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Bahrain: Front Line Defenders calls for the release of Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and Zainab Alkhawaja as well as end to violence against peaceful protestorsposted on: 2011/12/20

Front Line Defenders today renews its call for the release of Abdulhadi Alkhawaja currently serving a life sentence after an unfair trial. The organisation also expresses its concern at the violent arrest of peaceful demonstrators including Abdulhadi's daughter Zainab Alkhawaja who is currently in detention amid serious concerns for her well being.

Bahrain: Human rights defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja receives life sentence after unfair trial marred by serious and credible allegations of tortureposted on: 2011/06/23

Former Front Line Protection Coordinator for the Middle East and prominent member of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja was sentenced to life imprisonment on 22 June 2011 by a military court in Bahrain. Front Line deplores and condemns the life sentence passed and the sentences handed down to the other 20 activists at the same court sitting including the 15 year prison sentence passed in absentia on blogger and founder of Bahrainonline.org Ali Abdulemam and calls for both men to be acquitted. Abdulhadi Al Khawaja was viciously assaulted and arrested on 9 April 2011and since his arrest he has been reportedly subjected to torture, ill treatment and attempted sexual assault. Fair trial procedures have been grossly and continuously violated throughout his detention and court hearings.

Bahrain: Violence, harassment and intimidation of human rights defendersposted on: 2011/05/31

Human right defenders in Bahrain are being subjected to ongoing violence, harassment and intimidation. The latest spate of attacks on human rights defenders in the country have included malicious interrogation by the office of the military prosecution of Mr Abdulla Al-Derazi, the Secretary General of Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS); the imposition of a travel ban on Mr 'Issa Al-Ghayeb, the Deputy Secretary General of BHRS, and lawyer Mr 'Issa Ibrahim, BHRS board member; and a dawn attack by tear gas on the house of Mr Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) and vice-president of FIDH (International Federation for Human Rights).

Bahrain: Attack on the medical profession as doctors and nurses are arrested, detained, abducted and ill-treatedposted on: 2011/05/26

The medical profession in Bahrain has been targeted by the authorities following the recent protests calling for political reform in the Kingdom. On 3 May 2011, the Military Public Prosecution charged 24 doctors and 23 nurses and paramedics of various offences based on "investigation results" and "confessions of some of the defendants". Serious violations against the medical profession in contravention of Bahraini and international standards have included arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, abduction, beating and verbal abuse. Scores of medical personnel have been held in incommunicado detention during which they were reportedly tortured and ill-treated apparently to force them to confess to charges leveled against them.

Bahrain: Unfair trial and refusal to investigate alleged torture and attempted sexual assault of Mr Abdulhadi Alkhawajaposted on: 2011/05/19

Following reports of torture including an attempted rape against former Front Line Protection Coordinator Abdulhadi Alkhawaja there are grave concerns that his health and even his life may be in danger. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja is currently on trial as part of a group of 21 individuals facing a variety of charges including ”organising and managing a terrorist organisation” and “attempt to overthrow the government by force and in liaison with a terrorist organisation working for a foreign country”. Front Line considers his trial proceedings to fall grossly short of international fair trial standards.

Bahrain: Serious concerns about torture and fair trial of former Front Line Protection Coordinator Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja after initial hearingposted on: 2011/05/09

Front Line expressed its shock and horror at the physical condition of its former Protection Coordinator Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja when he was presented for trial in Manama on Sunday 8 May 2011. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja had visibly been brutally beaten and had reportedly been taken to the military hospital to undergo a 4-hour operation during his period in incommunicado detention. Witnesses to the opening of the trial process reported he bore the evidence of having endured severe torture. He was reportedly the victim of 4 fractures to the side of his face and continues to have problems eating.

Further Information

Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was one of 21 individuals presented for trial charged with a variety of charges including ”organising and managing a terrorist organisation” and “attempt to overthrow the government by force and in liaison with a terrorist organisation working for a foreign country.”

Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and was until February 2011 employed by Front Line as its Middle East and North Africa Protection Coordinator.

Bahrain: Arrest and detention of human rights lawyer Mr Mohammed Al-Tajirposted on: 2011/04/18

On 15 April 2011, human rights lawyer Mr Mohammed Al-Tajir was arrested at his home by Bahraini police officers. Mohammed Al-Tajir is a prominent defence lawyer who has worked with more than 25 lawyers to defend human rights defenders and political activists held in incommunicado detention during the ongoing crackdown. He was one of the lead lawyers involved in the trial of 23 opposition and rights activists arrested during security sweeps last August and September and accused under Bahrain's counter-terrorism laws.

Bahrain - Fear of torture of human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Alkhawaja while in incommunicado detentionposted on: 2011/04/12

On 9 April 2011, human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was arrested and beaten unconscious by police in Al-Manama, Bahrain. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a former Protection Co-ordinator for Front Line and former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR). His current whereabouts, along with that of two of his sons-in-law, remains unknown and he is believed to be at high risk of torture.

Bahrain: Fear of torture of human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Alkhawaja while in incommunicado detentionposted on: 2011/04/11

On 9 April 2011, human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was arrested and beaten unconscious by police in Al-Manama, Bahrain. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a former Protection Co-ordinator for Front Line and former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR). His current whereabouts, along with that of two of his sons-in-law, remains unknown and he is believed to be at high risk of torture.

Bahrain: Beating and arrest of human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Alkhawajaposted on: 2011/04/09

On 9 April 2011, human rights defender Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was arrested and beaten unconscious by police in Al-Manama, Bahrain. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a former Protection Co-ordinator for Front Line and former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR). His current whereabouts, along with that of two of his sons-in-law, remains unknown and he is believed to be at high risk of torture.

Bahrain: Widespread crackdown on human rights defendersposted on: 2011/04/05

Over the past two weeks, human rights defenders in Bahrain have been subjected to an intensifying campaign of arrests, raids, threats and harassment as the authorities have cracked down on dissent following large-scale pro-democracy protests in February 2011.

Bahrain - Arrest and detention of human rights defender Mr Mahmood Al-Yousifposted on: 2011/03/31

On 30 March 2011, human rights defender Mr Mahmood Al-Yousif was arrested at his home in Duraz, Manama. His current whereabouts remains unknown. Mahmood Al-Yousif, a 50 year-old father of three, is an IT businessman and is a prominent blogger who has written extensively in favour of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Bahrain. He is also administrator of a website named 'Just Bahraini', which campaigns for unity between the Shia and Sunni communities in Bahrain under the slogan “Not Shia, Not Sunni, Just Bahraini”.

Bahrain: Death threats against human rights defenders Messrs Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Mohammed Al-Maskati and Naji Fateelposted on: 2011/03/11

Since 10 March 2011, human rights defenders Messrs Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Mohammed Al-Maskati and Naji Fateel have been subjected to death threats and allegations of treason.

Further Information

Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was until February 2011 the regional Protection Coordinator with Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, and is a former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights; Mohammed Al-Maskati is the President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), and Naji Fateel is a member of the Board of Directors of BYSHR. All three human rights defenders have been the subjects of several previous Front Line Urgent Appeals.

It is reported that since 10 March 2011, a number of messages have been circulated via SMS and social networking sites calling for Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Mohammed Al-Maskati and Naji Fateel to be killed. One such message reportedly read “These are the instigators of disorder and who have organized the movements of sabotage and leaders who are insisting on going to the Royal Court on Friday. The Heads of agitation and disorder in our beloved Bahrain need to be killed and liquidated.

Bahreïn: Des défenseur-ses des droits humains attaqué-es lors de la répression policière contre des manifestants pacifiquesposted on: 2011/02/18

Tôt dans la matinée du 17 février 2011, plusieurs défenseur-ses des droits humains qui s’informaient sur les violations des droits humains, y compris des membres de la Bahrain Youth Society for Human rights (BYSHR) et du Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), ont été agressé-es lors d’attaques perpétrées au hasard contre des personnes qui participaient aux manifestations qui se déroulent actuellement au Bahreïn.

Informations Complémentaires

Des sources proches de Front Line indiquent que le 17 février 2011 vers 03h00, les Forces Spéciales de Sécurité du Bahreïn ont lancé une attaque contre un groupe important de manifestants pacifiques rassemblés place de la Perle à Manama, utilisant des gaz lacrymogènes, des balles en caoutchouc et des fusils de chasse.

Les forces de sécurité ont attendu que les manifestants, dont nombre d’entre eux campaient sur la place, s’endorment, avant de lancer une attaque au hasard sur la foule, depuis le pont qui fait face à la place de la Perle.

Bahrain: Human rights defenders attacked during fatal police crackdown on peaceful protestersposted on: 2011/02/17

Early in the morning of 17 February 2011, a number of human rights defenders documenting human rights violations, including members of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human rights (BYSHR) and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), were assaulted during alleged indiscriminate attacks against individuals taking part in the ongoing protests in Bahrain.

Further Information

Information received by Front Line indicates that on 17 February 2011 at approximately 3am, the Bahrain special security forces launched an attack on the large group of peaceful protesters who had gathered at Pearl roundabout in Al-Manama, using teargas, rubber bullets and shotguns.

It is alleged that the security forces waited for the protesters, many of whom were camping at the roundabout, to fall asleep before launching indiscriminate attacks on the crowd from the bridge that faces the Pearl roundabout. Protesters, including women and children, ran for cover only to be confronted and attacked by more police coming from the opposite direction.

The police are reportedly continuing to attack anyone who may appear at the Pearl roundabout.