Accusations Made by Authorities against Prominent Human Rights Activists

Bahrain:

Setting a Police Car Ablaze and Weapon Theft:

Accusations Made by Authorities against Prominent Human Rights Activists

Manama- 25th December, 2007

BH000313

Arrest of Human Rights Activists/ Inhuman and Cruel Treatment/ False Accusations

Bahrain:

Setting a Police Car Ablaze and Weapon Theft:

Accusations Made by Authorities against Prominent Human Rights Activists

Manama- 25th December, 2007

BH000313

Arrest of Human Rights Activists/ Inhuman and Cruel Treatment/ False Accusations

The Bahraini Interior Ministry assistant under-secretary for legal affairs made public a statement (1) – published by the official Media Agency- highlighting that those individuals who the Security Forces arrested after breaking into their houses are not political or human rights activists, but a group of people involved in the incidents that took place on the 20th of December 2007, by setting a police car ablaze and stealing weapons from the car.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights is surprised by the Interior minister’s statement regarding the people they arrested from their homes, destroying everything inside, confiscating laptops, mobiles and some of their files.

The Bahraini security forces had arrested prominent human rights activists and they are members in the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights – a non-governmental organization – and which contributed in training youth in human rights field, as well as establishing the organization. Also, one of its center’s is “Youth Center for Non-Violence” and which is concerned with educating youth from different areas in international mechanism.

The arrest of the activist “Naji Fateel” (2) and “Nader Al-Salatna” (3) and they are prominent members in the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (4), is a violation of the Declaration of the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, issued by the United Nations.

The information received by the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights regarding the condition of the activists Fateel and Al-Salatna confirms their exposure to cruel and inhumane treatment during their detention in the criminal investigation building.

The information received notes that the activist Fateel was taken to the Military Hospital due to his poor health condition because of the use of cruel treatment and lack of sleep.

The video (5) shows the condition of the activist Fateel when he was taken from the criminal investigation building to the public prosecution, and the tape showed that he was still dressed in his sleeping clothes – the security forces refused to let him wear his clothes before arresting him – he suffers from cruel treatment during the continuous investigation process with no rest or sleep.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights urges the Bahraini authorities to end any action that harasses human rights defenders in the country and especially towards the activists Fateel and Al-Salatna, in order to adhere to the provisions of the Declaration of Human Rights Defenders issued by the United Nations. The Society calls upon regional and international organizations to appeal to the authorities to release the human rights activists and to provide legal protection for them to practice their work freely in order to serve the human rights field both nationally and regionally.

Notes:

1. refer to the interior ministry’s report at the official news agency (BNA) regarding “the involvement of criminals and not politicians”

http://www.bna.bh/?tim=23-12-2007&ID=119449

2. Naji Fateel: a member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights and a member of the Youth Center for Non-Violence and which calls for using civil means to demand rights. He participated in a conference about freedom of civil institutions (Egypt). He participated in a regional course to train in human rights (Bahrain). He participated in a training course on how to create electronic blogs and to use them for human rights defense. Also, he participated in a course regarding the establishment of the truth and reconciliation and equity body in Bahrain with the participation of experts from the International Center for Transitional Justice.

3. Nader Al-Salatna: a member in the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights and a member of the Youth Center for Non-Violence and which calls for using civil means to demand rights. He contributed in the Society in organizing courses about human rights for youth from different areas of Bahrain. He also participated in a course about how to use cameras in the defense of human rights (Bahrain – organized by Witness organization). He participated in a course regarding the establishment of the truth and reconciliation and equity body in Bahrain with the participation of experts from the International Center for Transitional Justice.

4. Attached is a picture that shows the participation of the activists Fateel and Al-Salatna in “The Youth Center for Non-Violence” activities.

5. Video: