Saturday, December 22, 2007

Bahrain: House Arrests of Activists Expected to be Prosecuted based on Code of Terrorism

HAQ: Movement of Liberties and Democracy- Bahrain
حق: حركة الحريات والدموقراطية- البحرين
22 December 2007 www.haaq.org, Email: haaq.bahrain@gmail.com


Press Release

Bahrain: House Arrests of Activists Expected to be Prosecuted based on Code of Terrorism,
At least Ten Citizens (worshipers) Arrested inside Al-Sadeq Mosque

At 5 o'clock local time this morning, a young man, Fat'hi Makki, from Jidhafs village was stabbed with a knife in his stomach by a CID man after showing resistance to the manner in which a group of security personals raided his house where his wife was there, looking for his brother. He was left with his blood until taken to hospital to stitch his wound.

Other raids and house arrests are also reported in many places in Bahrain. In these raids, houses were ransacked, sabotaged and looted by members of the security forces who coerced their entrance without legal warrant, beating members of the family whom they are looking for. On the allegation of "lost" weapon in the blazed security jeep day before yesterday, the security authorities are waging a ferocious campaign against activists and dissidents. From the way these well-known activists ill –treated, and the manner their houses raided, it is clear that the Authorities is opted to the old tactics of introducing security measure to tame citizens from calling their rights and diverting attention to cases of gross violations, e.g. killing of Ali Jasem 5-days ago. Based on the previous record of the Authorities, it is expected that these activists will be facing charges of endangering Public Security making them volunarble to prosecution on the basis of Code of Terrorism of 2006 as well as the notorious Penal Code of 1976.

The activists arrested under the allegation of the "stolen" weapon are:
1. Naji Fateel (Bani Jamrah village) is a member of Committee of Unemployed, and was targeted by the armed special forces many times resulting in his hospitalization as result of inflicted injuries. Furthermore, he is a member of Bahrain Youth society for Human Society whose president-Mohammed Al-Maskati - was brought to trial last November before the lower Criminal Court for initiation and carrying out activities without having a license (authorization).
2. Mohammed Abdulla Yusuf At-Sankis (Sanabis Area) is a member of Committee Against Inflation. Last week, he co-organized a demonstration in collaboration with Committee of Unemployed, and Committee Against 1 % (1% is the amount involuntarily taken from citizens to subsidy Unemployment Fund), from the House of Deputies to Prime Minister Court. He is a well known dynamic activist in many other popular committees and was imprisoned intermittently, without trial for long durations during the protesting events in the nineties.
3. Abdulla Mohsen ( Isa Town), chaired Committee of Unemployed and was its spokesman, prior to his employment causing him to leave his posts, but continued to participate in its events as well as the activities of other popular committees.
4. Maitham Al-Tammar (Isa Town) is an elected board member of the Committee of Unemployed and its spokesman
5. Shaker Al-Hamali, member of the Committee of Unemployed, was detained last February along with Hasan Mushaima- Secretary General of HAQ and Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja- president of Bahrain Center for Human Rights.
6. Mohammed Al- Modaweb (Jidhafs) and his brother Husain. Independent activists
7. Osama Rabin (Nuaim area) Independent activist.

On the other hand, those arrested on the raid of the Bahraini Special Forces (composed of non-Bahraini nationalities: Balushi of Pakistan, Yemeni, Syrian, Jordanian ad Iraqi) on Al-Sadeq Mosque and the worshipers last night are, (Their place of residences in parenthesis):

1- Husain Ahmed Husain (Ma'ameer)
2- Sayed Ameen Sayed Moosa (Al-Markh)
3- Mohamed Yousef (Al-Markh)
4- Sayed Sharaf Sayed Husain (Al-Markh)
5- Husain Ebrahim Husain (Al-Markh)
6- Sayed Ahmed Sayed Haidar Sayed Ebrahim (Al-Markh)
7- Mohamed Saeed Abdulaziz (Janoosan)
8- Saeed Ali (Janoosan)
9- Aref Abdulla Ali Matooq (Hamad Town)
10- Husain Ali Mansoor Al-Bash (Al-Musalla)
It is anticipated that the "security" measures taken so far by the Authorities will further agitate further protest ascalation.
Time: 10am GMT, December 22, 2007
For further information contact Dr. Abdaljalil Al-Singace
Director of Media and International Relations-HAQ movement
Telephone: +97339668179 (In Bahrain)Email: asingace@gmail.com, asingace@hotmail.com