BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

6th/7th October 2014

Bahrain prince does
not enjoy immunity
over torture claims,
UK court rules
A British court ruled on
Tuesday that Bahraini
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
Al Khalifa, who has been
accused of torturing
detainees in Bahrain, does
not enjoy immunity from
prosecution in Britain.
A Bahraini citizen, known
only as FF, had sought the
arrest of the son of
Bahrain's king following
allegations that he was
directly involved in the
torture of three prisoners in
Bahrain during a pro-
democracy uprising in 2011.
FF, who says he himself
was tortured, was granted
refugee status and now
lives in Britain. He was
challenging a 2012 ruling by
Britain's Crown Prosecution
Service (CPS) that the
prince enjoys immunity from
prosecution in Britain
because of his royal status.
Read More
Scotland Yard asked
to investigate
Bahrain prince
accused of torture
A high court in London ruled
Tuesday that Bahraini
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa is not immune
from prosecution under the
1978 State Immunity Act.
The Crown Protection
Service's ruling reverses a
2012 decision that, because
of his immunity, authorities
could not investigate
allegations the prince was
involved in torturing
detained pro-democracy
demonstrators in 2011.
With the High Court's ruling,
lawyers for a Bahraini
refugee, referred to as FF,
are pushing for Scotland
Yard's Counter Terrorism
Command toreconsider and
investigate the allegations.
Read More
Prince Nasser of
Bahrain torture ruling
quashed
Prince Nasser of Bahrain is
not immune from
prosecution over torture
claims, the High Court in
London has ruled.
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa has been
accused of being involved
in the torture of prisoners
during a pro-democracy
uprising in Bahrain in 2011.
Judges overturned the
Crown Prosecution
Service's decision that the
prince had state immunity
from prosecution.
The Bahrain government
said it "categorically denies"
the claims, calling them
politically motivated.
Read More
No immunity in
Britain for Bahraini
prince over torture
claims
A London court has ruled
that Bahraini Prince Nasser
bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who
has been accused of
torturing detainees, does
not enjoy immunity from
prosecution in Britain.
A Bahraini citizen, known
only as FF, had sought the
arrest of the son of
Bahrain's king following
allegations that he was
directly involved in the
torture of three prisoners
during a pro-democracy
uprising in 2011.
FF, who says he himself
was tortured, was granted
refugee status and now
lives in Britain.
Read More
Court overturns
Bahraini princes
immunity from
prosecution
The High Court in London
has quashed a decision by
the director of public
prosecutions that the son of
the king of Bahrain enjoyed
state immunity from
prosecution over torture
claims.
The case arose after the
Bahraini citizen, known as
FF, sought the arrest of
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa after lodging
allegations that he was
involved in the torture of
detained prisoners during
the countrys pro-
democracy uprising of 2011.
FF, who was granted
asylum in the UK, was told
by the DPP that the prince
would be immune from
prosecution in the UK
because of his royal status,
but FF sought to bring
judicial review proceedings
over the decision.
Read More
Bahrain prince 'not
immune' over torture
claims
Scotland Yard's war crimes
unit is to be asked to launch
an investigation into
allegations that Prince
Nasser bin Hamad al-
Kalia, who is a regular
visitor to the UK, was
involved in the torture of
political prisoners in
Bahrain during the human
rights demonstrations in
2011.
A survivor, known only as
FF, challenged the DPP's
decision taken around the
time of the Olympic Games,
when the prince was in
London as chair of
Bahrain's Olympic
committee.
Following today's ruling FF,
who claims he was badly
beaten and detained
without charge, said: "Now
the prince has lost his
immunity, he will need to
consider the risk of
investigation, arrest and
prosecution when he is
travelling outside Bahrain."
Read More
Prince Nasser of
Bahrain stripped of
UK diplomatic
immunity, sparking
demands for fresh
probe into torture
allegations
Human rights activists have
demanded a fresh police
investigation into
allegations that a Bahraini
prince was involved in
torture after prosecutors
admitted they had wrongly
granted him immunity.
The Crown Prosecution
Service ruled two years ago
that a complaint against
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
Al Khalifa, a son of the Gulf
states king, that he beat
prisoners arrested during
democracy protests could
not be pursued because of
his royal status and position
as a senior military
commander.
But the High Court in
London was told on
Tuesday that prosecutors
had abandoned that
position, prompting lawyers
acting for a Bahraini
refugee seeking the princes
arrest and campaigners to
call for Scotland Yards
Counter Terrorism
Command to re-consider
the case.
Read More
Prince Nasser of
Bahrain stripped of
UK diplomatic
immunity, sparking
demands for fresh
probe into torture
allegations
A Bahraini Prince could
face prosecution over
claims he tortured
protesters during an Arab
Spring-inspired uprising
after the High Court
overturned a decision
granting him diplomatic
immunity.
The Crown Prosecution
Service had previously said
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa could not be
investigated over claims he
was involved in the torture
of prisoners during a pro-
democracy uprising in
Bahrain in 2011.
However, two judges today
quashed Director of Public
Prosecutions's decision,
raising the possibility, albeit
unlikely, that Prince Nasser
could be arrested if he
travels to the UK.
Read More
Bahraini prince not
immune from torture
charge
A Bahraini prince could face
a police investigation after
the High Court ruled that he
was not immune from
prosecution over torture
allegations.
Two senior judges quashed
a decision by the former
director of public
prosecutions (DPP) that the
son of Bahrains king had
state immunity. Prince
Nasser bin Hamad al-
Khalifa, a regular visitor to
Britain, is accused of being
involved in the torture of
prisoners during a pro-
democracy uprising in
Bahrain in 2011.
Read More (subscription
needed)
Prince Nasser of
Bahrain torture ruling
quashed by High
Court
A decision by the that the
son of Bahrain's king is
immune from prosecution
for alleged torture has been
quashed in the High Court.
Two judges sitting in
London made the quashing
order with the consent of
the DPP.
The case arose after a
Bahraini citizen, referred to
as FF, sought the arrest of
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa.
FF alleged the prince was
involved in the torture of
detained prisoners during
the pro-democracy uprising
of 2011 but was told that the
prince would be immune
from prosecution because
of his royal status.
Read More
UK police to be asked
to investigate torture
claims against
Bahraini prince
Scotland Yard is to be
asked to investigate
allegations that a
Sandhurst-educated
Bahraini prince should be
prosecuted for torture.
The request comes after
the high court in London
quashed a decision by the
director of public
prosecutions (DPP) that
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa was immune from
legal action owing to his
royal status.
The case arose after a
Bahraini citizen, identied
only as FF, sought the
arrest of the prince, who is
a keen equestrian
competitor and a regular
visitor to Britain. FF alleges
that the prince was involved
in the torture of detained
prisoners during the pro-
democracy uprising of 2011.
Read More
Decision to hand
Bahraini prince
immunity over torture
accusations is
reversed
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa was alleged by a
Bahraini citizen, known as
FF, to have been involved in
the torture of prisoners
detained during the pro-
democracy uprising of 2011.
FF, who was granted
asylum in the UK, claimed
that he was badly beaten
and given a prison
sentence for taking part in
the protests in February
2011.
The uprising left dozens,
mainly protestors, dead.
Tom Hickman, appearing
for FF, said that his client
was seeking to take action
again the prince under the
UK's extra-territorial
criminal jurisdiction over
acts of torture, since he was
a "regular visitor to these
shores".
Read More
Court rules son of
Bahrain king not
immune from
prosecution
The son of the King of
Bahrain could be arrested if
he steps foot on British soil
after the High Court ruled
he was no longer immune
from prosecution because
of his royal status - if new
evidence emerges.
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa is said to have
been directly involved in the
torture of three prisoners
during a pro-democracy
uprising in February 2011.
One prisoner, known only
as FF who has been
granted asylum in the UK,
claims he was badly beaten
- but not by Prince Nasser -
and given a prison
sentence after taking part in
protests in the Gulf state,
which have since left
dozens dead.
Read More
Bahraini prince
stripped of UK
immunity, opens door
for prosecutions
The High Court in London
ruled on Tuesday that
Bahraini Prince Nasser bin
Hamad al-Khalifa does not
have immunity against
arrest and prosecution in
the UK over allegations he
tortured detained leaders of
a pro-democracy movement
in Bahrain.
The ruling reversed a
previous decision by the
court in 2012 that said the
prince did have immunity
from prosecution. That
decision came about after
Nasser visited the UK to
represent Bahrain at the
London Olympic Games,
which prompted law rm
Deighton Pierce Glynn
(DPG), acting on behalf of a
Bahraini refugee in the UK,
to submit a dossier of
evidence alleging the
princes involvement in
torture.
Read More
Bahrain King's Son
Prince Nasser 'Not
Immune' From UK
Prosecution Threat
for Alleged Torture
A British High Court has
ruled that the Bahraini
king's son Prince Nasser is
not immune from
prosecution for alleged
torture, paving the way for a
possible arrest if he enters
the UK.
The court quashed a
decision by the Director of
Public Prosecutions that
Nasser bin Hamad al
Khalifa, a regular traveller
to the UK, enjoyed
diplomatic immunity as
commander of the Royal
Guard of Bahrain.
The arrest of Nasser was
sought by a Bahraini
citizen, known as FF in the
proceedings, following
accusations he was directly
involved in the torture of
three prisoners in Bahrain
during the pro-democracy
uprising of 2011.
Read More
Bahraini Prince
Nassers UK
immunity status
quashed over alleged
torture
Prince Nasser of Bahrain,
who is accused of
involvement in the torture of
detainees during a pro-
democracy uprising in the
island kingdom in 2011, is
not immune from
prosecution, the High Court
in London ruled Tuesday.
Judges overturned the
Crown Prosecution
Services decision that the
Prince had state immunity
from prosecution. The ruling
could mean the prince may
be arrested in the UK if he
ever returns to British soil.
In May this year it emerged
that a Bahraini citizen,
referred to as FF, sought
the arrest of Prince Nasser.
He accused the prince of
being involved in the torture
of three prisoners in April
2011 claims that the
Bahrain government
categorically denies.
Read More
Bahraini Prince
Nassers UK
immunity status
quashed over alleged
torture
The son of the King of
Bahrain, Prince Nasser Bin
Hamad Al-Khalifa, may
have to revise his travel
itinerary the London High
Court has ruled that the
royal son is no longer
immune from prosecution in
UK courts over torture
claims.
The case against the
Bahraini prince was brought
forward by a torture
survivor, referred to only as
FF, and whose identity was
not revealed to protect him
from further persecution.
The case was denied in
2012 when British
prosecutors decided that
the prince enjoyed
immunity. With the ruling,
the dossier of torture
allegations dating back to
2011, which was given to
British prosecutors in 2012
while the prince was in the
UK for the London
Olympics, can now be
investigated.
Read More
Royal immunity
decision quashed
Prince Nasser bin Hamad
al-Khalifa is accused of
being involved in the abuse
of detained prisoners during
the Bahrain pro-democracy
uprising of 2011. The
accusations are
categorically denied.
The DPP's original decision
that the prince "would or
might be entitled to
immunity" because of his
royal status was formally
quashed by two High Court
judges today after an
admission that the decision
was wrong in law.
The quashing was a legal
victory for FF, a refugee
from Bahrain seeking the
prince's arrest.
Read More
TORTURE
INVESTIGATION OF
BAHRAINI PRINCE
PUTS IOC AND AFC
ON THE SPOT
ANALYSIS
A possible Scotland Yard
investigation into
allegations that Prince
Nasser bin Hamad al-
Khalifa, the commander of
Bahrains armed forces and
head of its National Olympic
Committee, was involved in
the torture of political
detainees, including three
national team soccer
players could prove to be
embarrassing for the
president of the Asian
Football Confederation
(AFC) and a relative of the
prince, Sheikh Salman bin
Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who has
systematically refused to
condemn the torture and
detention of numerous
players and athletes in
Bahrain.
An investigation if it results
in legal proceedings could
also constitute a litmus test
for the efforts of
International Olympic
Committee (IOC) President
Thomas Bach to persuade
international sports
governance to recognize
the inextricable links
between sports and politics.
Read More
Bahraini royal
stripped of UK
diplomatic immunity
A possible Scotland Yard
investigation into
allegations that Prince
Nasser bin Hamad al-
Khalifa, the commander of
Bahrains armed forces and
head of its National Olympic
Committee, was involved in
the torture of political
detainees, including three
national team soccer
players could prove to be
embarrassing for the
president of the Asian
Football Confederation
(AFC) and a relative of the
prince, Sheikh Salman bin
Ebrahim Al Khalifa, who has
systematically refused to
condemn the torture and
detention of numerous
players and athletes in
Bahrain.
An investigation if it results
in legal proceedings could
also constitute a litmus test
for the efforts of
International Olympic
Committee (IOC) President
Thomas Bach to persuade
international sports
governance to recognize
the inextricable links
between sports and politics.
Read More
The U.S. and
Bahrains
Increasingly Tense
Alliance
Since the 1970s, Bahrain
and the U.S. have
maintained a close military
partnership. Following 9/11,
the Bush Administration
elevated Bahrain to major
non-NATO ally status,
making it the rst GCC
state to join this elite 15-
member club. The U.S. Fifth
Fleet (headquartered in
Bahrain) is responsible for
the American naval forces
throughout the Persian
Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red
Sea, and part of the Indian
Ocean. It served as an
important base of
operations during the 1991
Gulf War, the 2001 war in
Afghanistan, and the 2003
war in Iraq. As the U.S.
military conducts operations
against the Islamic
State (IS) in Iraq and Syria,
the Fifth Fleet continues to
play a crucial role in
Americas strategic posture
in the Middle East.
Driving this bilateral
relationship is Washington
and Manamas shared
belief in the threat posed by
Iran and by various militant
Islamist groups operating in
the region. While common
interests and mutual threats
are likely to preserve the
military alliance, questions
regarding Bahrains human
rights record and the future
of U.S.-Iran relations are a
source of ongoing tension.
Read More