All News items from Bahrain

Bahrain: Media harassment campaign against BCHR and its president Nabeel Rajab

Posted on 2009/11/25

Front Line is deeply concerned that the BCHR and its president, human rights defender Nabeel Rajab are being subjected to a media harassment campaign which started on the 13th of November 2009 following the publication of a BCHR report in relation to human rights organisations that allegedly are linked to the government of Bahrain. Read More

Bahrain: "The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights welcomes release of 178 activists"

Posted on 2009/04/14

"The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) welcome the initiative of the Bahrain authorities to release 178 activists and human rights defenders, considering it a step in the right direction and hoping that none of the detainees had been excluded. The BCHR and the BYSHR congratulate the released citizens and their parents, and would like to thank everyone who participated, since December 2007 until now, in acting to release those detainees" Read More

Bahrain: Release of human rights defender Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh while others remain in prison

Posted on 2009/04/09

Front Line welcomes the release of human rights defender,Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh, from prison on April 3, 2009 after he received a pardon from King of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa because of serious deterioration in Maytham's health conditions while in prison.He had been detained among eleven human rights defenders arrested by the Special Security Forces (SFF) between 21 and 28 December 2007, following demonstrations in Manama on 17 December 2007. Read More

Bahrain: Human rights activists facing lengthy jail time amid crackdown on free expression

Posted on 2009/03/19

In a joint statement issued by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), Human Rights Watch and ARTICLE 19 the organisations expressed their concern about the deteriorating situation for human rights defenders in Bahrain. "Blogs and social networking websites have been censored, union leaders have been slapped with defamation suits and human rights activists are facing up to 10 years or even life in prison" said the statement. Read More

Bahrain: Deteriorating situation for human rights defenders

Posted on 2009/03/02

Human rights defenders in Bahrain are facing increasing repression. The authorities have sought to target independent human rights defenders and their organisations and restrict human rights activities. Human rights defenders have been subjected to intimidation, arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, fabricated judicial proceedings, threats and harassment. In 2009 human rights defenders in Bahrain are clearly facing a series of severe violations of their legitimate rights to promote, protect, and defend human rights in Bahrain. Read More

Bahrain: Increasing restrictions on the activities of human rights defenders

Posted on 2009/02/03

Human rights defenders in Bahrain are facing increasing restrictions on their activities. The authorities have sought to target independent human rights organisations including the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and restrict human rights activities. Human Rights defenders have been subjected to arbitrary detention, torture and ill-treatment, fabricated judicial proceedings, threats and harassment. Read More

Bahrain: Harassment of woman human rights defender, Ghada Jamsheer

Posted on 2009/01/17

Front Line is deeply concerned following information received regarding an alleged harassment campaign against Ghada Jamsheer, a woman human rights defender. Ghada Jamsheer is the president of the Women's Petition Committee, an organisation which campaigns for the rights and dignity of women in the shari'ah family courts.

While Ghada Jamsheer was attending the AWID (Association for Women's Rights in Development) conference in South Africa between 14 and 17 November 2008, her home was reportedly entered by a state security agent and detailed photographs were taken. Her house phone, mobile phone, and email account are reportedly under surveillance and received many threatening SMS.Ghada Jamsheer and her family have also been threatened and followed in a car, while members of security in civilian clothes have been sent to her house to shout at her with abusive language. Read More

Bahrain: Human Rights Defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja interrogated and released on bail

Posted on 2009/01/10

Front Line has been informed that Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and now Protection Coordinator for the Middle East at Front Line (excluding Bahrain), has been interrogated for several hours at the Public Prosecutors Office (PPO) in Bahrain on 9 January 2009.

He was questioned for five hours about his human rights activities and then released on bail. He was instructed not to change his address - which could mean that the authorities may take another action against Mr Al-Khawaja. Read More

Bahrain: Travel ban on human rights defender, Abdulghani Al-Khanjar

Posted on 2008/12/03

Front Line is concerned following reports received of a travel ban imposed on human rights defender, Abdulghani Al-Khanjar who was refused entry to Qatar at Doha Airport on 2 December 2008. Read More

Bahrain: Human Rights Defenders ar risk.

Posted on 2007/08/07

Prior to a meeting in the United Kingdom's House of Lords in London to discuss the human rights situation in Bahrain, Front Line is issuing a statement sumarising our concerns re the situation of human rights defenders. Read More

Bahrain: Ongoing harassment of human rights defender

Posted on 2007/07/13

Since 1 July 2007, human rights defender and Vice-President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), Nabeel Ahmed Rajab has faced ongoing harassment and has been followed by civilian vehicles on a daily basis to and from his home Read More

Ongoing harassment of Bahraini human rights defenders

Posted on 2007/02/05

State security forces arrested the chair of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Abdulhadi Al-khawaja and the Secretary General of the HAQ Movement for Liberty and Democracy, Hasan Mushaima on 2 February 2007. Abdulhadi Al-khawaja’s arrest is the latest in a pattern of persecution at the hands of the Bahrain authorities. Read More

Human Rights Defender prevented by Security Service from Entering Egypt

Posted on 2007/01/31

Arab and Egyptian Human Rights Organizations condemn the prevention of Bahraini Human Rights Activist by Security Service from Entering Egypt

Cairo - 31 January 2007

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) and Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (APHRA) condemn the prevention of Mohamed Al-Maskati, human rights activist and Director of Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) from entering Egypt today. The Cairo Airport Security Service held Al-Maskati in custody for more than 12 hours at the airport before he was deported back to Bahrain.

Al-Maskati (20 years-old) arrived at Cairo airport early this morning to participate in the seminar titled "The Role of Youth in Supporting Freedoms and Democracy" which is to be hold by BYSHR and APHRA today. Read More

Human rights defenders in Bahrain discussed in UK House of Lords

Posted on 2006/12/18

The increasing repression faced by human rights defenders in Bahrain was discussed at a seminar in the UK House of Lords on 18 December 2006. The speakers included; Mrs. Ghada Jamsheer, President of the Women's Petition Committee, who discussed the situation with regard to women's rights in Bahrain. Jamsheer has repeatedly faced fabricated legal charges including "insulting the judiciary" as a result of her work to press for the rights of women in Bahrain's family courts. Front Line Deputy Director, Andrew Anderson, spoke of the pattern of threats, harassment, fabricated legal charges, torture and detention faced by human rights defenders who have dared to speak out about human rights in Bahrain. He stated that it was particularly ironic that Bahrain was repressing human rights defenders and trying to close down the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights at a time when it sits on the UN Human Rights Council.

Concern over Bahrain’s new anti terror bill

Posted on 2006/08/01

2 August 2006

A new anti terror law that is awaiting final ratification by the king of Bahrain, King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah, could place restrictions on the activities of human rights defenders in Bahrain, specifically their defense of the rights of freedom of expression and association.

The parliament of Bahrain has already approved the “protecting society from terrorists acts” bill and has so far ignored calls to review the law by Martin Scheinin, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.

Director of Front Line, Mary Lawlor said: “it is worrying that Bahrain is disregarding international concerns about this proposed law especially since Bahrain is a member of the new UN Human Rights Council.” Read More