16 February 2017 – The European Parliament has voted through a Resolution on Executions in Kuwait and Bahrain condemning the recent executions in these countries. We, the undersigned, welcome the resolution and call on Bahrain to listen to the European Parliament’s calls and halt imminent executions and respect the rights and freedoms of the Bahraini people.
The European Parliament also voted through amendments: amendment 1, calls for a national dialogue in Bahrain, amendment 2 calls on Bahrain’s police to refrain violence and human rights violations, noting the sixth anniversary of the 2011 uprising. Amendment 7 calls for the release of imprisoned human rights defenders Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja abd Khalil Al-Halwachi, and the final amendment passed, amendment 8, highlighted the vulnerability of domestic workers in Kuwait.
Amendments 1 and 2 are available here. Amendments 7 and 8 are available here. The amendments were incorporated into the final text of the resolution (linked above).
The resolution condemns the use of the death penalty, echoing the condemnation of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings. It calls on Bahrain to halt the execution of Mohammad Ramadan and Husain Moosa, two torture victims at risk of imminent execution in Bahrain. The resolution urges Bahrain and Kuwait to issue immediate invitations for the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, who has been denied entry to Bahrain multiple times since 2011. It further calls for the release of Nabeel Rajab, and an end to excessive use of force and the arbitrary stripping of citizenships. The resolution calls for the EU to adopt stronger human rights initiatives with regards to Bahrain and Kuwait.
Throughout the debate prior to the vote, MEPs also expressed criticisms of the arbitrary deprivation of nationality, continued arbitrary arrest and torture, and the imprisonment of human rights defenders.
Julie Ward MEP said: “Mohammad Raman and Husain Moosa must not be executed and the death penalty must be abolished.” She turned her attention to the case of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab: “Instead of putting Nabeel Rajab through yet another hearing on 21 February, release him.” She called on all countries, in particular the UK, to hold human rights in their foreign policy over arms. Rajab, a leading human rights defender in the Gulf, currently facing up to 17 years in prison for exercising his freedom of expression. His next trial date is 21 February.
This is not the first EUP resolution on Bahrain. In 2016, the European Parliament passed resolutions on the case of Mohammad Ramadan and on Bahrain generally. In 2015, the EUP adopted a resolution on the case of Nabeel Rajab.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy, Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy: “This is a landmark which must be noted. Bahrain must listen to the voices of the international community and halt the executions of Mohammad Ramadan and Husain Moosa, who were tortured and unfairly tried in court.”
Husain Abdulla, Executive Director, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain: “The brutality of the death penalty has been condemned now by the UN, the EU and the European Parliament. Human rights violations do not go unnoticed. All executions in Bahrain must be immediately halted. Rather than persecuting innocents and victims, Bahrain should hold its police force accountable for abuse and torture.”
Pavle Licina, Advocacy Associate, European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights: “By strongly condemning the recent executions in Bahrain and Kuwait, the European Parliament once again stood up for the respect of human rights and dignity and sent a clear message to both EU member states and governments in the Gulf that capital punishment, but above all torture and unfair trials leading up to it, must not be tolerated.”
In January 2017, Bahrain executed three torture victims, Ali Al-Singace, Abbas Al-Samea and Sami Mushaima. Convicted on capital offences following unfair trials, they were unlawfully killed by firing squad. Al-Singace, Al-Samea and Mushaima were all arbitrarily arrested, tortured to confess, and deprived of access to legal council. The courts dismissed the defence’s arguments out of hand, and the torture allegations of the three were not properly investigated. They were sentenced to death in 2015; in January 2017, the highest court of appeal upheld their sentence, and they were executed less than a week later. Neither the condemned nor their families were informed of their impending executions. Kuwait has also recently carried out the executions of seven individuals. The executions were the first in several years in both countries, ending their respective moratoriums. In Bahrain, it was the first execution since 2010.
Signed,
European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy
Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain
]]>“The European Parliament, a co-legislator of the European Union, and an institution directly representing the will of European citizens hasnow called for a stay of Ali al-Nimr’s execution,” said Isabel Cerdá Marcos, Advocacy Associate at ECDHR. “The resolution is a strong demonstration that the Saudi government can no longer count on the international community to look the other way as it commits severe and systemic human rights violations.”
In February 2012, Saudi authorities arrested al-Nimr for participating in dissident protests in Qatif, an urban sector of the Eastern Province where the nation’s marginalized Shia constitute a majority. In detention, officials affiliated with the Ministry of Interior allegedly tortured him severely. Through repeated beatings, they coerced him into confessing to a series of charges, including joining a “terrorist cell”, targeting police with Molotov cocktails, and robbing a pharmacy. The Specialized Criminal Court, Saudi Arabia’s national security tribunal, later used this confession to sentence al-Nimr to death. During both his interrogation and trial, Saudi authorities blocked al-Nimr from contacting an attorney, and several of his trial hearings were convened in secret.
“As a former prisoner of conscience who was myself subjected to torture and made to stand trial before a military court, I find the details of al-Nimr’s case deplorable,” said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy at BIRD. “This is why the EP’s adoption of today’s resolution, particularly its calls to abolish the Specialized Criminal Court and investigate allegations of torture, is so welcome.”
As indicated in the resolution, al-Nimr’s execution marks the troubling continuance of several trends in Saudi Arabia. The first is the steep increase in executions; from August 2014 to August 2015, Saudi authorities executed 175 people, a capital punishment rate higher than any comparable 12-month period in the country during the last decade. The second is the Saudi government’s disregard for its international human rights obligations. Saudi Arabia is a state party to both the Convention against Torture and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The former obligates the government to investigate the allegations of torture against al-Nimr, while the latter, per the resolution, “strictly prohibits the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by anyone below the age of 18.” These trends are also visible in the case of Dawood al-Marhoon, another Eastern Province protester in imminent danger of capital punishment who, like al-Nimr, was also arrested at 17.
“Saudi Arabia seeks greater integration into the international community in terms of economic and military ties,” stated Husain Abdulla, Executive Director of ADHRB, “but it refuses to abide by its basic laws. Today, the EU has sent a strong message that continued partnership relies upon adherence to fundamental human rights norms.”
ECDHR, ADHRB, and BIRD fully support the resolution’s calls on the Saudi government to:
- Commute the sentence of Ali al-Nimr;
- Abolish the Specialized Criminal Court;
- Promptly and impartially investigate allegations of torture against al-Nimr; and
- Increase its engagement with the UN Human Rights Council and with the European Union bodies
15 September 2015, Geneva, Switzerland – An event at the 30th Session of the Human Rights Council took place today in which human rights activists and professionals discussed Bahraini resistance to human rights reform requested by the international community. The event, Counter-Resolutionaries: Bahraini Obstinance at the HRC, was organized by Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain and co-sponsored by Article 19, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, the Bahrain Human Rights Society, the Cairo Institute, CIVICUS, English PEN, the Gulf Center for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch, Index on Censorship, and the International Federation for Human Rights.
Michael Payne, ADHRB’s International Advocacy Officer, moderated the panel, beginning the event by stating that little has changed for the better in Bahrain since the government assault on peaceful protesters in 2011. “Today, 2015 has clearly set highs in all categories of human rights abuse,” said Mr. Payne.
Payne welcomed international support for human rights. Referring to the joint statement issued at the Human Rights Council on Monday, he expressed hope that this public pressure would work to push the government in the right directions. “We’ve seen pressure work before,” said Mr. Payne. “Yet despite the steadfast efforts of Member States, Bahrain has proven adept at forestalling greater international pressure.”
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, the Director of Advocacy at BIRD, began his remarks by thanking the 33 States that joined the Swiss-led joint statement. “This recognition of the severe human rights violations means a lot to the people of Bahrain.” He continued by stating that he had recently seen personal tragedy as a result of his human rights work in the last year. “In January, the government revoked by citizenship. According to the government, I am no longer Bahraini.”
According to Alwadaei, however, he is “among the lucky ones. If you look at other human rights defenders, you can’t name anyone still on the ground that hasn’t been to prison, hasn’t been tortured.” He added that many of them are still there today. He continued by speaking of the actions of the international community, again praising the joint statement. “But at a time when we see the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention finding evidence of systemic torture in Bahrain… countries like the United Kingdom aren’t doing enough to help.” He closed by stating that “international pressure does work. Nabeel Rajab was released shortly after an EU Resolution demanding his release.”
Nuha Hassan, an advocate with the Bahrain Human Rights Society, continued the conversation by providing a perspective from the ground. “The Kingdom of Bahrain must comply with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” said Mrs. Hassan. She continued by stating that, despite their commitments, the Bahraini government continues to commit violations. “The Former Secretary-General of Wa’ad was arrested on charges of promoting to change the political system in the country using illegal means. The arrest and charges came after delivering a speech in a public forum calling for human rights and political reform.” Mrs. Hassan also named other prominent persons that had found themselves persecuted by the government, including Sayed Jamil Kadhim, Nabeel Rajab, and Nader Abdulemam. She later noted that the government had not yet completely implemented the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, and called on the government to “lift Bahrain up to a higher level of democracy.”
“Human rights defenders in Bahrain continue to be targeted just for doing their job,” said Nedal Alsalman from BCHR. She too, however, noted the efficacy of international pressure, stating that “Nabeel Rajab was released immediately following the European Union resolution.” She moved on to talk about the assault on the freedom of expression. “Insulting the king or insulting official institutions can lead to up to 15 years in prison,” Alsalman said. Human rights defenders were welcoming when the King accepted the recommendations of the BICI, she continued, stating that defenders had hoped that the BICI would mean the end of impunity.
“This was just a public relations move,” Alsalman said. “We don’t need institutions that are mainly used for public relations. We need to see results on the ground. We need to insure that the right to protest is not restricted; we wish that the government would actually investigate torture… we wish that human rights organizations are able to carry out their work.”
Phillipe Dam, the Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch in Geneva, closed the panel. “In spite of four years of repression, the human rights situation in Bahrain has been the subjected of debate at the Council for over four years. The benefits of joint statements cannot be overlooked.” He continued by stating that, in spite of continued repression, there is a space that Geneva can create for the work of human rights defenders. “Yet discussing the situation in Bahrain is more challenging today…” he said, stating that the Government of Bahrain has used new institutions like the Ombudsman’s office “like a smokescreen… in reality, the human rights situation has not improved.”
Nabeel Rajab, the President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, later joined the discussion via Skype. He currently faces a travel ban in Bahrain after a court sentenced him to 6 months imprisonment on charges related to his freedom of expression. Nabeel expressed his gratitude to state signatories of the Swiss led joint-statement that raised serious concerns over the ongoing human rights crisis in Bahrain. He highlighted how state actions at the UN such as the Swiss initiative had a positive effect on victims of human rights abuses in the country. He did also stress the need for further action to follow up on these joint statements through practical steps.
Although the Government of Bahrain has tried to put itself in a positive image, “the fact that we had a joint statement yesterday showed that there is more that the Bahraini government must deliver.” Dam stated that he saw a “critical mass” of important players supporting the joint statement, but that a number of EU States “have failed to join the joint statement. Not seeing Italy, Spain, or counties like Finland join the fifth joint statement was very disappointing.” Other States “dragged their feet” in joining the statement; in this, Dam singled out the United Kingdom, who had “set up meetings” to advocate for the Bahraini government. “NGOs must keep the process moving forward,” Dam concluded.
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UPDATE: 17 August 2015 – Ebrahim Sharif is expected to be presented before a Bahraini criminal court on 24 August 2015.
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UPDATE: 14 July 2015 – Since the publication of this statement, on Monday 13 July, the Public Prosecution formally charged Ebrahim Sharif with “inciting violence” and “promoting political change”. On Monday evening, the Public Prosecution’s official twitter account (pp_bahrain) tweeted the following:
Investigation taken place regarding individual previously convicted of attempt to overthrow govt & recently released via Royal Pardon
— النيابة العامة (@pp_bahrain) July 13, 2015
Individual incited violence and promoted political change using illegal forceful means and threats.
— النيابة العامة (@pp_bahrain) July 13, 2015
Though not named, the description of the individual in the first tweet clearly identifies Ebrahim Sharif.
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13 July 2015 – London, UK – On Sunday 12 July, Bahrain’s police arrested Ebrahim Sharif, the former General Secretary of the National Democratic Action Society (Wa’ad). Sharif is one of the “Bahrain 13”, a group of prominent human rights defenders and opposition figures in Bahrain. He was recently released from detention on 19 June after serving over four years in prison on charges related to his freedom of expression.
His arrest comes only weeks after Bahrain sentenced the leader of the Wefaq Political Society, Sheikh Ali Salman, to four years imprisonment, also on charges related to freedom of expression.
At approximately 2.30 am on Sunday, an estimated six police jeeps and eight civilian cars carrying at least 30 officers raided Mr. Sharif’s home. He was arrested before dawn and escorted to a Police Station in Muharraq, where he will be detained for at least 48 hours pending investigation.
Sharif’s arrest follows a speech he delivered on 10 July, which, according to the Director General of the Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science, under the Ministry of Interior, “encouraged the overthrow of the government and incited hatred.” The Director General further alleged that the speech “incited violence, hatred and sectarianism.”
On reviewing the speech, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) did not find any language of incitement to violence, hatred or sectarianism, as alleged by the Ministry of Interior. In fact, Mr. Sharif instead condemned violence and encouraged peaceful actions to deter it.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed the arrest via Twitter, announcing that Sharif had been arrested for “intentionally violating the law.”
General Dir of Criminal Investigation: Ebrahim Sharif detained 4statements that encouraged the overthrow of the government &incited hatred
— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) July 12, 2015
Sharif’s re-arrest comes two weeks after the United States announced the end of its four-year-long arms ban on Bahrain, citing “the recent release of a number of prisoners charged with crimes related to their political association and expression” as a sign of “meaningful progress and reconciliation.”
“There is no meaningful progress in Bahrain, and no efforts for reconciliation or dialogue,”
said Husain Abdulla, Executive Director of Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain,
“The arrest of Ebrahim Sharif shows that the United States was categorically wrong to lift its arms suspension and must immediately reassess its decision.”
Just two days prior to Sharif’s arrest, the European Parliament passed resolution of 9 July 2015 on Bahrain, in particular the case of Nabeel Rajab (2015/2758), condemning the deterioration of the country’s human rights record. The resolution had welcomed the early release of Ebrahim Sharif but called on the government to “drop all charges” against all political prisoners. It further called for an EU-wide ban on the export of tear gas and crowd control equipment to Bahrain.
An Early Day Motion at the UK Parliament has also so far attracted at least 29 Members of Parliament to condemn restrictions on free speech in Bahrain since publication on 2 July.
“The EU should put its full weight behind protecting free speech in Bahrain following its complete criminalisation by the government,”
said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy,
“The EU must push Bahrain to comply with its human rights obligations by finally actioning and implementing the resolution.”
Mr. Sharif’s arrest and detention is in contradiction to the universal right to peaceful freedom of expression and the right to hold opinions guaranteed by Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, both to which Bahrain is a party.
The Bahrain Institute for Rights & Democracy and Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain condemn the arrest of Mr. Sharif and call on the Government of Bahrain to:
- Immediately release and drop all charges against Ebrahim Sharif, and all other prisoners of conscience detained on charges of free expression;
- Take concrete steps towards resuming national dialogue, including the release of all members of the Bahrain 13, other prominent opposition leaders like Sheikh Ali Salman and human rights defenders like Nabeel Rajab and Naji Fateel;
- Cease all reprisals taken against individuals peacefully exercising their right to free expression as guaranteed by Articles 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
On the United Nations and its Member States to:
- Publicly condemn the arrest of Ebrahim Sharif and call on the Government of Bahrain to unconditionally release and drop all charges against Ebrahim Sharif;
- Apply pressure on the government of Bahrain to stop harassment of political opposition leaders and take concrete steps towards resuming national dialogue;
- Adopt a resolution on Bahrain in the United Nations Human Rights Council, urging the Government to take urgent steps towards implementation of recommendations by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and Second Cycle UPR recommendations;
On the United States to:
- Reapply and immediately put into effect the recently lifted arms suspension on Bahrain Defense Force and National Guard;
On the United Kingdom to :
- Publicly condemn the ongoing attack on freedom of expression and reprisals against opposition figures in Bahrain, order an independent assessment of its programme of assistance to the government of Bahrain in light of these ongoing abuses, and list it as a Country of Concern in the next FCO Human Rights Report;
On the European Union to:
- Condemn the re-arrest of Ebrahim Sharif and implement the actions set out in the European Parliament’s Urgent Resolution of 9 July 2015 on Bahrain.
The Urgency Resolution “on Bahrain, in particular the case of Nabeel Rajab”, calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Nabeel Rajab, President of the BCHR, and other imprisoned rights defenders and political activists, including Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Sheikh Ali Salman, Naji Fateel, Sheikh Mohammad Habib Al-Muqdad, and Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace. It also criticises Bahrain’s failure to implement key recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and the Universal Period Review.
Click here to read the text of the resolution
“Nabeel is being punished for speaking to the world,” said Said Yousif Almuhafda, Vice-President of BCHR. “He has been harassed ever since his return from his trip to Europe last year, when he met with the European Union in Brussels.”
In a key recommendation, the resolution calls for an EU ban on tear gas and crowd control equipment exports to Bahrain, until investigations into their improper use are conducted and perpetrators of excessive force are held accountable.
“Human rights abuses continue on a massive scale,” said Husain Abdulla, Executive Director of ADHRB. “It is heartening to see the EU recognise this, especially at a time when the United States has decided to rekindle its ‘security’ relationship with Bahrain through renewed arms sales.”
The passing of the Urgency Resolution follows major security developments between Bahrain and its international allies. In late June, the United States announced that it is lifting the four-year ban on military sales to the Bahrain Defense Force and National Guard that was first instituted following the violent suppression of protests in 2011. Earlier in June, the United Kingdom also finalised its plans for its new Bahrain naval base, the construction of which is expected to begin later this summer.
“As the European Parliament sends a message against Bahrain’s rights violations, the British government should be ashamed of its base being built there, which symbolises their complicity in the abuse of rights defenders and political activists,” said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Director of Advocacy at BIRD.
This is the first resolution on Bahrain to have been adopted by the current parliament, elected in April 2014, and marks continued European concern for the state of human rights in the Gulf country. It follows a February 2014 Urgency Resolution that expressed concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Bahrain.
BIRD, BCHR and ADHRB call on the Government of Bahrain to follow the recommendations of the Urgency Resolution. In particular, and in line with its obligations to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention against Torture, Bahrain must immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, end the use of torture in prisons, repeal the law allowing the arbitrary revocation of citizenship, and re-open dialogue with the opposition to reach a peaceful, lasting political resolution.
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