Issue 51: 1st May - 1st June 2017

Quote from
News from Inside Bahrain Bahrain:

Security forces launch major offensive on

Diraz, kill 5
Following the trial of
Sheikh Issa Qassim,
Bahrains security
forces immediately
moved into Diraz to
crush the year-long
protest that had gathered though, killing 5 Ali Alaswad, former
protesters in the process. Mohammad Abdul Bahraini MP, Al
Wefaq
Nabi al-Akri, Mohammad Ali Ibrahim Ahmad Not since the height of
(28), Mohammad Kadhem Mohsen Ali Nasser the protest movement
(44), Ahmad Jamil Ahmad Mohammad al- in 2011, has Bahrain
Asfour (34), and Ahmad Hassan Mohammad witnessed such a
widespread and heavy
Hamdan (22) all died during the offensive crackdown against
as a result of excessive force from security the opposition. What
officers. In what was the single bloodiest day we saw take place in
Diraz is nothing short
since 2011, Amnesty International recorded of a massacre - these
286 arrests, hundreds injured and a further 8 deaths cannot be
people in intensive care. considered accidental
Hundreds of security forces, armed with bird- as Bahrain knows full
well that when it uses
shotgun, tear gas, and some even carrying excessive force in
automatic rifles, entered the neighborhood this way people lose
on 23rd May, less than 24 hours after Sheikh their lives. It underlines
that the authorities no
Issa Qassim had been sentenced to a year in longer have any regard
prison (suspended for 3 years). Following the for human life and are
initial violence, security forces have remained willing to kill, torture,
deployed in the area, home to Sheikh arrest and intimidate
rather than reform.
Qassim. They have raided homes, including
that of the religious figure in what they claim Its really astonishing
to be an attempt to find fugitives hiding in that the authorities
prefer to see the
the area. There is no suggestion of police country burn than
warrants for any of the 5 dead men, or that make even modest
they were previously wanted by police. reforms as called for
by the opposition. The
demands are simple,
Bahrain denies families of -5killed right to clear and easy to
bury their dead implement so its even
more of a concern
After the deaths of 5 that the international
Bahraini protesters at community is so timid in
the hands of security supporting democratic
forces, Bahrains reform and instead
gives the green-light
authorities have to oppression. There
refused to return the needs to be change in
bodies of the deceased to their families, Bahrain and this must
start with ending the
instead burying them in secret. Information vicious human rights
received by Bahrain Mirror reported that the abuses we are currently
5 men were buried in Mahooz cemetery, seeing and releasing
against the wishes of the family and in peaceful opposition
figures who must be
contravention of customs particular to the part of any solution.
Shiite faith. It is normal to return the bodies to
the families for religious rites to be exercised
before burial. The families in this instance say
that the authorities denied this request and
that the men were buried without their Bahrain in the
knowledge.Sheikh Hussain Aldaihi, Acting Media
Secretary General, responded to the attack
by calling for a UN investigation. He told
Middle East Eye After all these crimes and
violations and after the Diraz massacre, is it Its no coincidence that
Bahrains bloodiest day
not high time for the United Nations secretary since 2011 happened after
general to send a special representative to Trumps visit
Bahrain?

Waad opposition society dissolved

The secularist
opposition society
Waad has been
dissolved following a Bahrain security forces
court hearing in storm village of top Shia
Bahrain. The society, cleric
the last remaining legalized mainstream
opposition group, was accused of
incitement of acts of terrorism and
promoting violent and forceful overthrow of
After assurances by Trump,
the political regime following a statement by Bahrain mounts deadliest
the society that described Bahrain as raid in years on opposition
undergoing a constitutional crisis. It has
been under investigation since March and
the ruling will take immediate affect. Last
year Al Wefaq, the largest opposition group,
was also dissolved with its leading figures
facing judicial harrasment. Bahrain court dissolves main
secular opposition group
Sheikh Issa Qassim sentenced to one year
in prison

The year-long trial of

Sheikh Issa Qassim, Letting Bahrain Buy F16-s
Bahrains highest Wont Make It a More
Shiite religious figure Stable Ally
has come to an
end with a verdict
of one-year in prison, suspended for three.
The court further ordered the confiscation Trumps Alignment with
of assets belonging to him and his Ministry, Sunni Autocrats Masks
Shallow Understanding of
and upheld the previous decision to strip Region
Sheikh Qassim of his citizenship. He was
found guilty of illegally collecting funds and
money laundering, relating to a centuries old
practice of collecting religious donations. It is Bahrains ongoing political
crisis threatens stability
currently unclear what further measures the
authorities may take against Sheikh Qassim,
there continue to be fears that his stateless
status will see him forcibly deported at any
time. The suspension of the sentence for Human Rights and the
Arrogance of Power
three years has also led to concerns that
authorities will seek another pretext to judge
the conditions of his sentence as broken.
NGO`s on
Concerns of fresh arrests against high Bahrain:
profile figures

The Bahraini
authorities stripped
the citizenships of
representatives of
Sheikh Isa Qassim,
Sheikh Abdullah Al-
Daqaq and two others and issued sentences Bahrain heading for total
reaching 15 years in prison against them over suppression of human rights
joining a terrorist group. The authorities claim as secular opposition group
that the 3 suspects were aiming at disrupting banned
public peace in the country through
assembling, burning tires, putting hoax bombs
and urging civil disobedience. Al-Daqaq
stressed that the decision was based on a
vexatious and void trial and highlighted that
he has become more determined to
proceed in this path until achieving the just BAHRAIN: END DEGRADING
and legitimate demands. TREATMENT OF ACTIVISTS

Court issues 5 death penalty sentences

Bahrain Justice and

Development
Movement has
learned of new fears
that high profile Bahrain: At least one dead
and hundreds injured as
opposition figures
government violently cracks
may face arrest warrants in the coming days. down on opposition
Two well-known opposition leaders have
recently been called in for extended
interrogations, a signal of intent from the
authorities that they remain prepared to
detain leading individuals from opposition
societies. In a television appearance, Sheikh
Hussain Aldaihi, Acting Secretary-General of
Al Wefaq, warned the current movements
from the authorities are worse than ever
Bahrain Denies Entry to
before. He said that the actions of the
Human Rights Watch
authorities will only take the country down a Representative
darker path and urged a change in this
policy.

Nabeel Rajab remains detained, case

adjourned again

The latest hearing Bahrain denies

in the case against accreditation to journalists
Nabeel Rajab, the
prominent human
rights defender,
has adjourned the
court until 12th June, with Rajab remaining
Britains cash and Bahrains
imprisoned. He is accused of spreading firing squads 5 things
false news, relating to international media weve learned
appearances in which he criticized human
rights violations in Bahrain. The court did allow
Rajabs lawyer to meet with him, at Kalaa
Hospital where he is being held. Concerns
continue to be reported about his health with
claims that prison authorities have regularly
Administration Urged to
denied him appropriate medical access. Condemn Attacks on
Protesters in Bahrain
Female activist admitted to hospital
following -8hour interrogation
Ibtisam Al-Saegh, a
leading female
human rights activist,
has been admitted to
hospital following an
-8hour interrogation
session by the security apparatus. Sources
Protest in Abu Saiba
close to Al-Saegh say she was subjected to
Protest in Sitra
physical and verbal abuse, leading to a Protest in Al Musala
serious nervous breakdown. It is believed that Protest in Alekr
at the end of the session she collapsed and suppressed
was immediately transferred to hospital. Days
before her interrogation she was attacked in
pro-government media and her car was set
on fire, as part of a general campaign Useful links:
against the activist.

17 sentenced over allegations of forming

a terrorist cellt

17 Bahrainis have
been sentenced to
between several
years to life in prison,
accused of forming a
terrorist cell with the Al Wefaq National Islamic
intention of attacking police officers. Five Society
were sentenced to life imprisonment, three of
them to 10 years in jail and the rest to shorter
terms. Eight of the men had their citizenship
revoked. Hundreds of Bahrainis have been
imprisoned under similar charges in recent
years, in many of those cases those charged
have alleged confessions were taken under
duress and evidence based on torture was
used during investigations and hearings. Bahrain Centre for Human
Rights
Shiite cleric jailed for 3 months

Sheikh Isa Al-

Moamen, a Shiite
cleric has been jailed
for -3months and was
immediately taken to
cells following a court
verdict. He is accused of inciting hatred
against the regime following a Friday sermon Bahrain Mirror
held in July. The preacher from Al-Kheif
strongly denies the accusations, activists say
the charges are politicized and designed to
stoke sectarian tensions. Bahrain Watch

Top neurosurgeon jailed for 3 months

Dr. Taha Aldirazi, one
of the most prominent
neurosurgeons in the Manama Document
Gulf region, has been
sentenced to 3 months
in prison after taking
part in protests in Diraz. He was immediately
arrested from the courtroom after being
found guilty of illegally protesting.

Journalist found guilty of reporting without

a license

Nazeeha Saeed,
an award-winning
Bahraini international
journalist, has been
fined BHD 1,000 after
being found guilty of
working without a license. Authorities refused
to renew her license in 2016 and she was
arrested and tortured in 2011 during the start
of the pro-democracy protests. Various press
freedom groups have criticized the ruling
calling it an attack on freedom of the press in
Bahrain.

Contact with Jaw Prison detainees lost

A leading human
rights activist, Hussain
Jawad Pervez, has
said that he has been
unable to contact his
detained Father in
Jaw Prison, whilst a number of other figures
have also not been heard from in over a
week. Pervez expressed concern over the
well-being of his Father and other detainees
and called on authorities to allow them to
contact their families. No official statement
has been made from the prison as to why
these individuals have been unable to make
contact.

Bahrain refers first civilian case to military

court
The military judiciary
will consider, for the
first time, the case of 2
civilians accused of
committing crimes
with terrorist purposes.
Another Bahraini citizen, a military personnel,
will also be tried over the same charge faced
by the two civilians; committing crimes for
terrorist purposes and targeting military
facilities and personnel. Bahrains Shura
Council approved the amendments that
grants military judiciary broader powers,
including trying civilians, on the grounds they
would protect the Gulf island kingdom from
militant attack, and the justice minister said
that those perpetrating attacks had forfeited
access to civilian courts. On April 2017 ,4, King
Hamad bin Isa ratified the constitutional
amendments that were described as a
serious blow to justice.

German reporter denied entering Bahrain

The Bahraini
authorities banned
German reporter
Robert Kempe who
has criticized Salman
Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa
from entering the country to attend the FIFA
Congress. The authorities did not present any
reasons behind this ban, meanwhile, FIFAs
attempt to allow Kempes entry failed. The
Committee to Protect Journalists said that
Bahraini immigration authorities should grant
freelance journalist Robert Kempe a visa and
ensure that journalists are able to cover
international events in the country. CPJ had
already called on Bahrain to stop denying
visas to foreign reporters.

News from Outside Bahrain

President Trump meets King Hamad, says

relation with Bahrain wont be strained
The US president
Donald Trump held a
-20minute private
meeting with King
Hamad bin Isa Al
Khalifa during which
he affirmed that relations between the two
countries will improve. Trump said there has
been a strain in the relationship between the
US and Bahrain, stressing that there wont be
any further strains under his administration.
Were going to have a very, very long-term
relationship. I look forward to it very much -
many of the same things in common, he
further stated. Meanwhile activists have said
that this meeting gave a green light to the
Bahrain authorities to attack protesters in
Diraz that resulted in the death of 5
individuals.

European Union expresses concern over

Bahrain situation

The External Action Service

of the European Union has
described current events in
Bahrain as a worrying
development. Following the
deaths of 5 protesters and
violent attacks from security forces the EEAS
issued a statement saying the authorities
should apply the principle of proportionality
when using force and be mindful of the
repercussions that an escalation of violence
will have for the Kingdoms objective to
achieve national reconciliation. It further
called on all parties to resume dialogue and
work for national reconciliation in a peaceful
and constructive manner in the interest of all
Bahraini citizens.

Global protests over Diraz attack

Protests have taken place in
cities across the world,
urging action against recent
developments in Bahrain. In
Brussels protesters called on
the EU to refuse to remain
silent, whilst in Paris demonstrators gathered
denouncing the killing of peaceful protesters.
Further demonstrations took place in Nigeria
and other locations around the world.

Bahrain faces second Universal Periodic

Review since 2011 uprising at UN Human
Rights Council
Bahrain came under heavy
criticism from member states
to the United Nations Human
Rights Council, during its
second cycle of the
Universal Periodic Review
(UPR). Bahrain was last reviewed in 2012 and
many of the issues raised by member states 4
years ago remain of concern today. Many of
the criticisms of Bahrain came from its allies in
the international community. The US
delegation commented on the political
situation, as well as the human rights, by
calling on the measures taken against Al
Wefaq and Waad societies to be reversed. It
also hoped that Bahrain will allow visits of UN
delegations, as well as annul the verdicts
issued against citizens who peacefully
expressed their opinions. The UK spoke out
against the use of the death penalty and the
revoking of citizenships, whilst Germany noted
the banning of a number of activists from civil
society being able to leave Bahrain to attend
the session.

UK government allowed executions in

Bahrain, Reprieve says
Reprieve said that Britain
helped Bahrain carry out
execution sentences,
stressing that Britain has
spent 5 million assisting the
system that made these
executions possible. The organization said
that Britain trained police officers,
prosecutors, torture investigators - even
guards on death row where Abbas Al-Samea,
Sami Mushaima and Ali Al-Singace were held
before being executed. A British committee
visited the prisons in Bahrain months after
Abbas Al-Samea and Sami Mushaima were
tortured into giving false confessions in
Criminal Investigations Directorate building,
although the report issued by the commission
refused to tackle these allegations. Reprieve
noted that more executions are to happen in
Bahrain if Britain does not take a serious
stance.

Queen Elizabeth urged to tackle

repression in Bahrain
British human rights activists
urged Queen Elizabeth to
raise issues of torture,
repression and executions in
Bahrain when meeting King
Hamad, who hosted the
queen along with 19 other guests inside a
Kingdom of Bahrain lounge at the Windsor
Horse show. Reprieve director said that the
British government should make use of the
queens visit to protest against repression in
Bahrain, especially that two more Bahraini are
expected to be executed within the coming
months. She went on to say that Theresa
May wants stronger UK-Gulf relations, but we
must not help the Bahrainis to whitewash their
appalling abuses. Several human rights
organizations urged the horse show to cut its
ties with the government of Bahrain until it
shows stronger ethical commitments and
adopts human rights commitments.

Amnesty expresses grave concern about

upholding Maher Abbas death sentence
Amnesty International
urged Bahrains king,
Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to
immediately commute the
death sentence imposed
on Maher Abbas Ahmad
and establish an official moratorium on
executions with a view to abolishing the
death penalty. It also urged the authorities to
conduct an investigation into the allegations
of torture made by Maher Abbas Ahmad and
his co-defendants. Maher Abbas Ahmad was
tried along with eight men, which included
three of his brothers. The Bahrain High Court
of Appeal upheld the death sentence
imposed against him over a case of killing a
policeman in Al-Sahla. Bahrain had already
executed 3 citizens in January, whilst 2 death
row detainees are expected to be executed
in the coming months.

About Bahrain Justice and Development Movement:

Bahrain Justice and Development Movement (BJDM) is based in London, UK and

promotes democratic reform in Bahrain. We work with opposition figures both inside
and outside Bahrain, supporting their efforts to raise awareness of the situation in
Bahrain, as well as advocating political reform of a democratic nature.

Contact:

info@bahrainjdm.org www.bahrainjdm.org / http://bahrainjdm.hopto.org

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