Bahrain
18.01.01
Urgent Interventions
Bahrain: continuing arbitrary detention
Case BHR 150900.1
Follow-up to Case BHR 150900
Geneva, 18th January 2001
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 and the Bahrain Human Rights Organization (BHRO) wish to express their grave concerns over the continuing arbitrary detention of a group of four political prisoners in Bahrain, held since January 1996 without charge or trial. They are: Abdul-Wahab Hussain, Shaikh Hassan Sultan, Hassan Musheima, and Sayyed Ibrahim Adnan al-Alawi. The four, all prominent figures, were arrested on 22 January 1996. Their arrest followed mass protests against the closure by security forces of a number of mosques where prominent opposition leaders, including the above-mentioned, had been peacefully calling on the government to restore the parliament and reinstate the 1973 constitution.
According to information from the BHRO, Abdul-Wahab Hussain, a member of the Committee for Popular Petition and opposition activist, was released on 17 March 2000 following an order by the State Security Court but was rearrested after spending an hour at home.
Other prominent leaders arrested at that time included Shaikh Abdul-Amir al-Jamri, Shaikh Ali Ashur, Shaikh Ali bin Ahmad al-Jeddhafsi, and Shaikh Hussain al-Daihi. Shaikh al-Jamri was pardoned and released in July 1999 after he had been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, but he has been under house arrest since then, and was prevented from attending a funeral commemoration session after the death of his sister on 19 December 2000. Shaikh Ali bin Ahmad al-Jeddhafsi was released on 26 July 1999, after three and a half years of detention without charge or trial. Shaikh Ali Ashur was released at the beginning of September 2000 after more than four and a half years of detention without trial. Whereas Shaikh Hussain al-Daihi was released on 15 December 2000, but since then he has been under a threat from the government not to take part in any political activities. All four were required to sign statements apologizing for their past political activities and committing themselves not to be involved in any political or social activities in the future.
Abdul-Wahab Hussain and the other three prisoners still in detention have reportedly been put under pressure to sign similar statements but have so far refused to do so. In the last few months they have been placed in solitary confinement as a means of punishment for their rejection.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by the prolonged detention of Abdul-Wahab Hussain, Shaikh Hassan Sultan, Hassan Musheima, and Sayyed Ibrahim Adnan al-Alawi.
According to the BHRO, Bahrain's government maintained its policy of providing no information concerning the numbers or identities of persons arrested, tried, convicted, acquitted, or released under the State Security Law. According to the BHRO, there are many Bahrainis still in detention under the State Security Measures, which has been in force since October 1974. These measures empowers the Minister of the Interior to detain individuals without charge or trial for up to three years. This practice clearly violates international human rights standards and Bahrain’s constitution.
OMCT and BHRO have repeatedly called for the unconditional release of all political prisoners held in Bahrain, including the four men mentioned above.
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 the above-mentioned persons and order their immediate unconditional release;
ii. put an immediate end to the use of arbitrary detention and abrogate 1974 State Security Law and all national laws which are not in compliance with international human rights standards;
iii. 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, January 18th, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Follow-up to Case BHR 150900
Geneva, 18th January 2001
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 and the Bahrain Human Rights Organization (BHRO) wish to express their grave concerns over the continuing arbitrary detention of a group of four political prisoners in Bahrain, held since January 1996 without charge or trial. They are: Abdul-Wahab Hussain, Shaikh Hassan Sultan, Hassan Musheima, and Sayyed Ibrahim Adnan al-Alawi. The four, all prominent figures, were arrested on 22 January 1996. Their arrest followed mass protests against the closure by security forces of a number of mosques where prominent opposition leaders, including the above-mentioned, had been peacefully calling on the government to restore the parliament and reinstate the 1973 constitution.
According to information from the BHRO, Abdul-Wahab Hussain, a member of the Committee for Popular Petition and opposition activist, was released on 17 March 2000 following an order by the State Security Court but was rearrested after spending an hour at home.
Other prominent leaders arrested at that time included Shaikh Abdul-Amir al-Jamri, Shaikh Ali Ashur, Shaikh Ali bin Ahmad al-Jeddhafsi, and Shaikh Hussain al-Daihi. Shaikh al-Jamri was pardoned and released in July 1999 after he had been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment, but he has been under house arrest since then, and was prevented from attending a funeral commemoration session after the death of his sister on 19 December 2000. Shaikh Ali bin Ahmad al-Jeddhafsi was released on 26 July 1999, after three and a half years of detention without charge or trial. Shaikh Ali Ashur was released at the beginning of September 2000 after more than four and a half years of detention without trial. Whereas Shaikh Hussain al-Daihi was released on 15 December 2000, but since then he has been under a threat from the government not to take part in any political activities. All four were required to sign statements apologizing for their past political activities and committing themselves not to be involved in any political or social activities in the future.
Abdul-Wahab Hussain and the other three prisoners still in detention have reportedly been put under pressure to sign similar statements but have so far refused to do so. In the last few months they have been placed in solitary confinement as a means of punishment for their rejection.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by the prolonged detention of Abdul-Wahab Hussain, Shaikh Hassan Sultan, Hassan Musheima, and Sayyed Ibrahim Adnan al-Alawi.
According to the BHRO, Bahrain's government maintained its policy of providing no information concerning the numbers or identities of persons arrested, tried, convicted, acquitted, or released under the State Security Law. According to the BHRO, there are many Bahrainis still in detention under the State Security Measures, which has been in force since October 1974. These measures empowers the Minister of the Interior to detain individuals without charge or trial for up to three years. This practice clearly violates international human rights standards and Bahrain’s constitution.
OMCT and BHRO have repeatedly called for the unconditional release of all political prisoners held in Bahrain, including the four men mentioned above.
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 the above-mentioned persons and order their immediate unconditional release;
ii. put an immediate end to the use of arbitrary detention and abrogate 1974 State Security Law and all national laws which are not in compliance with international human rights standards;
iii. 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, January 18th, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.