BCHR: Crackdown on Activists In Bahrain Continues

Arrests On The Streets
Breaking Into Homes: Terrorizing Women and Children – Confiscation of Computers
Incommunicado Detention: Preventing Family Visits
Preventing Lawyers from Attending Interrogations
Reports Of Beating and Torture During Arrest and Investigation

A Report by: The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
24 December 2007 (Updated)

The arrest campaign that the Special Security Forces (SSF) in Bahrain started in 17 December continues. It was reported today, that Mohammed Al-Tattan, from Jidhafs, was arrested at 4:00 am. Prior to that, Ahmad Jaffar Ali, aged 28, from Jidhafs, a former member of “The Unemployment Committee” was arrested. In the middle of the night, the SSF broke into his apartment and to three other apartments belonging to his mother and two brothers. The apartments were searched by a large number of the SSF who were dressed in civilian clothes and black masks. They were pointing their guns at the tenants including Ahmad Jaffar’s mother, wife and two 7 and 8 years old daughters. The activist’s private papers and computers were confiscated as well as his family’s. This was preceded by the arrest of other members of The Unemployment Committee, of those: Haytham Bader Jassim AlSheikh, aged 31, and Nader Ali Ahmad Al-Salatna, aged 35. Nader’s brother, Hussain, told the BCHR that both him and his brother were insulted and beaten, the house was ransacked and the official computer of the Unemployment Committee was confiscated. Private computers and personal items were also confiscated during the arrest of other activists.

Activists from various other groups were also arrested, amongst them: Naji Ali Fateel, aged 32, a prominent member of the Bahraini Youth Society for Human Rights. Also, Mohammed Abdullah Al-Sengais, aged 40, the head of The Committee to Combat High Prices, and Abdullah Mohsen Abdullah Saleh, 30 years old, the former elected president of the Unemployment Committee. Isa Abdullah Al-Sarah, aged 20, a member of the Islamic Action Society was also amongst the activists arrested after he was dragged out of his car and beaten on the main road beside Burger Land restaurant. This was done by seven masked security men, dressed in civilian clothes, this is according to eyewitnesses, amongst them the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights.

Najji Ali Fateel, 32 years, an active member of Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and closely related activist to the BCHR documentation team, was seen leaving the Public Prosecutors office after officials at the office bluntly rejected family members claims that he was at the Public Prosecutors office. The BCHR Legal Coordinator had coincidently met Mr. Fateel briefly before he was taken away and describes him as looking fatigued and incoherent. He was still, after two days of arrests and despite the increasingly cold weather still dressed in the undershirt he was arrested in. Family members have still been unable to meet Mr. Fateel.(You-tube video of Mr. Fateel leaving the Public Prosecutors Office )

The aforementioned arrests took place after security clashes that broke out as a result of the death of one of the participants on December 17, 2007 in a demonstration that was demanding truth and equity for victims of Torture. The death of Ali Jassim Mekki, aged 30 years, was due to the use of excessive force by the security forces . The authorities have apparently taken advantage of the unrest to wage a crackdown on activists that have connections with public protests during the last few years in regard to economic and social rights and restrictions on freedoms.

In an unprecedented manner, the use of special armed and masked militia forces has been documented . Not only are they used to disperse protests and to track down participants and physically abuse them, but also to break into homes and destroy properties and terrorize women and children while carrying out arrests. The majority of these forces speak in Pakistani language or Yemeni, Syrian or Iraqi dialect. They did not in any of the previous cases show any warrants of arrest or inspection.

Although a week has past since the arrest of the detainees, only seven detainees have been granted a 3 minute meeting after protests and threats that the families would not leave. The meetings were brief and attended by members of the Public Prosecutors office. The families complained that the activists were not given a chance to speak about anything relevant. Some family members complained to the BCHR that the defendants looked tired, had not eaten and one mother came out shouting that her son had been beaten. Until the publication of this report the BCHR has not learnt that any other detainee has been granted permission to meet their families or their lawyers. All detainees were brought to the Public Prosecution Office in a disclosed manner and their lawyers were prevented from attending investigation. Reports has been received from the families regarding transporting some of the detainees to the Military Hospital due to reported beating and torture. Some families complained that the security authorities deny the presence of their missing sons in custody so the families say that do not know whether they are alive or dead.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its deep concern regarding all the stated violations, and calls upon all concerned to protect human rights and to embark upon the following:
– to guarantee that arrests are carried out in integrity and legal manner up to the International standards
– To insure the safety of the activists. The refusal of the Public Prosecutors Office to let family members meet the activists in addition to the recent video of Mr. Fateel, is worrisome and raises questions as to the well being and treatment of the activists
– To halt the attacks on individuals and members of activists families, the violation of the privacy of activists and other detainees and to call for an end to the destruction and confiscation of personal properties or information documents and equipments
– To cease the systematic targeting of activists in defamation campaigns and arbitrary arrests in order to suit an underlying agenda of attempting to intimidate them and halt their activities
– To allow families and lawyers to meet the detainees from the beginning of the arrest to ensure their safety and rights
– To release the detainees immediately, or to issue formal charges that do not contradict international standards
– To stop the use of excessive force against peaceful activities and the work of human rights defenders, and to reform the strictive laws related to civil liberties
– To put an end to the use of civilian militias and request a proper investigation into claims of their abuses.

Attachment: a list of detainees according the information received as well.

For further reference and information, please contact:
Abdul-Hadi Al-Khawaja – Phone no.: +97339400720 – email: abdulhadi61@hotmail.com

The List of Names of Detainees in Bahrain during the Last Seven days
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights – 24 December 2007

(The BCHR has interviewed some of the relatives and is documenting the majority of the cases)
Due to the lack of transparency on the Public Prosecutor part the list is not yet Finalized

No. Name Area Age Date/Time of Arrest Other Details
1 Mohammed Abdullah Al Sengais Sanabes – house 76 40 2:15 – 21/12/2007  They searched for him at his home in the morning but no one was there, they arrested him in his parents’ home.
 Criminal investigations – Adliya
2 Naji Ali Fateel Bani Jamra 32 8:50 am – 21/12/2007  Member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights
 He was arrested at his house
 Criminal Investigations – Adliya
3 Akbar Jaffar Jassim Jidhafs 19 18/12/2007  Was beaten harshly
4 Saeed Ali Janusan 21/12/2007
5 Hussein Khalil Ibrahim Jabalat Habshi 23 Almost 4:30
21/12/2007 He was arrested at his house
6 Mohammed Khalil Al-Madoob Jabalat Habshi 27 Almost 4:30 – 21/12/2007 He was arrested at his house
7 Hussein Ali Mansoor Al-Bash Mussala 18 21/12/2007
8 Mahmood Avon Hasan Malkiya 19
9 Hisham Jassim Malkiya 15
10 Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal Hamala 26 4 am – 21/12/2007  There is a filming of entering his house by force
 Member of the committee of the unemployed people
 Criminal investigations – Adliya
11 Khalil Ibrahim Mirza Al-Meshemea Hajjar 26  Qudhaibiya and then Nuaim police stations
12 Osama Ahmad Abdullah Rabea Naim 33 4 am – 21/12/2007  His whereabout is unknown yet
13 Sadiq Ali Abdullah Al-Mutawa Malkiya 15 8 pm – 15/12/2007  Hamad Town – was arrested on the main road in Malkiya with four others
14 Isa Abdullah Al-Sarah Bani Jamra 25 5 pm – 22/12/2007  He was arrested after making him step out of his car and beating him on the main road beside Burger Land. 7 masked security forces dressed in civil clothes
 Member of Amal Society
15 Abdullah Mohsen Abdullah Saleh Isa Town 30 8 am – 21/12/2007  The former elected president for The Committee Of The Unemployed
 Criminal Investigations – Adliya
16 Hasan Ahmad Nasser Juma Sitra – Mhaza 21 8 pm – 17/12/2007  Arrested in Sitra
 Transported to the Central Stations
17 Ibrahim Khalaf Ibrahim Malkiya 28 8 pm – 15/12/2007  Arrested in Malkiya, roundabout 17
18 Hasan Ali Abdullah Malkiya 28 8 pm – 15/12/2007  Arrested in Malkiya, roundabout 17
19 Ali Kadhim Saed Malkiya 15 8 pm – 15/12/2007  Arrested in Malkiya, roundabout 17
20 Ibrahim Abdullah Maki Dalal Karrana 
21 Mahmood Dar Kulaib
22 Sayed Ali Mohammed Saed Mohammed Sihla 21 9 pm – 17/12/2007 International Hospital
23 Mohammed Al-Tattan Jidhafs 4 am – 24/12/2007
24 Ghasan Ali Bu Madan Bu-Quwa/Sihla 18 17/12/2007  Arrested in Daih – International Hospital
 He was not participating, but only passing by – Budayea Station
25 Nader Ali Ahmad Al-Salatna Sanabes 35
26 Mohammed Maki Tareef Sanabes
27 Hussein Shaker Mohammed Fardan Shaker Bani Jamra 35 11:30 pm – 22/12/2007  Arrested at his house
28 Hussein Jaffar Tareef Sanabes 20 23/12/2007  Arrested at his house after breaking and destroying
29 Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh Isa Town 31 5 pm – 21/12/2007  Member in the committee of the unemployed people
 Arrested at his house and had his computer (laptop) confiscated
 Criminal Investigations – Adliya
30 Salman Abdul Adhim Salman Shakoora 22 17/12/2007- demonstration
Sanabes  They asked about him in the central station and they told him he was not there
31 Ahmad AbdulHadi Ahmad Mahdi Salman Mugshae 17  Detained – his family asked about him in the investigations and the station but without any trace, he was found in the police station and was arrested because of the incidents
32 Ahmad Jaffar Mohammed Ali Daih 28 11:30 pm – 23/12/2007  Member in the committee of unemployed people
 They took the computers that were at his house
 He was arrested in front of his mother, wife and daughter
33 Abdullah Saleh Isa Town
34 Majid Salman Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Haddad Daih/Jedhafs 22 2 pm – 22/12/2007  His house was blockaded
 Place of arrest: Sar roundabout
35 Sadiq Maki Jidhafs
36 Mohammed Saed Abdul-Aziz Jannosan 21/12/2007 Place of arrest: Al-Sadiq Mosque
37 Hussein Abbas Hussein Mansoor Hajjar 29 17/12/2007
38 Hasan Mansoor  Khamis Station
39 Saleh Mahdi Salman Demestan 31
40 Mohammed Hasan Yousif Demestan 35
41 Ahmad Saeed Ahmad Demestan 18

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