Bahrain: Detention and torture of seven human rights defenders

http://frontlinedefenders.org/node/1450

Bahrain: Detention and torture of seven human rights defenders

Front Line is deeply concerned following reports of the detention and torture of Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan and Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed of the Unemployment Committee; Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor and Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor of the Committee for Detainees; Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor of the Committee Against High Prices; and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan of the Committee Against One Percent. These human rights defenders are active defenders of labour rights in Bahrain.

Further Information

Posted 27/05/2008

On 15 April 2008, at approximately 12:30am, Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan turned themselves in to Hamad Town Police Station. On 11 April 2008, at approximately 11pm, Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan was arrested at his home. On 10 April 2008, at approximately 1pm, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor was arrested at his home. On 9 April 2008, at approximately 3:30am, Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor was arrested at his home. On 31 March 2008, at approximately 1pm, Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed was arrested at work. According to reports the houses of the detainees were forcibly entered and raided without court orders by Special Security Forces (SSF) and armed militia members. Residents were allegedly insulted, private belongings - such as mobile phones and laptops - were confiscated, and money was taken.
Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor and Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor were arrested at their homes whilst, in some cases where the wanted human rights defenders were not at home, summons notices were left for them to report to Hamad Town Police Station. Some of the human rights defenders' family members were held hostage until the summons notices were answered.

Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan were detained under accusations of burning a State militia car on 9 April 2008. Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed, Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor and Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor were detained under accusations of starting a fire on the farm of Shaikh Abdulaziz Atteyatallah on 6 March 2008. Shaikh Abdulaziz Atteyatallah is a former head of the National Security Bureau and is allegedly known locally for involvement in torture incidents during the 1990s.

The human rights defenders have reportedly been held in solitary confinement, deprived of sleep and food, beaten and tortured. A form of torture known as Falaqah has been used against them whereby a hard stick is inserted between the detainee's cuffed hands and tied legs, and then used to suspend the detainee in the air for hours with his legs facing upwards and his blind-folded head facing downwards. The detainee's feet are then beaten until he makes a confession or loses consciousness. The detainees have been denied access to their lawyers. Applications for family visits have involved lengthy waits and restricted conditions.

In recent times there have been other cases of detention and torture of human rights defenders in Bahrain. On 21 December 2007, Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal was arrested by SSF members in relation to peaceful demonstrations marking the 13th anniversary of the death of two young Shiite men who were killed by Security Forces while participating in a demonstration calling for the restoration of democracy. Between 21 and 27 December 2007, Abdullah Mohsen Abdulah Saleh, Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh, Majid Salman Ibrahim Al-Haddad, Ahmad Jaffar Mohammed Ali, Hassan Abdulnabi, Nader Ali Ahmad Al-Salatna and Hassan Abdelnabi Hassan of the Unemployment Committee; as well as Mohammed Abdullah Al Sengais of the Committee Against High Prices; Naji Ali Fateel of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and Ebrahim Mohamed Amin-Al-Arab, a founding member of the Martyrs and Victims of Torture Committee, were arrested in relation to the same event. They were accused of having taken part in an ‘illegal gathering and rioting’ and of ‘theft of a weapon and ammunition and possession of a weapon and ammunition without permission’, and placed in detention. Some have been subjected to forms of torture such as Falaqah, electrocution, sexual abuse and sleep deprivation while being held in unsanitary conditions which threatened their physical and psychological integrity. Front Line has written to you on a number of occasions regarding the ongoing human rights violations connected to the seven remaining detainees of December 2007. Furthermore, on 25 December 2007, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), was physically assaulted and verbally insulted outside the Office of the Public Prosecutors by a masked Bahraini officer and three SSF members when he was requesting permission to enter the building.

Front Line is concerned that the detention and torture of Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan, Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed, Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor, Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan is a result of their legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular their work to defend labour rights in Bahrain. Front Line sees this as part of an ongoing trend of harassment of human rights defenders. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological welfare of the above-mentioned human rights defenders.

Take Action

Please take action on behalf of seven human rights defenders in Bahrain.
Copy the enclosed letter and send it to the address provided.
Thank you for taking action on behalf of seven human rights defenders in Bahrain.
Target adresses:
HM Shaikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa,King of Bahrain,Office of the King,The Amiri Court,Rifa'a Palace,PO Box 555,Manama,Bahrain
Letter:
Your Majesty,

I am deeply concerned following reports of the detention and torture of Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan and Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed of the Unemployment Committee; Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor and Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor of the Committee for Detainees; Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor of the Committee Against High Prices; and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan of the Committee Against One Percent. These human rights defenders are active defenders of labour rights in Bahrain.

On 15 April 2008, at approximately 12:30am, Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan turned themselves in to Hamad Town Police Station. On 11 April 2008, at approximately 11pm, Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan was arrested at his home. On 10 April 2008, at approximately 1pm, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor was arrested at his home. On 9 April 2008, at approximately 3:30am, Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor was arrested at his home. On 31 March 2008, at approximately 1pm, Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed was arrested at work. According to reports the houses of the detainees were forcibly entered and raided without court orders by Special Security Forces (SSF) and armed militia members. Residents were allegedly insulted, private belongings - such as mobile phones and laptops - were confiscated, and money was taken.

Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor and Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor were arrested at their homes whilst, in some cases where the wanted human rights defenders were not at home, summons notices were left for them to report to Hamad Town Police Station. Some of the human rights defenders' family members were held hostage until the summons notices were answered.

Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan were detained under accusations of burning a State militia car on 9 April 2008. Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed, Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor and Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor were detained under accusations of starting a fire on the farm of Shaikh Abdulaziz Atteyatallah on 6 March 2008. Shaikh Abdulaziz Atteyatallah is a former head of the National Security Bureau and is allegedly known locally for involvement in torture incidents during the 1990s.

The human rights defenders have reportedly been held in solitary confinement, deprived of sleep and food, beaten and tortured. A form of torture known as Falaqah has been used against them whereby a hard stick is inserted between the detainee's cuffed hands and tied legs, and then used to suspend the detainee in the air for hours with his legs facing upwards and his blind-folded head facing downwards. The detainee's feet are then beaten until he makes a confession or loses consciousness. The detainees have been denied access to their lawyers. Applications for family visits have involved lengthy waits and restricted conditions.

In recent times there have been other cases of detention and torture of human rights defenders in Bahrain. On 21 December 2007, Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal was arrested by SSF members in relation to peaceful demonstrations marking the 13th anniversary of the death of two young Shiite men who were killed by Security Forces while participating in a demonstration calling for the restoration of democracy. Between 21 and 27 December 2007, Abdullah Mohsen Abdulah Saleh, Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh, Majid Salman Ibrahim Al-Haddad, Ahmad Jaffar Mohammed Ali, Hassan Abdulnabi, Nader Ali Ahmad Al-Salatna and Hassan Abdelnabi Hassan of the Unemployment Committee; as well as Mohammed Abdullah Al Sengais of the Committee Against High Prices; Naji Ali Fateel of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and Ebrahim Mohamed Amin-Al-Arab, a founding member of the Martyrs and Victims of Torture Committee, were arrested in relation to the same event. They were accused of having taken part in an ‘illegal gathering and rioting’ and of ‘theft of a weapon and ammunition and possession of a weapon and ammunition without permission’, and placed in detention. Some have been subjected to forms of torture such as Falaqah, electrocution, sexual abuse and sleep deprivation while being held in unsanitary conditions which threatened their physical and psychological integrity. I have written to you on a number of occasions regarding the ongoing human rights violations connected to the seven remaining detainees of December 2007. Furthermore, on 25 December 2007, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), was physically assaulted and verbally insulted outside the Office of the Public Prosecutors by a masked Bahraini officer and three SSF members when he was requesting permission to enter the building.

I am concerned that the detention and torture of Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan, Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed, Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor, Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan is a result of their legitimate work in the defence of human rights, in particular their work to defend labour rights in Bahrain. I see this as part of an ongoing trend of harassment of human rights defenders. I am concerned for the physical and psychological welfare of the above-mentioned human rights defenders.

I urge the authorities in Bahrain to:
1. Grant the immediate and unconditional release of Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Sadeq Jawad Ahmed Al-Fardan, Hasan Kathom Ebrahim Ahmed, Ali Mohamed Habib Ashoor, Habib Mohamed Habib Ashoor, Fadhel Abbas Mohamed Ashoor and Sayed Omran Hameed Adnan, as it is believed that they are being detained solely on the basis of their legitimate non-violent human rights work;
2. Initiate an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the reports of torture and ill-treatment of the afore-mentioned human rights defenders, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice;
3. Take measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the aforementioned human rights defenders while in detention and ensure their freedom from ill-treatment and torture, as is their right under Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
4. Ensure that the treatment of the human rights defenders in custody adheres to all those conditions set out in the ‘Basic Principles for Treatment of Prisoners, adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/111 of 14 December 1990’;
5. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders and organisations in Bahrain are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals, and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

I respectfully remind you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals.
I would particularly draw attention to Article 5 (b) “For the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the rights, individually and in association with others, at the national and international levels: (b) to form, join and participate in non-governmental organizations, associations or groups”, and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration.”
Yours sincerely,