Bahrain
06.11.00
Urgent Interventions
Bahrain: arrest of Dr. Jasim Hussain Ali
Case BHR 061100
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 Organization (BHRO), a member of the OMCT network, that Dr. Jasim Hussain Ali, aged 41, was arrested on 1 November 2000 at his home in Hamad Town. The intelligence department ransacked his offices and confiscated his written articles and floppy discs. Later on, the intelligence department telephoned his family and asked them to provide clothes for him. This is a sign that he will remain in detention.
Dr. Jasim Ali who holds a PhD in Business Administration from the USA, is a senior lecturer at Bahrain University (Business Administration). He specializes and writes on socio-economic affairs in the Gulf countries. Before his arrest, the intelligence department had allegedly interrogated him about his articles and confiscated his writings. All information received suggests that the he is being held solely for the expression of his beliefs.
In contradiction with international norms and provisions of the 1973 Bahrain Constitution, laws decreed by the Emir and his government highly restrict freedom of expression. The authorities consider any violations of these laws as security related, and deal with it under the 1974 State Security Law which allows for the detention of a person without charge or trial for up to three years and sets a special court system "the State Security Court", a procedure of which falls far below International standards for fair trial.
BHRO notes that the State Security Law does not make any distinction, in its provisions, between persons who are prosecuted for having engaged in activities undertaken in the exercise of their fundamental rights, and persons who are prosecuted for having committed acts, which constitute undue abuse of the exercise of the aforementioned rights.
According to BHRO, most persons arrested for political reasons (so-called security cases) were held incommunicado, a condition of detention conducive to torture. The Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) were alleged to have frequently conducted the interrogation of such detainees under torture. There are many documented cases of detainees who died under torture in the past few years. The practice of torture was undertaken with impunity, with no known cases of officials having been prosecuted for acts of torture or other ill-treatment
OMCT reiterates BHRO’s grave concern for the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Jasim Ali.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Bahrain urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Jasim Hussain Ali and order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
ii. intervene with the appropriate authorities in order to secure that Dr. Jasim Hussain Ali be allowed to meet with a lawyer and his family, as well as have access to medical care;
iii. put an immediate end to the use of arbitrary detention of people by the police and abrogate 1974 State Security Law and all national laws which are not in compliance with international human rights standards;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
His Highness Hamad 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, November 6, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
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 Organization (BHRO), a member of the OMCT network, that Dr. Jasim Hussain Ali, aged 41, was arrested on 1 November 2000 at his home in Hamad Town. The intelligence department ransacked his offices and confiscated his written articles and floppy discs. Later on, the intelligence department telephoned his family and asked them to provide clothes for him. This is a sign that he will remain in detention.
Dr. Jasim Ali who holds a PhD in Business Administration from the USA, is a senior lecturer at Bahrain University (Business Administration). He specializes and writes on socio-economic affairs in the Gulf countries. Before his arrest, the intelligence department had allegedly interrogated him about his articles and confiscated his writings. All information received suggests that the he is being held solely for the expression of his beliefs.
In contradiction with international norms and provisions of the 1973 Bahrain Constitution, laws decreed by the Emir and his government highly restrict freedom of expression. The authorities consider any violations of these laws as security related, and deal with it under the 1974 State Security Law which allows for the detention of a person without charge or trial for up to three years and sets a special court system "the State Security Court", a procedure of which falls far below International standards for fair trial.
BHRO notes that the State Security Law does not make any distinction, in its provisions, between persons who are prosecuted for having engaged in activities undertaken in the exercise of their fundamental rights, and persons who are prosecuted for having committed acts, which constitute undue abuse of the exercise of the aforementioned rights.
According to BHRO, most persons arrested for political reasons (so-called security cases) were held incommunicado, a condition of detention conducive to torture. The Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) were alleged to have frequently conducted the interrogation of such detainees under torture. There are many documented cases of detainees who died under torture in the past few years. The practice of torture was undertaken with impunity, with no known cases of officials having been prosecuted for acts of torture or other ill-treatment
OMCT reiterates BHRO’s grave concern for the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Jasim Ali.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Bahrain urging them to:
i. take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of Dr. Jasim Hussain Ali and order his immediate release in the absence of valid legal charges or, if such charges exist, bring them before an impartial and competent tribunal and guarantee their procedural rights at all times;
ii. intervene with the appropriate authorities in order to secure that Dr. Jasim Hussain Ali be allowed to meet with a lawyer and his family, as well as have access to medical care;
iii. put an immediate end to the use of arbitrary detention of people by the police and abrogate 1974 State Security Law and all national laws which are not in compliance with international human rights standards;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
His Highness Hamad 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, November 6, 2000
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.