2nd bombing of Saudi Shia Muslims; Alkhalifa continue policies of revenge

By Bahrain Freedom Movement

Another terrorist attack was launched on the Shia Muslim Friday worshippers at Dammam in the Eastern Province of Arabia. On Friday 29th May, a suicide bomber in women’s clothing approached Imam Hussain Mosque with intention to bomb the women worshippers. Luckily the mosque management had already taken decision to stop women praying at mosques to pre-empt would be suicide bombers. The terrorist was stopped by one of the volunteering guards but the terrorist triggered his explosive vest killing himself and four of the volunteering guards. It was the second attack in a week; the previous one had been carried out on worshippers at Imam Ali’s mosque at Al Qadeeh, killing 22 worshippers. The volunteering guards shouted at the an official policeman who was posted to “guard” the mosque but he refused to stop the terrorist. Locals have now vowed to defend themselves against attacks by the Wahhabi-salafist groups, groomed and financed by the AlSaud regime.

Under the heading: “Saudi Arabia: Spike in Executions” Human Rights Watch published a damning report on Saudi Arabia on 1st June. It said: “Saudi authorities have already carried out 90 executions since the beginning of 2015, more than the 88 for all of 2014. Forty-one of the ninety people executed since the start of 2015 were sentenced for non-violent drug offenses.” It further added:  “Any execution is appalling, but executions for crimes such as drug smuggling that result in no loss of life are particularly egregious,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “There is no excuse for Saudi Arabia’s continued use of the death penalty for these types of crimes.”

Meanwhile in Bahrain Alkhalifa kangaroo court passed another 9-month jail sentence on activist, Zainab Al Khawaja, in revenge for her active role in opposition. This time she was accused of entering a no-go area. This refers to her attempt to visit her father who had been on hunger strike in his torture cells. The total jail terms imposed by dictator on Zainab stands at five years and one month. Nicholas Kristof commented on Zainab’s predicament saying: “Our ally Bahrain imprisons a woman advocating peacefully for democracy for 5 years! Will the US peep a protest?”

In the week between 26th May to 2nd June there were 145 demonstrations and protests, 20 arrests including nine children and 26 house raids. Today young native Bahraini, Sayed Sadiq Sayed Radhi, has been sentenced to five years in jail for opposing Alkhalifa hereditary dictatorship. The court also remanded another native Bahraini woman, Taiba Darwish, to further 15 days “pending investigation”. This tactic of jailing innocent Bahrainis for weeks aims at inflicting maximum pain on those who participate in anti-regime peaceful protests.

Amnesty International has issued an urgent action against the death sentences upheld by court on 26th May, on two Bahrainis; Mohamed Ramadhan ‘Issa ‘Ali Hussain and Hussain ‘Ali Moosa Hussain Mohamed in December 2014, following an unfair trial that relied on “confessions” extracted under torture. It urged people to write to Alkhalifa regime; Acknowledging the Bahraini authorities’ duty to protect the public and bring to justice those who commit crimes, but insisting that this should always be done in accordance with international law and Bahrain’s international human rights obligations;  Urging the authorities to order a full re-trial of the two men without the use of evidence obtained under torture and without recourse to the death penalty; and to investigate the allegations of torture;  Urging the authorities to commute all death sentences to terms of imprisonment and establish an official moratorium on executions.

George Tugushi, Rapporteur on reprisals under article 19 of the Convention and Vice-Chair of the Committee against Torture wrote to Bahrain’s dictator about Nabeel Rajab’s case. He said: The arrest and detention of Mr Rajab may be related to the peaceful activities of Mr Rajab and BCHR in monitoring and documenting issues relating to the Convention in Bahrain and, in particular, with BCHR’s recent cooperation with the Committee during the examination of the list of issues prior to the submission of the second periodic report of Bahrain during its 54th session in May 2015. In regard to these allegations, I would like to refer to Your Excellency’s Government to Article 13 of the Convention against torture, which states, inter alia; Article 13: “Steps shall be taken to ensure that the complainant and witnesses are protected against all ill-treatment or intimidation as a consequence of his complaint for any evidence given.” In view of the above-mention ed allegations, I would appreciate, as a matter of urgency, to receive information on the measures taken by Your Excellency’s Government to implement, especially with regard to Mr Rajab, article 13 of the Convention.