Bahrain
18.07.00
Urgent Interventions
Bahrain: arrest and torture of children
Bahrain: arrest and torture of children
CHILD CONCERN
Case BHR 180700.CC
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Bahrain.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information from the Bahrain Human Rights Organisation, (BHRO), a member of the network, regarding the arrest and arbitrary detention of two children in June and July 2000.
According to the information received, at the beginning of July 2000, security forces attacked several houses in Bilad al-Qadim and arrested a number of citizens, releasing them a couple of days later. Alsayed Jabir Alsayed Ibrahim, 17 years old, was among those arrested.
Also, its is reported that on 21st June, a child, Mosa Jaafer Al-Shaikh from Daih was arrested and kept in jail for four days, allegedly tortured severely and then released.
Also in June 2000, a number of young people were sentenced, following their arrest as children three to four years ago. The following persons were sentenced: Tahir Abbas Hussain Mahffodh, 18 years old (sentenced to 7 years imprisonment), Ali Alshaikh Mosa Hassan Al-Oraibi, 18 (7 years) for allegedly intentionally setting fire to a building in Tubil on 19 January 1997. In addition, Nabil Abdul Nabi Al-Saffar, 19, Jawad Salamn Isa, 19, Ammar Isa, 18, Mohammed Badr Alshaikh, 18, Naji Ahmed Salamn, 18, Sadiq Ali Al-Shofa, 18, Hamid Ali Ibrahim, 18, Alsayeed Jaafer, 18 were all sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. These defendants were under the age of 18 at the time of arrest, but they were treated in the same manners as the others, in contradiction with the Convention on the Rights of the Child of which Bahrain is a State Party.
The International Secretariat of OMCT recalls that Bahrain is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 37b) which states that "The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time." Furthermore, that "No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of these children.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Bahrain urging them to:
take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned children;
order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges;
carry out a full and impartial investigation into the alleged arbitrary detentions, ill-treatment and torture, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
put an immediate end to the use of arbitrary or illegal detention of children and abrogate 1974 State Security Law and all national laws which are not in compliance with international human rights standards;
guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses
His Highness Ilamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa, Office of His Highness the Amir, P.O. Box 555, The Amiri Court, Rifa'a Palace, Bahrain. Fax : + 973 668884. Telex : 8666 Qasar BN; 8500 Qasar BN
His Excellency Al-Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister, P.O. Box 1000, al-Manama, Bahrain. Telex : 9336 PROM BN or 7889 PMPO BN. FAX: + 973 533033.
His Excellency Al-Shaikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior, P.O. Box 13, al-Manama, Bahrain. Fax : + 973 276765 or 290526 or 754303. Telex : 9572 PSMKT BN OR 8333 ALAMAN BN
Geneva, July 18 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
CHILD CONCERN
Case BHR 180700.CC
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Bahrain.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has received information from the Bahrain Human Rights Organisation, (BHRO), a member of the network, regarding the arrest and arbitrary detention of two children in June and July 2000.
According to the information received, at the beginning of July 2000, security forces attacked several houses in Bilad al-Qadim and arrested a number of citizens, releasing them a couple of days later. Alsayed Jabir Alsayed Ibrahim, 17 years old, was among those arrested.
Also, its is reported that on 21st June, a child, Mosa Jaafer Al-Shaikh from Daih was arrested and kept in jail for four days, allegedly tortured severely and then released.
Also in June 2000, a number of young people were sentenced, following their arrest as children three to four years ago. The following persons were sentenced: Tahir Abbas Hussain Mahffodh, 18 years old (sentenced to 7 years imprisonment), Ali Alshaikh Mosa Hassan Al-Oraibi, 18 (7 years) for allegedly intentionally setting fire to a building in Tubil on 19 January 1997. In addition, Nabil Abdul Nabi Al-Saffar, 19, Jawad Salamn Isa, 19, Ammar Isa, 18, Mohammed Badr Alshaikh, 18, Naji Ahmed Salamn, 18, Sadiq Ali Al-Shofa, 18, Hamid Ali Ibrahim, 18, Alsayeed Jaafer, 18 were all sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. These defendants were under the age of 18 at the time of arrest, but they were treated in the same manners as the others, in contradiction with the Convention on the Rights of the Child of which Bahrain is a State Party.
The International Secretariat of OMCT recalls that Bahrain is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 37b) which states that "The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time." Furthermore, that "No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."
OMCT is gravely concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of these children.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Bahrain urging them to:
take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned children;
order their immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges;
carry out a full and impartial investigation into the alleged arbitrary detentions, ill-treatment and torture, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
put an immediate end to the use of arbitrary or illegal detention of children and abrogate 1974 State Security Law and all national laws which are not in compliance with international human rights standards;
guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Addresses
His Highness Ilamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa, Office of His Highness the Amir, P.O. Box 555, The Amiri Court, Rifa'a Palace, Bahrain. Fax : + 973 668884. Telex : 8666 Qasar BN; 8500 Qasar BN
His Excellency Al-Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister, P.O. Box 1000, al-Manama, Bahrain. Telex : 9336 PROM BN or 7889 PMPO BN. FAX: + 973 533033.
His Excellency Al-Shaikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior, P.O. Box 13, al-Manama, Bahrain. Fax : + 973 276765 or 290526 or 754303. Telex : 9572 PSMKT BN OR 8333 ALAMAN BN
Geneva, July 18 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.