Bahrain: UPDATE - Abdulhadi Al Khawaja and 13 other prisoners start hunger strikeposted on: 2012/01/30

On 29 January 2012 human rights defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja and 13 other prisoners, including prisoners of conscience and human rights defender Abduljalil Al Singace, started an open-ended hunger strike to protest against the arbitrary arrest of peaceful protesters and continued human rights violations in Bahrain.

Bahrain: National Day, 16 December, Free Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja – End the Violence against human rights defendersposted on: 2011/12/16

On the occasion of Bahrain's National Day Front Line Defenders renews its call for the release of human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-khawaja with the unveiling of a 2,500 square foot banner in St Stephen's Green in the centre of Dublin.

"It requires no commissions or lengthy deliberations to set free those who have been systematically tortured and denied a fair trial," said Front Line Defenders' Executive Director Mary Lawlor in Dublin today, as she called on King Hamad to free Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, the organisation's former Protection Coordinator for the Middle East who was sentenced to life imprisonment after a grossly unfair trial during which the judge refused to deal with the issue of his brutal torture while in custody.

"Front Line Defenders is also deeply concerned at reports received today of excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators during which Zainab Al-Khawaja, daughter of Abdulhad was arrested. We call for her immediate release", added Ms Lawlor.

This latest violent crackdown further underlines the urgent need for King Hamad and the Government of Bahrain to end the violent repression of human rights defenders and begin the process of reform.

King Hamad has made a commitment to implement significant political and social reforms in response to the findings of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Enquiry (BICI) report which confirmed the systematic torture of detainees and the denial of basic fair trial measures but there has been little progress on practical implementation until now.

“Front Line Defenders is calling on the King to release all human rights defenders currently in detention or facing charges on the basis of their peaceful activities,” said Ms Lawlor. "Sentences handed down against medical professionals following grossly unfair trials should also be quashed."

Front Line Defenders welcomed the publication of the BICI report and the Bahraini Government's proclaimed commitment to implement reforms to end torture. The Government has replaced the Head of National Security and instigated investigations into the behaviour of some low level officials. They have also sought to appoint a National Commission to implement the recommendations of the BICI report, however, until now they have not been able to get broad engagement with this process.

The brutal repression of regular protests has continued. “The credibility of King Hamad's commitment to reform is undermined by the continued detention of human rights defenders whose sentences were based on confessions extracted under torture and secret evidence which was not made available to the defence lawyers for rebuttal”, said Ms Lawlor.

A case in point is the 28 November hearing in the proceedings against the doctors (three of whom trained in the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin) who had been sentenced to prison terms of between 5 and fifteen years because of their work treating injured demonstrators. The hearing was adjourned as the prosecution attempted to introduce new evidence for the prosecution in breach of all accepted trial procedures.

“If King Hamad does not honour his commitment to reform his statements to date will be seen as mere public relations. The first step to establishing the credibility of his commitment is to order the release of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja”, concluded Ms Lawlor.

For further information please contact:

Jim Loughran, Head of Communications - Front Line Defenders

Tel +353 1 212 37 50 – Mob +353 (0)87 9377586

Bahrain: Appeal of doctors in Bahrain adjourned as prosecution attempts to introduce new evidence for the prosecution in breach of normal trial proceduresposted on: 2011/11/28

Front Line Defenders' Adam Shapiro was an observer today at the latest stage in the appeal by the 20 doctors and health professionals, including Irish trained Dr Ghassan Daif, Dr Basim Daif and Dr Ali Al Ekri, who were appealing against their sentences of between 5 and 15 years.

The appeal hearing resumed this morning at the courtroom of the Ministry of Justice in Manama, and ultimately was adjourned until 9 January.

As the appeal hearing got underway today the prosecution attempted to introduce new evidence which had never been presented in the original hearing. “The court proceedings today gave a strong indication that the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) led by Professor Cherif Bassiouni was having little impact on the proceedings.

Despite finding that the medics, among others, were subject to unfair trial practices, and despite a commitment by the Public Prosecutor to uphold standards of fair trial, what transpired in the courtroom amounted to a virtual side show” said Adam Shapiro.

After Dr.

Bahrain: Response by Lawyers for Bahraini Medics to the Fact Sheet Issued by Public Prosecutor on 23 Oct. 2011posted on: 2011/10/26

Response by the lawyers for the Bahraini medics, attached below (in English and Arabic), to the Fact Sheet distributed by the Public Prosecutor.

Bahrain: Front Line's Andrew Anderson highlights the denial of justice in the trial of Abdulhadi Al Khawajaposted on: 2011/10/19

Bahrain's rulers condemn themselves by sentencing my friend to life in prison

Abdulhadi Al Khawaja is a dear friend and former colleague who worked with us at Front Line up until February this year coordinating our work with human rights defenders in the Middle East and North Africa. Today a military court in Bahrain sentenced him to life imprisonment on 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”.

Further Information

The Bahraini Government has been trying to repress the protests which broke out in February calling for democracy and human rights and an end to corruption. They have also repeatedly insisted they are in favour of dialogue and reform and that the evidence of the killings of peaceful protesters and the torture of detainees was fabricated.

Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on the recent trials in Bahrainposted on: 2011/10/10

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, issued the following statement on 30 September 2011:

Bahrain: Cautious welcome for announcement of new trial for medical professionals, but concern mounts for welfare of prisoners denied medical treatmentposted on: 2011/10/10

Following the international outcry over the sentencing of 20 medical professionals to sentences ranging from 5 to 15 years the Attorney General of Bahrain has announced that the medics will now have a new trial before a civilian court.