The accusation was made in a letter written to International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, signed by Brendan O’Hara MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Democracy and Human Rights in the Gulf and Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of BIRD, highlighting serious human rights violations committed by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Abuses reffered to include the repression of civil society and persecution of dissidents, the continued use of torture, the increased use of the death penalty and the ongoing war in Yemen.

In a January interview, former Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stated that “frankly, we shouldn’t be engaged in free-trade negotiations with countries abusing human rights well below the level of genocide,” adding that “We shouldn’t really be delegating the political question of who you engage in free-trade negotiations with to the courts.”

Representatives from the GCC are expected for meetings with the UK government in London today to discuss the plans for an agreement, which were officially announced this morning. The announcement follows Truss’s address at the Conservative Party Conference earlier this week in which she described her plan to build a “network of liberty” by forging closer trade links with the GCC states.” The letter asserts that the promotion of human rights and democracy are placed at the centre” of these trade negotiations.

The letter states that “Civil societies across the GCC remain among the most repressed in the world”, citing the continued detention of high profile political prisoners in the region, including Dr Abduljalil AlSingace and Hassan Mushaima, two leading opposition figures who have been jailed in Bahrain since the country’s 2011 pro-democracy uprising, and Ahmed Mansoor, a leading Emirati human rights defender imprisoned since 2018.

Signatories also raise the alarm over “the continued use of torture in detention centres” across the region and the widespread use of the death penalty, which has increased tenfold in Bahrain since 2017. Particular concerns are raised over the cases of Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa in Bahrain and Abdullah Alhowati in Saudi Arabia, all of whom were convicted on the basis of confessions allegedly obtained through torture.

The ongoing Yemen war, which remains the world’s worst humanitarian crisis according to the UN, is also highlighted as a major human rights concern. The letter notes that air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition have “killed almost 20,000 civilians and pushed millions of Yemenis to the brink of famine” and points to a report by the APPG that found that the UK government used public money to support a Saudi body “accused of whitewashing potential war crimes committed by coalition forces.”

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), commented: “If the government thinks that signing a Free Trade Agreement with the GCC will build a “network of liberty” around the world, they are setting the bar incredibly low. Dictatorships like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the world’s most repressive, routinely persecuting dissidents, executing torture victims and have led a bombing campaign in Yemen that has pushed millions to the brink of famine. Any future trade agreement without human rights and democratisation at its core would be both indefensible and morally corrupt.

Read the full letter here

When upholding Moosa’s 36-month conditional discharge for trespass on a diplomatic mission, Judge Michael Grieve QC accepted that a defence of necessity was available to Moosa as “some form of public protest was the only option open to [Moosa] at the 11th hour” and that his protest had “as good a chance of being reported to the Prime Minister as anything else he could have done that night.” He also noted previously successful UK interventions on behalf of death row inmates in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in the past, as well as Boris Johnson’s personal relationship with Bahrain’s King Hamad.

The judgement also pointed to “international sensitivity” surrounding the assasination of Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Arabian embassy in Istanbul in 2018, arguing “that the UK government would want to do everything possible to avoid any similar occurrence at a mission in the UK.” He added that a defence of “necessity could justify citizens entering to save life in circumstances akin to those of Mr Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul”, justifying the Metropolitan Police’s decision to storm the embassy building and rescue Moosa.

The ruling coincided with the announcement that U.S President Joe Biden is expected to release an intelligence report naming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as complicit in Khashoggi’s murder later this week.

However, the judgement ruled ruled that “the idea that Mr Johnson would have made an urgent plea to King Hamad because there was a protester on his Embassy’s roof is, we think, unlikely in the extreme” and therefore his action failed to meet the condition that it be a “reasonable and proportionate response” to the threat of execution faced by Ali Al Arab and Ahmed Al Malali, who were executed hours after Moosa’s rooftop appeal. Moosa’s action thus “amounted to a last desperate, albeit well-intentioned and sincere, attempt to save lives,” but one whose chance of success was “forlorn.”

Moosa’s legal team, led by Kirsty Brimelow QC of Doughty Street Chambers and Ella Jefferson of Bindmans, argued that Moosa understood his action to be the only means available to prevent the executions and that he was acting to prevent a greater crime. Moosa maintains that embassy staff attacked him during his protest, beating him with a stick and attempting to waterboard him with a damp t-shirt. Metropolitan Police made the unprecedented decision to storm the embassy to rescue Moosa. Footage broadcast by Channel 4 appeared to corroborate Moosa’s claim.

Moosa was initially sentenced at Westminster Magistrates Court on 24 September 2020, after Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot ruled that it is “an important point of principle” to protect embassies and diplomatic premises regardless of the human rights record of the country.

Read the full ruling here.

Moosa Mohammed commented: “As someone with first-hand experience of torture at the hands of Bahraini police, when I read the harrowing details of two torture victims about to be executed in Bahrain I was forced to take desperate measures. While I was on the roof, I was attacked by staff members from the Embassy who put my life at risk. To this date, none of them have been brought to justice. I still believe that this was the only means available to me to prevent their execution and thank my legal team for their tireless work and outstanding commitment to my case. I will continue to fight on behalf of victims of abuses in Bahrain.”

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), commented: “The judge rightly recognised that Moosa’s actions were motivated solely by a desire to save lives and that his action had a reasonable chance of being reported to the Prime Minister. As someone who has been tortured in Bahrain, I commend Moosa’s bravery in attempting to prevent these unlawful executions. There are almost a dozen torture victims on death row in Bahrain facing a similar fate; the UK government should use their full leverage to compel Bahrain to restore their moratorium on the death penalty, so that nobody is forced to take such desperate measures again.”

Kirsty Brimelow QC of Doughty Street Chambers, commented: “Whilst the UK has a long-standing opposition to the death penalty, the actions of Mr. Mohammed were not a protest against capital punishment. He tried to stop Bahrain’s extra-judicial execution of two men by taking the only action he considered was available to him. Whilst his defence of necessity was rejected by the court, the reasonableness of his beliefs remains undisputed. The two men were killed by firing squad mere hours after Mr. Mohammed’s arrest and their execution was condemned by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.”

Background:

• Moosa was convicted on 24 September 2020 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court of trespass on a diplomatic premises. Read the full verdict here;
• In July 2019, Moosa scaled the roof of the Bahrain Embassy in London’s Belgrave Square and unfurled a banner calling on Boris Johnson to intervene to prevent the execution of two political activists in Bahrain, who were executed hours later;
• Moosa’s legal team, led by Kirsty Brimelow QC of Doughty Street Chambers, argued a defence of necessity; that Moosa understood his protest to be the only means available to prevent the executions and that he was acting to prevent a greater crime;
• During his protest, embassy staff attacked Moosa on the roof, beating him with a stick and attempting to waterboard him with a damp t-shirt. Metropolitan Police made the unprecedented to storm the embassy to rescue Moosa;
• Footage broadcast by Channel 4 appeared to confirm Moosa’s claim that embassy staff struck him with a stick whilst he sat precariously on the edge of the roof;
• In November 2019, Moosa filed a complaint against the embassy for attempted murder;
• According to research by BIRD and Reprieve, there are 26 individuals on death row in Bahrain, of whom 25 are at risk of imminent execution and 11 have alleged being tortured;
• A full analysis of the use of the death penalty in Bahrain is available in BIRD’s 2021 Bahrain Human Rights Report, which features a special chapter reviewing the decade since Bahrain’s 2011 Arab Spring uprising.

• Father of Ali Mushaima, 21-year old Bahraini who was first individual killed by police on 14 February 2011 during Bahrain’s Arab Spring uprising;

• Abdulhadi Mushaima, 57 years old, suffers a range of health problems linked to severe diabetes, making him particularly vulnerable to COVID-19;

• Mushaima’s detention is the latest in a series of arrests apparently aimed at deterring protests marking the 10th anniversary of the uprising, including children as young as 12.

16 February 2021 – Mr Abdulhadi Mushaima, the 57 year-old father of Ali Mushaima – the first person killed by police during Bahrain’s 2011 Arab Spring uprising – was arrested at a court in Bahrain today. His detention is part of a wave of recent arrests surrounding the 10 year anniversary of the nation’s popular uprising and also falls just two days after the anniversary of his son’s murder by government forces. The government of Bahrain must immediately order his release, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) stated today.

Abdulhadi’s arrest follows a summons he received on 6 January 2021 ordering him to appear before Bahrain’s 4th Lower Criminal Court today, over his alleged participation in an unlicensed gathering during protests in the village of Sanabis in 2019. Unlicensed gatherings of more than five people are illegal under Bahraini law, effectively criminalising all protest activity.

Abdulhadi has a range of health issues linked to diabetes, from which he suffers frequent episodes often requiring hospitalisation. His condition makes him particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, cases of which have recently been confirmed in multiple Bahraini prisons and detention centres. Abdulhadi is currently held at Bahrain’s Criminal Investigations Directorate in the district of Adliya.

On 14 February 2011 Abdulhadi’s son, Ali Mushaima, became the first individual to be killed by security forces during the brutal crackdown against Bahrain’s Arab Spring Uprising in 2011. Ali died after being shot in the back with shotgun pellets by police whilst attending a protest on what is known as Bahrain’s ‘Day of Rage’ (BICI, pg 171).

Ali’s murder was documented at length by Bahrain’s Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI, pg 228), which reported in 2011 that Ali ’s death could “be attributed to the use of excessive force by police officers” and that “the fact that Mr [Mushaima] was shot in the back at close range indicates that there was no justification for the use of lethal force”. Thousands of mourners attended Ali’s funeral, who marched together and assembled at Pearl Roundabout on 15th February 2011. The officers responsible were never investigated or held accountable for his murder.

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, director commented: “Not content with allowing his son’s murderers to walk free for a decade, Bahrain has now convicted Ali Mushaima’s father simply for calling for justice for his son. This is the latest outrageous act of judicial harassment against Abdulhadi Mushaima, just days after the 10th anniversary of his son’s killing and is clearly intended to deter protests commemorating Bahrain’s 2011 Arab Spring uprising. He must be released immediately”

Both boys were detained on 7 February after their parents were ordered to present them to the Bahrain’s Public Prosecutor. They face over 20 years in prison under Article 277 of Bahrain’s Penal Code. over arson charges linked to protests in their home village of Abu Qua last year. Husain was interrogated without his lawyer or his parents present in violation, despite his lawyer being in the building and notifying staff that she was waiting for the interview. His mother spoke with BIRD after seeing her son at a court hearing earlier today, stating that she “saw my son at court and he was unable to speak because of his tears. He is emotionally broken.”

Since 7 Feb, I can verify that 7 children are currently detained in #Bahrain over charges linked to protesting. The youngest is an 11yo primary school child & most vulnerable is 16yo boy with serious medical conditions that landed him in ICU for a week late last year.

Thread.. pic.twitter.com/2EezIfF4zn

— Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei (@SAlwadaei) February 12, 2021

BIRD can confirm that a further 5 juveniles remain in police custody in Bahrain, including primary school child Redha Abbas, who celebrated his 12th birthday in a prison cell yesterday. Redha was detained on 8 February alongside 15-year old Ali Yusuf Abdullah over charges linked to protests against the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix last November. Both are held at Isa Town Juvenile Detention Centre.

On 11 February, Bahrain also detained 17-year old Fares Husain, 16-year old Mohammed Jaafar and 16-year old Sayed Hasan Ameen, who are currently held at Dry Dock Detention Centre. BIRD have reviewed Sayed Hasan’s medical records, which show that he suffers from a range of health problems and spent 7 days in intensive care in late 2020 after suffering seizures and reduced heart function linked to sickle cell anaemia. His parents are deeply concerned that he does not have access to medication, making him extremely vulnerable to COVID-19.

This child is celebrating his 12th birthday today in a prison cell in #Bahrain.

I was told since his arrest on Monday (8th Feb), he only called his parents once on Tuesday. No family visits allowed.

How dare a judge have ordered his detention for 7 days.

1️⃣2️⃣? pic.twitter.com/JZ4hGr6Zml

— Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei (@SAlwadaei) February 13, 2021

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of BIRD, commented: “Bahrain’s government is so terrified of dissent they are now arresting children to send a message that protests to mark the 10th anniversary of Bahrain’s Arab Spring uprising will not be tolerated. Their detention is only possible with the silence of Bahrain’s allies in Washington and Whitehall; they must act now to ensure these boys are returned to their families where they belong.”

Prior to today’s verdict, BIRD and Human Rights Watch issued a joint-statement stating that “Bahraini authorities should not contest the appeal of Abdullah al-Shamlawi… to vacate his conviction and eight-month prison sentence for tweets.”

Al-Shamlawi was initially convicted on 30 June 2020 over a number of tweets he posted between 2018 and 2019. The charges involved two September 2019 tweets in which al-Shamlawi expressed critical views on religious practices related to Ashura, the most important date in the Shi’a religious calendar.

The court also convicted al-Shamlawi of “deliberately caus[ing] inconvenience to others by using telecommunication devices” for his 2018 tweet regarding an article in the pro-government newspaper Al Ayam in which he incorrectly said that the Bahraini featured in the article was a naturalized South Asian. Prosecutors interviewed al-Shamlawi about the tweet at the time, but brought no charges. The decision to prosecute him almost two years later on this dubious charge, even though other people who at the time had posted the same misinformation were not charged, indicates an apparent determination to punish al-Shamlawi under any available pretext, the organizations said.

Al-Shamlawi has defended human rights activists and prisoners of conscience for more than 40 years. Al-Shamlawi was also part of the legal team defending Al-Wefaq, the main Shi’a opposition group in Bahrain, which was banned in 2016 by the government.

Al-Shamlawi’s prosecution reflects a pattern of official harassment of lawyers who criticize the government. In May 2019, the authorities charged a prominent human rights lawyer, Abdullah Hashim, with sharing “fake news” for eight tweets between May 2017 and April 2019 highlighting government corruption and other social and political issues in Bahrain. He is expecting the final verdict on his case on September 29.

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights & Democracy (BIRD), commented: “That Al-Shamlawi was ever brought to trial for these bogus charges demonstrates the judicial harassment faced by Bahraini lawyers who refuse to toe the government line. Bahrain must end its persecution and imprisonment of individuals who dare to express critical views.”

Security forces arrested Moosa, 33, on February 21, 2014, and Ramadan, 37, on February 18, 2014, on charges of attacking police “with terrorist purpose,” in connection with a bombing that year in the village of Al-Dair that resulted in a policeman’s death. Both men alleged that their confessions were obtained under torture. Neither defendant was able to meet with his lawyer at any time before the trial.

“The death penalty is unique in its cruelty and finality, and serious doubt cast on the fairness of the trial should be grounds for commuting the sentence,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Bahrain’s King Hamad should correct this grave miscarriage of justice and ensure that Hussein Ali Moosa and Mohamed Ramadan are not executed.”

A criminal court sentenced the two men to death on December 29, 2014, and the Court of Cassation confirmed the death sentences in November 2015 but overturned them in October 2018 after a previously undisclosed medical report appeared to corroborate Moosa’s torture allegations. Nevertheless, without further investigation and based on the same evidence, the High Criminal Court of Appeal reinstated the convictions and death sentences of Moosa and Ramadan on January 8, 2020, and the Court of Cassation upheld them on July 13, 2020.

Under Bahraini law, after the Court of Cassation confirms a death sentence, the decision is sent to the king, who has the power to ratify the sentence, commute it, or grant a pardon. Ten other detainees in Bahrain have been sentenced to death and are awaiting the king’s action.

“Mohammed and Husain have joined ten other individuals whose executions can be ordered with the stroke of the King’s pen,” commented Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy at BIRD. “Bahrain’s allies in Washington and London must make it explicitly clear that there will be consequences if these executions are carried out.”

This is what collective punishment looks like. #Bahrain police fire tear gas into houses during protests in #Sitra marking 9th anniversary of Bahrain's #Revolution pic.twitter.com/sU1xqNzOAs

— BIRD (@BirdBahrain_) February 14, 2020

Solidarity actions from Bahraini exiles were recorded in 13 European capitals including Brussels, Berlin, Paris and as far away as Melbourne, Australia.  In London, protesters gathered outside the Bahrain Embassy in Belgrave Square, while BIRD held a parliamentary event featuring prominent British and Bahraini speakers.

.@ADHRB .@fidh_eu .@FrontLineHRD solidarity stand in #Brussels to commemorate the #February14 2011 pro-Democracy movement in #Bahrain demanding the release of Human Rights Defenders and thousands of political prisoners in the country pic.twitter.com/Xfbsls6uKH

— ADHRB (@ADHRB) February 14, 2020

BIRD also launched their first annual human rights report to mark the anniversary of the uprising, finding that the human rights situation “deteriorated” in 2019 due to the Bahraini government’s “unrelenting campaign against all forms of dissent.”  The report also strongly criticises the UK government’s role in supporting the Bahraini regime, with British funding and training to Bahraini institutions subject to particular scrutiny.

One of these institutions, the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) mandated to investigate human rights abuses, came under fire from Peers during a House of Lords oral session on Wednesday.  Brandishing a recently disclosed SIU dossier, Lord Scriven described the investigation into the torture of death row inmates Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa as “contradictory, inconistent and in contravention with international standards.”

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy at BIRD, commented: “Despite arrests, intimidation and intensifying repression, the Bahraini people continue to mark the anniversary of the uprising in the hope that the international community will hold the Bahraini government to account.  The struggle for democracy in Bahrain cannot be achieved while Bahrain’s Western allies, especially the UK and US governments, continue to put geopolitics ahead of human rights.”

Husain Abdulla, Executive Director of ADHRB, commented: “Seeing the anniversary marked 13 capital cities sends a clear message to our brothers and sisters back home that they have not been forgotten and that the world stands in solidarity with their struggle. While the situation remains grave, more and more people are learning the truth about Bahrain’s dictatorship and supporting the movement for democracy.”

BIRD has documented nine individuals currently at risk of imminent execution in Bahrain, having exhausted all their legal remedies.  Since the start of the holy month of Ramadan on 5th May, Bahrain has upheld the death sentences for eleven men, including nine for political related offences and two for drug offences.

Yesterday, Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon responded to a parliamentary question stating that the government opposes the death penalty “in all circumstances and countries” and is closely following both cases.

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy at BIRD, commented “The worrying increase in death sentences in Bahrain betrays an appalling disregard for human life.  Ali Alarab and Ahmed Almalali have been subjected to appaling acts of torture and a deeply flawed trial. The use of confessions extracted under torture to condemn people to death has now became the norm in Bahrain.  

These men’s lives hang in the balance; without serious action from Bahrain’s allies, in particular the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union, they are at serious risk of execution. It is time for them to act on their shared values and publicly urge Bahrain to quash the sentences of Ali Al-Arab and Ahmed Al-Malali.”

Read the full UN statement below:

GENEVA (21 May 2019) – UN human rights experts* have appealed to Bahrain to halt the imminent executions of Ali Mohamed Ali Mohamed Hakeem al-Arab and Ahmed Isa Ahmed Isa al-Malali, amid serious concerns that they were coerced into making confessions through torture and did not receive a fair trial.

The two man were reportedly arrested, one of them without a warrant, on 9 February 2017 within the context of a joint security operation. They were allegedly prevented from attending their trial, sentenced to the death penalty in absentia and stripped of their nationality, which was later reinstated.

Prior to the conviction, Ali Mohamed Ali Mohamed Hakeem al-Arab was reportedly forcibly disappeared for a month, during which he was subjected to torture to obtain confessions which were then used against him in court. He was allegedly charged with killing a police officer, firing on a security patrol and injuring one of its officers, assisting in an attempted prison escape, and possession of firearms. He did not have access to legal counsel before the trial proceedings began.

Ahmed Isa Ahmed Isa al-Malali was reportedly struck by two bullets in his right hand during the arrest. The bullets were allegedly only removed 23 days later. He was also reportedly tortured and forced to sign a confession which, if accurate, violates the Convention against Torture. He was subsequently charged with possession of firearms, membership in a terrorist cell and the alleged killing of a security officer. He allegedly did not have access to legal representation until late in the trial proceedings.

“We urge the Government of Bahrain to immediately halt the executions of the two men, to annul the death sentences against them and to ensure that they are retried in accordance with international law and standards,” the experts said.

The experts reiterated that capital punishment may only be carried out for the most serious crimes and after a legal process which has included all possible safeguards to ensure a fair trial. “The two individuals should have never been convicted on the basis of what appears to be seriously flawed trials. Executions in these conditions would amount to arbitrary executions,” they stressed.

“All allegations of arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance and torture must be promptly, thoroughly and impartially investigated with a view to holding those responsible to account and preventing similar occurrences from happening again in the future.

“We have raised multiple cases with the Bahraini authorities,” the experts said. “We urge the Government to establish an official moratorium on all executions with a view to abolish the death penalty.”

The experts had previously sought clarifications from the Government on this case.

*The UN experts: Ms. Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Ms. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Mr. Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; Mr. Diego García-Sayán, Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers; and Mr. José Antonio Guevara Bermúdez, Chair-Rapporteur, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

THE BIRD WEEKLY

In this Issue:
• Sheikh Hasan Isa Arrested • Singace Protest • Ebrahim Sharif Trial commences • TU Leader’s Health Deteriorates in Prison •

HIGHLIGHTS FROM BIRD THIS WEEK

NGOs Condemn Arrest of Former al-Wefaq MP Sheikh Hasan Isa

21 August 2015 – The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) express concern over the recent arrest of Sheikh Hasan Isa, a prominent member of the opposition political group al-Wefaq National Islamic Society. His arrest is the latest in a series of such detentions undertaken by the government against opposition political figures. We condemn this arrest as both yet another act of suppression of free speech and a further attack against peaceful political opposition. We therefore call on the government to lift all restrictions against the legitimate and peaceable work of all political societies in Bahrain.

Read the full statement here.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Event Alert

Take Action

Send a Pen & Sign the Petition

FROM THE GROUND IN BAHRAIN

Updates from the Ground

THE BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

#TwitterNation

Follow the Bahrain prisoner cartoon series by Gianluca Costantini on Channel Draw

Twitter: @ChannelDraw

FROM THE MEDIA HOME AND ABROAD

Weekly Highlights

Bahraini leftist denies violence charges as trial opens 

Bahrain: Opposition Leader’s Trial Grossly Unfair

Bahrain detains former Shi’ite opposition MP Sheikh Hasan Isa

Maryam Al Khawaja: Fighting my country’s rights abuses

News & Commentaries

Amnesty International: Bahraini Political Activist goes on trial after calling for reform
Reuters: Bahrain says holding former MP on charges of financing militants
Human Rights First: Case Against Bahraini Opposition Leader Should be Dismissed
Waging Non Violence: Where is international outcry for jailed Bahraini opposition leader?
AP: US pushes Bahrain on prisoner treatment amid hunger strike

THE BIRD WEEKLY

In this Issue:

• BIRD/HRW Event Summary •  Ebrahim Sharif Charged • US to Sell Arms to Bahrain •

HIGHLIGHTS FROM BIRD THIS WEEK

[Video Available] Event Summary: Bahrain Human Rights Challenges in 2015 and the UK’s Policy

13 August 2015 – The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and Human Rights Watch held a round-table discussion regarding concerns regarding human rights in Bahrain and UK policy towards the country. Chaired by Nicholas McGeehan, Gulf researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW), the discussion also included speakers Shane Enright, Global Trade Union Adviser at Amnesty UK, Kevin Laue, Legal officer at Redress and Isa Al-Ali, a Bahraini torture survivor recently granted asylum by UK court. The discussion was attended by representatives from a number of organisations including Amnesty International, Index on Censorship, Reprieve, NASUWT, English Pen and Chatham House amongst others.

Watch the full video summary here
Read the event summary here

US Moves to Sell Arms to Bahrain as Senate Resolves to Reinstate Ban

13 August 2015 – The United States Department of Defence notified the United States Congress of its intent to sell new arms sales to Bahrain last week, a move the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) condemns strongly. In an interesting twist of timing, the U.S. Senate introduced a bipartisan resolution the day prior to the announcement of the sale, which ironically would ban the sale of certain arms to Bahrain until the country implements reform.

Read more here.

BIRD Policy Researcher on MEE: UK Risks British Businesses by Backing Bahrain

Read full article on the Middle East Eye

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Take Action

Send a Pen & Sign the Petition

FROM THE GROUND IN BAHRAIN

Updates from the Ground

In the Spotlight:

THE BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

#TwitterNation

FROM THE MEDIA HOME AND ABROAD

Weekly Highlights

When Bahrain Says You’re Not Bahraini Anymore

Human Rights Watch: Release Ebrahim Sharif

Index on Censorship: Magazine sent to jailed academic and blogger