3rd October 2012

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

U.S. concerned after Bahrain upholds medics' jail terms
The United States said on Wednesday it was deeply concerned over a decision by Bahrain's top court to uphold jail terms against nine medics convicted for their role in last year's prodemocracy uprising, calling it a setback for reconciliation efforts in the Gulf Arab state. "We are deeply concerned that the Court of Cassation upheld the rulings against the nine medical professionals who were associated with the protests last year," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a news brieng. "We're also concerned that these convictions serve to further restrict freedom of expression and hurt the atmosphere that's so necessary in Bahrain for national reconciliation," Nuland said. Bahrain's Court of Cassation on Monday rejected all appeals presented by the defendants and conrmed the previous rulings of prison terms ranging between one month to ve years. Read More rights practices occurred Monday when a higher court upheld the convictions of nine medical personnel, found guilty in June by the Court of National Safety of what it considered to be various crimes surrounding their having provided care to demonstrators in last year's anti-government protests. One got ve years in prison; a second, three years; and seven more, one month to a year. Read More when ofcers red water cannons to stop them reaching the site of Manama's former Pearl Roundabout. Thousands had earlier attended the funeral of Ali Ahmed Mushaima, 23. Ofcials said he died of complications from sickle cell anaemia, for which he had been in hospital since late August. Read More

Bahrain Highest Court Upholds Sentences Of Nine Medics Jailed For Treating Wounded Protesters

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Bahrain jails Arab Spring medics

Human-rights groups reacted with condemnation following a ruling by Bahrain's highest court on Monday rejecting the last appeals and upholding the convictions of nine medics for their role in the 2011 uprising in the capital Manama. "Large numbers of Bahrainis have aired their criticisms of the government through peaceful protests. While some protesters have used

violence, the overarching climate has been one of nonviolent criticism of the government of Bahrain," Sanjeev Bery, Amnesty International USA advocacy director for Middle East/North Africa affairs, told IPS. "Unfortunately, the government of Bahrain has responded with torture, violence, and arrests. It is time for Bahraini government ofcials to stop attempting to silence political speech through the repression of the state," he said. Read More They are to serve the remainder of their prison terms after having spent varying periods in detention last year, when harsh rulings were issued against them by the paramilitary National Safety Court. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Bahrainis mourned activist Mohammed Mushaima, 24, who died in custody where he has held since last March on charges of demonstration and blocking streets. Read More

Humanity's reward: In Bahrain, medical aid warrants imprisonment

America's relationship with the Persian Gulf kingdom of Bahrain stretches the outer limits of U.S. tolerance of despotic, repressive regimes in the name of U.S. strategic interests in the region. The island nation's latest assault on normal human

Bahrain Dawn Raids Arrest Six Sentenced Hospital Protesters

A day after the Bahraini Court of Cassation [the nation's highest court] upheld the ruling issued against nine members of a medical team [with custodial sentences] ranging from one month to ve years Bahraini authorities yesterday [Oct. 2] arrested six of the team.

Clashes in Bahrain after death of imprisoned protester

Protesters clashed with riot police in Bahrain after the funeral on Tuesday of a man jailed for taking part in last year's pro-democracy demonstrations. Witnesses said people threw stones and petrol bombs

Bahraini Forces Crack Down on Protesters Funeral

In Bahrain, clashes erupted on Tuesday at the funeral of a protester jailed during last years pro-democracy

uprising. The victim suffered sickle cell disease and fellow demonstrators say he died after being denied medical care. The unrest broke out after police stopped a crowd of thousands of mourners from marching to the Pearl Roundabout, the center of the uprising. Read More 3.30am on Tuesday at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), where he had been undergoing treatment. He was buried on the afternoon of the same day. The deceased was one of the inmates in the Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre, a statement by the Information Affairs Authority said. Read More

Bahrain: Protesters and Police Clash at Ali Ahmed Mushaima Funeral

Bahrain security forces have clashed with protesters who had gathered to mourn a 23year-old demonstrator who died in police custody. Riot police red water cannons at protesters throwing stones and petrol

bombs at the end of the funeral of Ali Ahmed Mushaima, who was arrested after taking part in a protest rally in March. According to the government, Mushaima died of complications from sickle cell anemia, a condition for which he had been undergoing treatment at the Salmaniya Medical Complex since August. Read More supposed to be released yesterday, when her two month sentence came to an end. He said she was released "after orders from the attorney general." Zainab, daughter of prominent Shiite activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja who is serving a life sentence for plotting against the state, was arrested while protesting on August 2. Read More

Bahrain: Sickle cell activist dies in custody

The death of a Bahraini jailed for his alleged role in last years unrest was the result of complications related to sickle cell anaemia, authorities have said. Mohammad Ali Ahmad Mushaima died around

Bahrain frees Shiite female activist from jail: lawyer

Bahraini authorities released Shiite rights activist Zainab al-Khawaja from prison Wednesday after she served a two-month jail term for destroying government property, her lawyer told AFP. "Zainab is free and she is home with her family," Mohammed al-Jishi said adding that she was

Bahraini forces clash with mourners after funeral

Bahraini security forces have clashed with pro-democracy protesters after the funeral of an activist, who died in custody while serving a seven-year sentence for participating in anti-regime demonstrations. Read More

Bahrain: Impunity for protesters' killers: acquittal of 2 policemen and a light sentence for the third
To this day, Bahraini courtrooms are being ruled by a culture of impunity and a corrupt judicial system. The policemen accused of killing of Isa Abdul Hasan, Ali Al Moamen and Hani Abdulaziz who were murdered last year have either been ruled innocent or given light sentences despite their deliberate killing of unarmed peaceful protesters.... Read More

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Al Khalifa regime repairing image through money: Analyst

Bahraini security forces have clashed with pro-democracy protesters after the funeral of an activist, who died in custody while serving a seven-year sentence for participating in anti-regime demonstrations.

Bahrain police injure protesters honoring dead teenager

Several people have been injured after Saudi-backed regime forces in Bahrain attacked protestors attending a rally held to honor a teenager killed last week. Read More

Bahrain: Judicial harassment continued as detained activist Zainab AlKhawaja is beaten in police station
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses grave concern regarding the continued detention as well as ill-treatment of human rights activist Zainab AlKhawaja. Read More

Bahrains Rights Activist Zainab Khawaja Released

Bahraini regime has released the rights activist, Zainab alKhawaja from jail on Wednesday, after she served her jail term. Read More