Bahrain: Fear of breach of Clients as well as BCHR Privacy resulting from copying information from his laptop and cell phone:
Ref: 08110700
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, is highly concerned about the new practice of targeting and harassing human Rights defenders, as the Bahrain Authorities apprehended Mr Mohammed Majeed Aljeshi at Bahrain International Airport during which his cell phone and laptop were confiscated in a clear intention of copying information.
Bahrain: Fear of breach of Clients as well as BCHR Privacy resulting from copying information from his laptop and cell phone:
Ref: 08110700
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, is highly concerned about the new practice of targeting and harassing human Rights defenders, as the Bahrain Authorities apprehended Mr Mohammed Majeed Aljeshi at Bahrain International Airport during which his cell phone and laptop were confiscated in a clear intention of copying information.
Mohammed Aljesshi is a lawyer who has been involved in defending many cases of detained human rights defenders during the last two years in cooperation with the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and the relatives of detainees.
Mohammed Aljeshi told BCHR that on Monday 3rd of November 2008, he was stopped at the immigration check point leaving Bahrain to Geneva to attend a special training on UN mechanism, and was surrounded by 5 security men in plain clothes. They took him by force to an isolated room, prevented him from using his mobile, and took away both his mobile and laptop for over an hour.
The men, who ar suspected to be members of the National Security Apparatus, were observed to be taken instructions over the phone from a higher authority. During the interrogation, Mr Aljishi was asked about his work as a lawyer and who planned his trip to Geneva.
In protest their unacceptable actions, Mr Aljishi refused to answer any question unless the security individuals reveal their identity and the reason behind what they did. They responed that they have instructions not to answer any questions and that he could ask the Public Relations at the Ministry of Interior when all of this had finished. One of them told Mr Aljishi that he is on a special security list.
After the interrogation, Mr Aljishi was given back his mobile and laptop, and was allowed to continue his trip. He noticed that reports in his laptop related to the BCHR were opened as well as a video film presented as evidence to the court case of five Human rights defenders, appealing against their prison sentence .
Mohammed told the BCHR that he had been under surveillance in the last few months and was once prevented from attending a court session, an incident strongly protested against by the Bahrain Bar Society. Mr Aljishi was never stopped or searched when leaving or coming back to the country.
BCHR contemplates that it might be the information, the security Authority thought he might have in relation to court cases or human rights network and activities that may have instigated this search and interrogation. “It is also a strong message to me and to other human rights defenders”, he said.
The BCHR calls for addressing the Bahraini Authorities that they:
1. Put an end to the surveillance and the systematic harassment of Human Rights activists in Bahrain.
2. Insure the protection of the privacy of human right activists, whether related to their personal information or that of their work with human rights organization.
3. Introduce a legislation to protect all human rights defenders on the basis of the UN declaration of Human Rights defenders.