Issue 43: 7th - 23rd June 2016

BJDM Editorial
Bahrain is currently in the process of unleashing a new and heavy wave
of repression. From the sentencing of Sheikh Ali Salman, the suspension of
Al Wefaq, revoking of Sheikh Issa Qassims citizenship, re-arrest of Nabeel
Rajab, preventing activists from visiting international institutions and more the
message is clear: Bahrain is trying to smash the opposition once and for all.
We believe this is a product of a failing economy, from an ever desperate
Government, that has sidelined all moderates. The hardliners are firmly in
control and enacting a specific plan to try to shut down any and all critical
voices. Yet if they wish to bring about an improved economy and stability,
this is the worst possible tactic that can be used. Dialogue and reconciliation
remains the only way forwards and to this end we call on the authorities in
Bahrain to reject the flawed logic they are following, reverse these brutal
and draconian decisions and make serious attempts to speak with the
opposition to move the country forwards. A failure to do so could very soon
leave Bahrain as little more than a failed state.

Quote from
Bahrain:

News from Inside Bahrain

Senior Shiite cleric revoked of his citizenship
Sheikh Issa Qassim,
the top Shiite religious
figure in Bahrain has
had his citizenship
revoked, in what is
one of the most
inflammatory moves taken yet by the
authorities. He is accused of using his position
to serve foreign interests, promoting
sectarianism and violence and encouraging
youth to violate the constitution. In targeting
Sheikh Issa Qassim, Bahrain has widened its
net of repressive measures to include a
religious figure, so highly regarded that it was
previously unthinkable that he would be a
victim of such measures. Following the
decision Bahrain has witnessed continuous
street protests, both daily and nightly, as
protesters register their anger at the move.
Read our full statement on this issue here.

Jawad Fairouz,
former MP for Al
Wefaq National
Islamic Society
The Bahraini regime
has taken the unlawful
and highly intimidating
decision to revoke
the nationality of
Bahrains leading Shia
scholar, Sheikh Isa
Qassim. Historically,
a number of Bahraini
prominent figures
had their nationalities
revoked and some
reinstated. However,
in recent times, the
Bahraini authorities
have commenced
a line of action
where any contrary
opinion may see
you face revocation
of nationality and
deportation from
the country. Since
2012 until today, over
300 Bahrainis have
had their nationality
arbitrarily revoked,
with the majority
of them activists,
scholars, journalists,
former members of
parliament, and youths
that participated in
peaceful protests.

Bahraini authorities shut down largest

opposition party
Al Wefaq National
Islamic Society,
Bahrains largest
opposition society has
been suspended by
the authorities and bank accounts frozen. In
a surprise move, just a couple of hours after
the Minister of Justice requested a court
hearing, the court took the decision, allowing
no voice from the organizations legal
team. The Headquarters of Al Wefaq were
immediately surrounded and offices raided.
The society is accused of fostering hatred
and sectarianism, despite the thousands
of statements to the contrary. An appeal
hearing was originally set for 6th October,
which was subsequently brought forward in
an attempt to expedite the process. However
a final decision has now been delayed
until 4th September. BJDM described this
as a consequence of the failure of the
international community to act, read more
here.

Furthermore, a
deportation order
usually follows
nationality revocation
decisions, and until
today six Bahraini
citizens been forcibly
deported after stripping
their nationality as seen
in many recent cases,
including Sheikh Najati,
Sheikh Khojistah, Dr.
Masoud Jahromi, the
lawyer Timor Karimi
and others, and most
probably the authorities
in Bahrain will do the
same with Sheikh Isa
Qassim.

Nabeel Rajab rearrested

The Bahraini security forces
rearrested the prominent
human rights defender
Nabeel Rajab after they
raided his home and
searched it. The authorities
confiscated some electronic devices and other
items. Soumaya Rajab, Nabeels wife, said that
about 30 people came to the house and said
they had a warrant to search the home and
arrest Nabeel. No clear reasons were given
behind the arrest at first. Rajab was referred to
the Public Prosecution that decided to detain
him for one week pending investigation. Rajab is
accused of spreading false news that would
diminish the states prestige. He has previously
been arrested a number of times in the past, but
was released from prison in July 2015 with a royal
pardon, following international pressure.

The responsibility to
restrain, reprimand and
redirect the Bahraini
authorities lies squarely
with its Western allies,
the United Kingdom
and the United States.
Human rights in Bahrain
has deteriorated rapidly
over the last five years
in an open display
to the international
community, with
this latest decision
merely illustrating the
extent to which the
Bahraini authorities
have stooped. The
Bahrain Independent
Commission of Inquiry
(BICI) and Human
Rights Council only
set out what needs to
be done in the form
of recommendations
(which Bahrain has
largely ignored
or attempted to
deceive by carrying
out cosmetic
improvements), but
recent events and
objective analysis of
the last five years shows
much to be desired,
with human rights in
Bahrain as worse as
ever.

Inmates tortured in Dry Dock Prison

Inmates in Dry Dock
Prison complained
about being
subjected to torture
and maltreatment at
the hands of police
officers, adding that they are living in very bad
conditions. They only receive small portions of
food despite fasting for Ramadhan. The families
of the inmates reported that the faces and
bodies of their family members in detention have
been seriously altered due to torture and a lack
of food. The detainees said that they were badly
treated after a number of non-related prisoners
escaped. They claim they are kept in darkness
and have only one day in the week to go out to
the outer yard although only at 3pm when it is far
too hot and unsafe when fasting.

Bahrain in the
Media

Wide campaign of repression against Shiite

clerics
The Bahraini authorities
launched a widespread
campaign against Shiite
clerics, imposing heavy
restrictions upon them.
They summoned a
number of clerics for
interrogation, suspended two religious
organisations, banned some clerics from
preaching and prevented Friday prayers from
taking place. The authorities also launched an
investigation into bank accounts of two Islamic
organisations, one of them is registered in Sheikh
Isa Qassims name.

EXCLUSIVE: Threats from

senior Bahrain official force
activist into exile

Exclusive: Bahrain
national reconciliation
efforts stalled - U.S. State
Department

Authorities prevent Bahrainis from leaving

country

Bahrain gambles with

security by launching
crackdown on Shiites

The Bahraini authorities

prevented a national
delegation from leaving the
kingdom to take part in the
32nd session of the UN Human
Rights Council in Geneva. They
also prevented the human
rights activist and a member
of the Bahrain Observatory for Human Rights,
Abdulnabi Al-Ekri from leaving Bahrain. In a
similar move, Doctor Taha Al-Dirazi and his wife
were banned from leaving the country. The
government of Bahrain has recently imposed
severe restrictions on human rights activists
and dissidents and harshened the punishment
against anyone who speaks out against it. Jalila
Al Salman, former Head of the Bahrain Teachers
Union who was jailed in 2011 and 2013, was
prevented from traveling to Oslo to take part in
the Arthur Svensson Award Ceremony.

Defiant Bahrain speeds

up moves against main
opposition bloc

Bahrain detains rights

activist as UN official
criticises repression

HR activist Zainab Al-Khawaja flees to

Denmark

Time to Move the

5th Fleet? How
USAppeasement Is
Undermining Bahrains
Stability

The prominent human

rights activist who was
recently released on
humanitarian grounds,
Zainab Al-Khawaja, fled
the country with her 2
children after rearrest
threats. Al-Khawaja who holds a Danish passport
left to Denmark. She said It pains me to leave,
but I leave carrying our cause on my back, and
my love for my country in my chest. Al-Khawaja
was arrested on March 14 with her -17month old
son, Abduhadi. She was sentenced to over 3
years in prison over several charges including
tearing the photo of Bahrains king, Hamad bin
Isa Al Khalifa.

Bahrain crackdown fans

the sectarian flames

8 suspects arrested while trying to flee to Iran

Warnings of abuse of
Australian surveillance
tech in police state
Bahrain

Bahrains coast guard has

arrested eight people who
were trying to escape to
Iran by boat. The ministry
of Interior published the
names of the fugitives, saying
that the eight had been
convicted to prison terms
ranging between 10 to 15 years. Meanwhile,
civilian security members published their photos
on social media with the handcuffed security
fugitives. This incident followed a jailbreak in
which 17 prisoners fled Dry Dock prison. Bahrains
Ministry of Interior, for its part, said that 6 out
of the 17 detainees who escaped the pretrial detention in Dry Dock Prison are still free,
stressing that the security bodies caught 11 of the
fugitives and search continues for the remaining
escapees.

Sheikh Isa Qassim: What

lies behind Bahrains
latest opposition
crackdown?

NGO`s on Bahrain:

Bahraini athletes targeted

The Bahraini authorities
said that they want to
deport Bahraini football
player Mahmoud
Khawori who has been
detained since more
than 2 years. Khawori is
to be deported to Lebanon, according to the
authorities. He was accused of participating in
protests demanding democracy and reform and
sentenced to one year in prison. However, he
was not released after finishing his prison term
sentence. In the same context, security
authorities charged another football player,
Mohammad Al-Alawiyat, with insulting the King of
Bahrain and arrested him for 7 days pending
investigation.

BAHRAIN: FURTHER
INFORMATION: HUMAN
RIGHTS DEFENDER
CHARGED AND DETAINED:
NABEEL RAJAB

BAHRAIN: FURTHER
INFORMATION: THREE DEATH
SENTENCES UPHELD

News from Outside Bahrain

U.S. Government Should
Respond Strongly,
Immediately to Al Wefaq
Suspension

International reactions to targeting of Sheikh

Issa Qassim
The revoking of the citizenship
of Sheikh Issa Qassim resulted
in a wave of reactions from
the international community.
The US State Department
said it was alarmed by the
move, adding that it will
further divert Bahrainis from
the path of reform and reconciliation. The UK
Foreign and Commonwealth Office described
its concern at the move against Sheikh Issa
Qassim, whilst Minister for the Middle East tweeted
that the UK is seeking urgent clarification. A
short statement from the French Foreign Ministry
also noted its concern, whilst the UN Special
Advisor for the Prevention of Genocide focused
on the negative repercussions, adding the move
is the latest in a series of actions by the Bahraini
authorities in recent weeks that have further
restricted space for public participation and the
enjoyment of human rights in Bahrain. Other
reactions from the UN included a statement
from the Spokesperson for the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights that mentioned
the revoking of Sheikh Issa Qassims citizenship.
Human Rights Watch called on Bahrain to
immediately reverse the decision.

United States Urged to

Publicly Call for Release of
Sheikh Ali Salman in Bahrain

Bahrain: Lagging Efforts to

End Torture

Index condemns arrest of

Nabeel Rajab

CASE HISTORY: NABEEL

RAJAB

International reactions to suspension of Al

Wefaq
The move to suspend Al Wefaq
National Islamic Society has
drawn heavy criticism from
the international community.
The US State Department said
that it is deeply troubled by
the move whilst the UK said
that it was concerned and encouraged Bahrain
to to respect the rights of political groups
to operate and to seek an inclusive political
dialogue. Barbel Kofler, the German Human
Rights Commissioner registered her concern
and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs called
on Bahrain to reverse this decision and to
guarantee and protect democratic expression
in the kingdom. From the UN Ban Ki-Moon, the
Secretary General, voiced his concern in a widereaching statement, as did the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights. Meanwhile
the Chair of UK Parliaments Human Rights All
Party Group, Ann Clwyd, tabled an Early Day
Motion noting serious concern at the decision. US
Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power tweeted
on the subject, whilst Human Rights Watch and
Amnesty International both called for the reversal
of the decision. Keith Harper, US Ambassador to
the UN Human Rights Council said he was deeply
troubled by the move, and US Senator John
McCain described it as alarming.

Protest outside home of

Sheikh Issa Qassim
Security forces repress
protest in Bilad Al
Qadeem
Security forces repress
protest in Nuwaidrat
Security forces repress
protest in Sitra
Tear gas fired in
Nuwaidrat

Useful links:

Al Wefaq National Islamic

Society

International reactions to re-arrest of Nabeel

Rajab
The re-arrest of Nabeel
Rajab was another
topic that drew
widespread criticism
from the international
community. During a
press briefing, a State
Department Spokesperson included the arrest as
one of a number of decisions that should be
reversed, whilst the UK mentioned that it was
seeking the facts of the re-arrest. Ban Ki-Moon
included the action against Rajab within his
concern about recent decisions taken by
Bahrain, as did the German Human Rights
Commissioner. The EUs Human Rights Special
Representative also posted his deep concern in a
statement on Twitter. France noted its concern
and Samantha Power also mentioned Rajab on
Twitter as a serious backsliding on rights in
Bahrain. Both Amnesty International and Index
on Censorship mentioned Rajabs case and
called for reversals on the decision, with Index
saying the harassment of Rajab must stop.

Bahrain Centre for Human

Rights

Bahrain Mirror

Bahrain Watch

US State Department to provide report on

Bahrain to US Congress
The US Department
of State announced
that it will provide its
special report on the
implementation of the
Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
recommendations to the Congress as soon as
possible, following a delay of over four months.
The Press Office Director, Elizabeth Trudeau, said
that they are continuing to work on it. Its my
understanding that the department right now
has convening the group of experts to provide
a thorough, accurate report derived from a
variety of sources. We have a commitment,
understanding that it is late, that well provide this
report to Congress as soon as we can. Trudeau
did not specify when the report department
would send its report to the congress; however,
she justified the delay saying, I believe its a
process issue. We are late. We recognize weve
missed the deadline. However the Associated
Press claimed to have seen a copy of the report
and said that it criticizes Bahrain as having fallen
short on political and human rights reforms.

Manama Document

National Democratic Action

Society (Waad)

UNHRC criticizes Bahrain and FM responds

The United Nations
High Commissioner
for Human Rights,
Prince Zeid bin
Raad Al Hussein,
called on Bahrain
to stop its repressive
practices against freedom of expressions. In
a speech he delivered his opening statement
for the Human Rights Councils 32nd session,
Monday 6th June, he said At least 250 people
in Bahrain have reportedly been stripped of
their citizenship by the Government because
of their alleged disloyalty to the interests of the
Kingdom. Dozens of people including minorshave been prosecuted for participating in
protests. Repressions will not eliminate peoples
grievances; it will increase them, urging the
government to respect for human rights. Bahrains
Minister of Foreign Affairs Khalid bin Ahmad Al
Khalifa attacked the high commissioner saying
that he has no power. He further stated that his
country wouldnt waste its time listening to AlHusseins speech. The minister tweeted We will
not stop the reform journey of our king. We will
not allow anyone to undermine our security and
stability and well not waste our time listening to a
powerless high commissioner.

Bahrain occupies highest prisoners rate in

Middle East
The Prison Studies website
revealed that Bahrain
occupies the first rank
in terms of population
rate in the Middle East.
Bahrain followed by
Israel occupied the first two ranks with Oman
being the last. The number of prisoners reached
4028 according to U.S. State Department human
rights report in December 2013 and that prison
population rate is 301 based on an estimated
national population and1.34 million according
to United Nations figure. The percentage of Pretrial detainees / remand prisoners is %27.5 and
that of female prisoners is %4.7, whereas that of
young prisoners is %2.3. There are more than 4000
political prisoners in Bahrain, in addition to elderly
people, women and children.

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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