Arbitrary detention, judicial harassment and torture of Mr. Hussain Jawad, Chairman of the European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights (EBOHR)

Arbitrary detention /

Torture and Ill-treatment /

Judicial harassment

Bahrain

February 23, 2015

TheObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme ofthe International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgentintervention in the following situation in Bahrain.

Newinformation:

TheObservatory has been informed by reliable sources about the arbitrarydetention, judicial harassment and torture of Mr. Hussain Jawad, Chairmanof the European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights (EBOHR). On February 21,2015, Mr. Jawad appeared before the Public Prosecution for another case broughtagainst him (see background information). He appeared to have suffered fromphysical and psychological torture and ill-treatment. He was allegedly beaten,threatened with death, and threatened that his wife would be harmed. He wasalso reportedly blind-folded, deprived of sleep and drinking water, and forcedto constantly stand. He was forced to listen to the screams of other inmateswho appeared to have been electrically shocked, in order to scare him intosigning confessions. His hands appeared to be swollen and bruised as a resultof the hand-cuffs that were not removed since his arrest.

He was alsodenied to go to the bathroom, and was beaten when he requested to do so. He wasdenied contact with his family and lawyer. He only managed to call his wifetwice, and when he informed her in the first call that he was hurt, he sufferedretaliation. He was also sexually harassed by a female police officer, he wasstripped naked and groped.

During theinterrogation at the Public Prosecution, Mr. Jawad appeared to be not fullyconscious, hallucinating and falling asleep. His clothes were covered in urine.He was forced to sign confessions obtained under torture. He is now facing newcharges based on these confessions, of “collecting funds from Bahrain andabroad to support vandalising groups”. The Prosecution then ordered him sevendays detention pending investigation.

On February23, Mr. Jawad was brought to the Public Prosecution for interrogation about thecomplaint filed by his lawyers for allegations of torture. He was then takenback to dry dock prison, where at the moment he remains detained.

TheObservatory calls on the Bahraini authorities to immediately andunconditionally release Mr. Jawad, and drop all charges against him as he istargeted solely for his legitimate human rights activities.

TheObservatory is further deeply concerned by the allegations of torture and ill-treatmentduring detention, and urges the authorities to guarantee the physical andpsychological integrity of Mr. Jawad, as well as to open immediate, effectiveand independent investigations into these allegations, in order to sanction allthose responsible.

TheObservatory more generally urges the Bahraini authorities to put an end to allacts of harassment – including at the judicial level – against Mr. Jawad, andto comply with the relevant international norms and standards, in particularthe United Nations (UN) Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by theUN General Assembly on December 9, 1998, and international human rightsstandards and instruments ratified by Bahrain.

Backgroundinformation:

On February18, Mr. Jawad was taken to the Public Prosecution without informing his lawyeror family. The Public Prosecution has ordered the release of Mr. Jawad pendingtrial on charges of “illegal gathering” and “rioting”.

On February 162015, Mr. Hussain Jawad was arrestedby masked police officers in plain clothes, who searched his house andconfiscated his passport and mobile phone. Mr. Jawad was not informed about thereason of his arrest. After 10 hours of incommunicado detention, Mr. Jawadmanaged to call his wife and inform her that he was detained at the CID. Healso informed her that he was ill-treated in detention.

Mr. HussainJawad was previously arrested on November 23, 2013, and was interrogated abouta speech he gave at a protest rally in 2013. He was released on bail on January9, 2014. He is currently on trial for charges of “criticisinggovernment institutions”, “insulting the flag and emblem of the country”,“attempting to disrupt public security” and “illegal gathering”. His next hearing is scheduled for February25, 2015.

Actionsrequested:

The Observatory urges the authorities of Bahrain to:

1. Guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Hussain Jawad and all human rights defenders in Bahrain;

2. Immediately release Mr. Hussain Jawad and drop all charges against him, and against all human rights defenders in Bahrain;

3. Carry out an immediate, independent and effective investigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment against Mr. Hussain Jawad, in order to identify all those responsible and apply them the sanctions provided by law;

4. Put an end to any act of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Hussain Jawad and against all human rights defenders in Bahrain;
   
   
5. Conform in any circumstances with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted on December 9, 1998 by the United Nations General Assembly, in particular:

• its Article 1, which states that“everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of humanrights and fundamentalfreedoms atthe national and international levels” ;
• its Article 6 (c) which states that“everyone has the right, individually and in association with others to study,discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice,of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and otherappropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters” ;
• and its Article 12.2 which states that“the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by thecompetent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others,against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adversediscrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of hisor her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”.

vi. Ensure in all circumstances respect forhuman rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international humanrights standards and international instruments ratified by Bahrain.

Addresses:

· CheikhHamad bin Issa AL KHALIFA, King of Bahrain, Fax: +973 176 64 587

· CheikhKhaled Bin Ahmad AL KHALIFA, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tel: +973 172 27 555;Fax : +973 172 12 6032

· CheikhKhalid bin Ali AL KHALIFA, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs, Tel: +973175 31 333; Fax: +973 175 31 284

· Lt.Gen. Cheikh Rashed bin Abdulla AL KHALIFA, Minister of Interior, Tel: +973 17572222 and+973 17390000.Email: info@interior.gov.bh

· PermanentMission of Bahrain to the United Nations in Geneva, 1 chemin Jacques-Attenville,1218 Grand-Saconnex, CP 39, 1292 Chambésy, Switzerland. Fax: + 41 22 758 96 50.Email: info@bahrain-mission.ch

Please also write to diplomatic representations of Bahrain in yourrespective countries.

***

Paris-Geneva,February 23, 2015.

Kindly inform us of anyaction undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory, a FIDH andOMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aimsto offer them concrete support in their time of need.

To contact the Observatory,call the emergency line:

• E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 (0) 143 55 25 18 / +33 1 43 55 18 80

• Tel and fax OMCT + 41 (0) 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29