, dubbed freedom for the prisoners of conscience, comes shortly after a court upheld jail sentences for 13 opposition activists, convicted of

Bahrain should scrap life sentence of blogger Alsingace

Bahraini authorities should toss out the unjust conviction and life sentence handed to an online journalist who was imprisoned for exercising his right to free expression during the country's 2011 popular uprising, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

The right to rally is guaranteed under international and local laws and no one has the right to conscate this right, Majeed Milad, a member of the main opposition group, Al Wefaq, told a press conference. He added that the authorities had verbally notied the opposition of the ban, but failed to provide written notice as required by law. Read More

JOURNALIST AHMED RADHIS DETENTION EXTENDED AFTER FORCED CONFESSION

Reporters Without Borders condemns a decision by the supreme court in Manama on 30 August to extend journalist and blogger Ahmed Radhis detention for another 15 days. Charged with participating in an illegal demonstration and disturbing the peace, Radhi was arrested on 16 May

(LINK) after criticizing a proposed union of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in interviews he gave to BBC Arabic Radio and the Londonbased exile television station, Lulu TV. "After so many rulings restricting media freedom in Bahrain, this latest violation, decided by the countrys highest judicial authority, is indicative of the decline of an institution that is meant to represent impartiality and fairness, one that is supposed to issue just decisions, not judicial ones. Read More

Prominent Bahraini Human Rights Defenders In Court Next Week

Next week, just days after a shocking ruling conrmed the jail sentences of 13 leading Bahraini dissidents, another set of court cases will test the Kingdoms commitment to human rights reform. Several prominent politicallymotivated prosecutions will take place next week, including:

Sunday, September 9- The court will hear nal arguments in the case of Bahrain Teachers Association President Mahdi Abu Deeb and Vice-President Jalila Al Salman, who face charges for allegedly organizing a teachers strike following the 2011 protests. Monday, September 10 Zainab Al Khawaja will have her court hearing on various charges related to peaceful protests. Read More

people have suffered at the hands of the regime.

Bahrain Documentary Shows the Brutality Supported by the US

Yesterday, in our news section, we provided a link to Glenn Greenwalds article on CNN Internationals refusal to air a documentary it commissioned uncovering the brutal crackdown by the USbacked dictatorship in Bahrain. Greenwald linked to the documentary, now available on YouTube, but many people still have not seen it. It does a brilliant job of illustrating the abuses the

Its useful to remind yourself while watching this that Washington wholeheartedly supports this kind of repression. The US has sent more than $60 million in direct aidto Bahrain since 2008, and has another $11 million scheduled for 2013. In recent years, the US has sent Bahrainriot gear,tanks, helicopter gunships, and over a million pounds of ammunition all of which have been integral to the ruthless crackdown imposed on reform-minded Bahrainis. Read More