Bahrain: Two martyrs as UK Government is criticised for pro-Alkhalifa stands

Two martyrs fell during the week. First was Huda, eleven year-old girl who was suffocated by chemical gases that has become the main tool of repression against the people. She developed breathing difficulties leading to the deterioration of her health until she succumbed to painful death. The second was Hajji Mahdi Ali Al Marhoon, 60. Few months ago he was subjected to intense inhalation of chemical gases deployed by regime’s forces against the people of Ma’amir Town. He was hospitalised but his condition deteriorated until he passed away on Wednesday 17th October. His funeral yesterday was attended by thousands of people who chanted anti-regime slogans calling for an end to the Alkhalifa hereditary dictatorship.

The repression has continued unabated. The security apparatus, commanded by John Timoney and John Yates has intensified its attempts to suppress dissenting voices or anyone attempting to uncover the truth. It is now illegal to tweet anti-Alkhalifa news. Anyone who criticises the dictatorship or its human rights abuses is liable for arrest, torture and imprisonment. Four people have now been targeted for tweeting anti-regime news. The situation has now deteriorated to levels far worse than in previous times. Instead of opening up freedoms, the Alkhalifa, encouraged by the Saudi occupation, Anglo-American military and security support, has become notorious for its human rights violations. It has made mockery of the recommendations by the Bissioni Commission and the Human Rights Council.

While Nabeel Rajab’s trial earlier this week was postponed other human rights activists have been targeted and warned of severe consequences if they continued criticism of the Alkhalifa bleak record of human rights. Mohammad Al Masqati, the President of Bahrain Youth for Human Rights was arrested, threatened and ill-treated for criticising the Alkhalifa. No word of condemnation has come from the UN bodies responsible for protection of human rights defenders. Nabeel Rajab’s ill-treatment has stained the human rights world which has failed to protect the most prominent human rights activist in the Gulf region from arbitrary arrest, torture and imprisonment. Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Rajab. AI has confirmed that at least one international observer was denied entry to Bahrain to observe the appeal against Mr Rajab’s conviction. Since John Timoney and John Yates were seconded by USA and UK to support the the Alkhalifa criminal regime last year international human rights activists were banned from entering the country. The Alkhalifa have kept an iron-fist policy against Bahrainis with tight grip on police, intelligence, army, judiciary and media.

Amnesty International has issued a web petition on behalf of Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, ahead of their final verdict on Sunday 21 October. They were sentenced in September 2011 by a military court to three and 10 years’ imprisonment respectively. Mahdi is still in prison, he is a prisoner of conscience and Jalila may be arrested to serve her 3 years if their sentences are upheld. If imprisoned she will also be a prisoner of conscience.  The link to the document is: http://amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/JalilaAndMahdi  A video message from Jalila al-Salman is also available on our web page at the following link: http://amnesty.org/ .

These are the links to tweet the web petition and the video which are now both live:

Here's the video: http://bit.ly/TcXm3s

Here's the petition: http://bit.ly/Q6o90o

The Foreign Affairs Committee at the House of Parliament has criticised the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for not designating Bahrain as a “country of concern”. It said: “The case of Bahrain illustrates many of our misgivings about the system for designating "countries of concern". In our report last year on the FCO's human rights work, we criticised the FCO for not designating Bahrain as a "country of concern" in its 2010 report, published in April 2011. Our criticism was made in the light of the brutal repression by the authorities of demonstrations against the regime in February and March 2011, in which at least 35 people are known to have died and some 2,000 people were arrested. Military courts were used to try civilians, and medical staff who treated the injured were brought to trial and sentenced to long periods of imprisonment.” Soon after this report, Saudi Arabia issued a warning to UK that it would punish UK if Parliame nt took such stands regarding the situation in GCC countries. It remains for UK to rebuke the Saudi regime, which is the most repressive and reactionary regime in the world, for making this threat which is effectively a cheap and blatant blackmail.

Bahrain Freedom Movement
19th October 2012