8th October 2012

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

Rights group urges Bahrain king to free medics
Human Rights Watch on Monday urged Bahrain's King Hamad to reverse the convictions of nine medics for their involvement in last year's anti-regime protests and order the release of those still in prison. "We are reluctant to call on the king to reverse a judicial decision, but time and again we have seen Bahraini courts uphold politically motivated charges against those who peacefully dissent," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at the New-York based rights watchdog. "The courts have failed to uphold Bahrain?s obligation to protect free expression and peaceful assembly," he said in a statement released by HRW. The HRW statement refers to nine Bahraini doctors and nurses whose convictions were upheld by the kingdom's highest court on October 1. Read More the appeals court because the convictions were based in part on confessions obtained by torture and in proceedings that were fundamentally unfair. Authorities took six of the nine into custody in early morning raids on their homes on October 2. The other three had nished serving their prison terms. The sentences stem from the doctors support of prodemocracy street protests and medical care provided to demonstrators in early 2011. Read More

Bahrain's king should overturn medics' convictions - HRW

Human Rights Watch called on Bahrain's king on Monday to overturn convictions against nine medics for their role in last year's prodemocracy uprising, saying confessions had been obtained by torture and trial proceedings were unfair. Bahrain, a U.S. ally, has been criticised abroad for the

verdicts against the doctors and nurses who treated those injured in the uprising which began in February last year and helped bring world attention to their plight before the revolt was crushed a month later. In the absence of a political solution, the Gulf Arab kingdom has remained in turmoil with smaller scale protests by the Shi'ite Muslim majority against the Sunni rulers and clashes almost daily. Read More sentenced to jail for their role in last year's uprising.

Bahrain: King Should Quash Convictions

Bahrains ruler should order the release of doctors and medical personnel jailed on October 2, 2012 following an appeals court failure to reverse their 2011 convictions by a special military court, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to expunge the convictions and criminal records of nine medical personnel whose sentences were upheld by

HRW calls for justice in Bahrain

Courts in Bahrain have failed to live up to their obligation to protect the right to protest the government peacefully, Human Rights Watch said. The rights organization called on Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa to erase the convictions and criminal records of medical personnel

Joe Stork, deputy director for Middle East affairs at Human Rights Watch, said the courts in Bahrain had a track record of backing what could be considered politically motivated charges led against pro-democracy activists. Sentences for nine physicians range were for up to ve years in prison. Read More medical personnel whose sentences were upheld by the appeals court because the convictions were based in part on confessions obtained by torture and in proceedings that were fundamentally unfair. Authorities took six of the nine into custody in early morning raids on their homes on October 2. The other three had nished serving their prison terms. The sentences stem from the doctors support of pro-democracy street protests and medical care provided to demonstrators in early 2011. Read More

Bahraini court refuses to free human rights activist Nabeel Rajab

A Bahraini court has rejected a request from Nabeel Rajabs defense team to suspend his sentence and release him from jail. The Human rights

activist is serving three years term for participation in illegal demonstrations. The request was made by Rajab's lawyer, Mohammed al-Jishi. Nabeel Rajab is expected to appear before the Bahraini Appeals Court on October 16. Read More

Bahrain: King Should Quash Convictions, Says HRW

Bahrains ruler should order the release of doctors and medical personnel jailed on October 2, 2012 following an appeals court failure to reverse their 2011 convictions by a special military court, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to expunge the convictions and criminal records of nine

Bahrain court denies bid for activist's release

A Bahraini court on Monday denied a request to release Shiite rights activist Nabeel Rajab who is serving a three-year sentence for taking part in anti-regime protests, his lawyer said. The request was made by Rajab's defence team, lawyer Mohammed al-Jishi said. The court "rejected a request to release Nabeel

Rajab and suspend" his sentence, Jishi said on his Twitter account. Rajab, 48, went on hunger strike on October 6 after the authorities denied his request to attend a threeday condolences gathering for his mother. The government did release him temporarily for her funeral on October 4, where he allegedly "violated" the terms of his release by urging Shiites to continue anti-government protests. Read More States has offered mostly silence as the regime crushes its opposition, invests heavily in a publicrelations campaign and closes off the country to human-rights and socialjustice organizations.

Bahrain: Nabeel Rajab On Hunger Strike

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), is highly concerned about the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), Director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and FIDH Deputy Secretary General. The

Observatory deplores the ongoing judicial harassment and arbitrary detention of Mr. Rajab. According to information received, on October 5, 2012, Mr. Nabeel Rajab announced that he had started a dry hunger strike (refusing water in addition to food) and had stopped taking his medication in protest against the Public Prosecutor's decision to withdraw the authorisation granted to him on October 4, 2012, to attend the second day of his mother's funeral who died on October 3. Read More the Press on Sunday that the courts decision to dismiss charges against these medics would not affect the right of the government to take action against them if they prove to commit work-related violations. The disciplinary action would be decided by a committee which would be formed according to the rules of the Civil Service Bureau. Read More Assembly reviewed the nancial and administrative situation of the airline and agreed to continue to support it. According to Bahrain News Agency, the meeting discussed "available alternatives to stop continuous losses incurred by the company". Read More The lawyers said that the medic, Mahmoud Asghar, was freed on Sunday for time served before his conviction. The release came just ve days after he was sentenced with ve colleagues over last year's anti-government protests. Read More

With New Trade Agreement, U.S. Throws Bahraini People Under the Bus
What is the best way for the United States to stand against violent repression, the quashing of dissent, show trials, torture and other egregious violations of human and civil rights? In the case of Bahrain, apparently, it is to include the country in a new U.S. trade and investment plan. Beyond that, the United

Bahrain plans action against medics

Medics who have been acquitted by a Bahrain court in a case relating to the occupation of a public hospital last year would have to face disciplinary action by the health ministry.

Two weeks ago, the AFLCIO awarded a human rights award to the General Federation of Bahrain Chairman of the Civil Service Trade Unions (GFBTU) and Bureau, Ahmed Al Zayed, told its Tunisian counterpart, the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT), for the courageous role they Bahrain gov't agrees played during the Arab uprisings of early 2011. new funds to prop up

Gulf Air
Read More release the activist and suspend his sentence. Bahrain's government on Monday agreed in principle to supply additional funds to ailing national carrier Gulf Air so it can pay off debts. A joint meeting between the government and the National

Bahrain court denies request for jailed activist Nabeel Rajab release
A court in Bahrain has denied a request to release jailed human rights activist Nabeel Rajab who is serving a three-year sentence for taking part in anti-regime protests, his lawyer says. According to Rajab's lawyer Mohammed al-Jishi, the court rejected a request to

On October 6, Rajab, 48, launched a full hunger strike in protest against the misbehavior of ofcials in prison.

The activist began his Jailed Bahraini doctor hunger strike after prison ofcials refused to allow him released to take part in a mourning A Bahraini doctor, who was ceremony held for his sentenced to jail for treating mother, who passed away protesters during anti-regime on Thursday. demonstrations in the Persian Gulf state, has been released, Read More his lawyers say.