Attacks against human rights groups have been in the increase worldwide. As more and more governments push towards a global estate of exception, human rights defenders and other political activists who throw a light onto and investigate the repression are often the first target. If Martin Niemöller was alive today he might well start his poem with "First they came for the human rights defenders".
As it harasses human rights activist, Bahrain is also about to pass a law greatly restricting freedom of speech and assembly. The proposed law would ban "any speech or discussion infringing on public order or morals,” leaving "public order or morals" undefined. It would also authorizes allow police presence at any public meeting and allows security officials to break up meetings if any crime is committed. I'm copying the letter sent by HRW to the Bahraini government on the topic.
Let us not be silent! Contact your representatives in your own government expressing your concerns about human rights defenders and write letters to the governments in question. I'm including some addresses, which I hope are still accurate :).
The Embassy of Bahrain in your country
http://www.helplinedatabase.com/embassy-database/country-in-other-countries/bahrain.html
The Royal Council
His Majesty the King, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain
Fax: +973-17664587
Crown Prince Council
Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain
Fax: +973-17664587
-----
URGENT APPEAL
FOR THE PROTECTION OF ACTIVISTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
IN BAHRAIN
Sexual Assaults, Threats of Killings, Harassment At Work
In order to intimidate, silence and prevent them from perusing their role in disseminate, reinforce and defend human rights values, activists and human rights defenders in Bahrain are still facing all sorts of repression [1] , tyranny and threats [2] by the State Security Authorities. This systematic approach also aims to demean the defenders and their activities as well as contribute in deterring attention to the violations and issues raised by them. In addition to the police (security) trailing and privacy infiltration through communications techniques like telephones, emails, etc [3] , the following represent some of the tactics employed by the Authorities to contest activists;
Arbitrary detention [4]
Legal measures and deployment of non independent judiciary to lead fierce attack on activists and defenders of rights [5].
Physical attacks [6] , sexual assaults and blackmail of sexual attack on families of activists [7]
Framed criminal allegations [8]
Allegations of politicized activities [9]
Defamation and smear [10]
Job harassment and dismissal [11]
We, the under named, activists and defenders of rights in Bahrain, whose rights have been violated by the Authorities during our work in the promotion of human rights values. We see your swift intervention against the Authorities attacks and persistent violations to our rights. We call upon your action on the basis of the rights and responsibilities of individual, groups and civic societies in reinforcement of human rights and its basic freedoms, legitimized and protected by the UN charter for the protection of Activists and defenders of rights. We also seek your support in calling upon the reviewing Bahrain's record of human rights and the need the State to abide by the universal declarations, its pledges and treaties concerned with promotion and protection of human rights and its defenders.
Names of suffering activists:
1
Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja
Trainer
Human Rights Activist
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
2
Mr Nabeel Rajab
Self-employed
Human Rights Activist
Bahrain Center for Human Rights
3
Mr Hasan Mushaima
Retired
Political Activist
HAQ Movement
4
Dr Abduljalil Alsingace
Academician
Activist
HAQ Movement
5
Mrs Layla Dashti
unemployed
Activist
Committee of Activists & Detainees of Conscience
6
Mr Nader Ebrahim
Teacher (imprisoned)
activist
Committee of Activists & Detainees of Conscience
7
Mr Hasan Abdulnabi
Employee (imprisoned)
Activist
Unemployed Committee
8
Mr Mosa Abdali
Unemployed (imprisoned)
Activist
Unemployed Committee
9
Mr Ali Mushaima
unenmployed
Activist
Unemployed Committee
10
Mr Abdulameer Madan
Student (imprisoned)
Activist
Unemployed Committee
11
Mr Hasan Al-Haddad
Nurse (imprisoned)
Independent Activist
12
Mr Abdulghani Khanjar
Teacher
Activist
National Committee for Martyrs & Victims of Torture
13
Mr Abdulraoof Al-Shayeb
Self-employed
Human Rights Activist
National Committee for Martyrs & Victims of Torture
14
Mr Abbas Omran
Engineer
Labour Activist
National Committee for Martyrs & Victims of Torture
15
Mr Jalal Fairooz
Ex-engineer at BANAGAS
Political Activist
Alwefaq Society
16
Mr Mohsen Muqdad
Self- Employed
Activist
Committee of Families of Detainees
17
Mr Ali Qamber
Technician
Activist
Committee of Families of Detainees
18
Mr Abdulla Zain
employee
Activist
Committee of Families of Detainees
[1] Front Line Press Release "Bahrain's candidacy for the UN Human Rights Council must mean better protection for human rights defenders"- 24 April 2006, http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/news/2781
[2] Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor- US State Department- March 8, 2006-http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61686.htm
[3]A report "Targeting Activists"- Bahrain Center for Human Rights- January 2006
[4] Prisoners and detainees of Bahrain airport and subsequent protest incidents
[5]Abdulhadi Al-khawaja's case
[6] Attacks on unemployed near the Bahrain Royal Court on June 19th and the Elected House on July 15 th 2005.
[7] Physical and sexual attacks on unemployed committee activists Mosa Abdali and Hasan Abdulnabi
[8] Prisoners of Bahrain Airport incident, and case of Activist Abdulraoof Al-Shayeb- president of National Committee of Martyrs and Victims of Torture
[9] Members of Bahrain Center for Human Rights
[10] Defamation cases of Activists: Hasan Mushaima (HAQ Movement), Abdulraoof Al-Shayeb (National Committee of Martyrs and Victims of Torture), Nabil Rajab and Abduhadi Al-khwaja ( Bahrain Center for Human Rights), Shaikh Ali Salman (Alwefaq Society), and Ali Hasan Mushaima (Unemployed Committee)
[11]Dismissal of Dr Abduljalil Alsingace from the chairmanship of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Bahrain, and sacking of Jalal Fairooz, senior engineer at Bahrain National Gas Company-BANAGAS
Bahrain: King Should Reject Law on Public Gatherings
Government Must Revise Draft Law That Undermines Freedom of Assembly
(Washington, D.C., June 8, 2006) – The Bahraini government’s draft legislation on public meetings and demonstrations undermines the right of peaceful assembly, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter urging Bahrain’s king not sign the bill into law.
The draft law will be the first significant human rights-related legislation to come before Bahrain’s king, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for final approval since the country was elected to the United Nations Human Rights Council last month. In its letter, Human Rights Watch urged the king to instruct the Ministries of Justice and Interior to revise the legislation to bring it in line with international human rights law.
“Shaikh Hamad and other Bahraini officials claim that the country is on the path to democracy, but this legislation would move Bahrain in the opposite direction,” said Joe Stork, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch. “This badly flawed law has no place on the statute books of any state, much less a member of the new U.N. Human Rights Council.”
Freedom of assembly is essential to forming and expressing public participation in political affairs and a crucial component of any democratic order, Human Rights Watch said. International law allows some limitations on the exercise of this freedom, but the limitations cannot compromise the essence of the right.
In the draft law, known as Amendments to Law 18/1973, Article 6 forbids “any speech or discussion infringing on public order or morals.” But it leaves “public order and morals” undefined, inviting security officials to restrict free expression and peaceful assembly at will. Article 7 authorizes police presence at any public meeting and allows security officials to break up meetings if any crime listed in the Penal Code is committed.
“Bahrain’s Penal Code still has provisions that contradict international human rights standards,” Stork said. “This new law says the police can lawfully disrupt a public meeting even if the participants are simply exercising basic rights like freedom of expression and freedom of association.”
The draft legislation originated with the government. The elected 40-member Council of Deputies (Majlis al-Nawwab) has approved it, and the appointed 40-member Consultative Council (Majlis al-Shura) is expected to do so soon. The bill requires approval of the king to become law.
To read the letter, please visit:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/08/bahrai13529.htm
you should send these reports to different news papers in all Muslim countries, including Kashmir.
God help you to defend you sanctity.
s.ahmad
Posted by: samir ahmad at July 5, 2006 9:58 PM