Saudis must abandon AlNimr crucifixion, fatigue plagues Alkhalifa regime

UN human rights experts and many international NGOs have called on the Saudi regime to halt the proposed crucifixion of Ali AlNimr. The teenager was condemned to death for joining anti-regime protests; his sentence was ratified last week. Saudis have been beheading opponents under false pretexts; a practice that has been embraced by ISIS and other Saudi-backed terrorist groups. Mr AlNimr's mother has appealed for intervention to spare the boy’s life. On another front, the Saudi-led aggression on Yemen is gradually becoming a quagmire for the invaders as they sustain more losses and less successes. Alongside the mounting human and territorial losses, their economies are rapidly declining and the world’s public opinion is fast turning against them. The announcement by the Alkhalifa rulers of a severe austerity programme is the beginning of comprehensive defeat of the aggressors and hereditary despots. Last week Bahrain’s dictator was forced into conceding defe at by announcing what he called “smaller government” led by his uncle and son with the task of imposing serious cuts in various sectors. Bahrain’s people have accused him and his clique of financial and political corruption. The Saudis are now plagued by reduced oil revenues and formidable foes both inside and outside the country. It is the beginning of the end of one of bleakest eras of Arab history dominated by the most corrupt and despotic regimes in the world.

Yesterday Alkhalifa regime’s forces snatched under-aged Hassan Mohammad Hassan while conducting cruel home raids. He faces the prospects of torture and possible liquidation as he had been on the run for long period. Under-aged Sayed Shubbar Alawi was also detained by foreign-staffed security forces. On 17th September Ibrahim Jaffar, from Sitra AlKharijiya, was arrested. From Bilad Al Qadeem, Khalil Al Saffar was taken away by masked members of regime’s Death Squads. For the past week the prisoners of Wing 10 of the notorious Jaw Prison have been on hunger strike to protest the ill-treatment and cruel torture. Four months ago they were subjected to horrific treatment when they went on strike. Several names of torturers have been exposed and legal processes have begun to bring them to justice.

The most outrageous crime was committed on 17th September against under-aged Ali AlMahoozi at Jaw Prison. He was set upon by the Jordanian police who have committed horrendous crimes against native Bahrainis. Many inmates were subjected to severe torture, including beating and inserting sharp instruments in the bodies of prisoners. Inmates at the Dry Dock torture centre were also –ill-treated and they staged hunger strike especially those at Wing 17. Meanwhile the eldest prisoner, Mohammad Hassan Jawad Parwiz, 70, has been transferred to hospital after his condition had deteriorated due to ill-treatment. He has been suffering torture and harassment, with little medical care. He was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for joining the Revolution.

The UK Government said that there were 62 Bahraini nationals granted asylum or other form of protection in the UK from January 2011 to March 2015, based on initial decisions for main applicants. The figure provided is published in the Immigration Statistics Release by the Home Office.

In another worrying development to the Alkhalifa regime, British-Bahraini citizen Jaafar Al-Hasabi has filed a criminal complaint against the Alkhalifa regime’s attorney general in Switzerland over torture allegations. Al-Hasabi was tortured by government forces in Bahrain in 2010. Attorney General Ali Bin Fadhul Al-Buainain attended a conference in Switzerland and activists have urged the country's authorities to take the complaint seriously. “The Swiss authorities have the opportunity to show they take the UN Convention against Torture seriously and to apply their national law accordingly,” Wolfgang Kaleck, general-secretary of the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights told Reuters. “Opening an investigation into the role of the Bahraini attorney general and calling him for questioning would send a clear message against torture and in support of the principle of universal jurisdiction,” he added. Four activist groups urged Swiss prosecutors to take up the politically sensitive case.

Bahraini human rights activist Maryam Al-Khawaja, the director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, has condemned the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) for entering into contracts with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain despite their record on human rights. She also criticised the UK government saying “Britain is the largest obstacle to human rights being upheld in Bahrain.” In 2010, the SQA signed a deal with Bahrain to help to develop the education sector, shortly before a pro-democracy uprising. In 2013, it emerged that another contract had been signed. Last month, the SQA was advertising for people to work on a project in Saudi Arabia, a regime that has also been condemned for human rights violations.

Bahrain Freedom Movement
23rd September 2015

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