Using tear gas, rubber bullets and all means of force, Bahraini Special Forces (BSF) fiercely attacked the residents of village of Sanabis in an attempt to suppress a demonstration started from within the village after being banned from being launched from its declared position. The sponsoring group of the event composed of fourteen well known scholars, political, human rights activists publically called for a peaceful demonstration to be held last Friday. The demonstration is to call for cleansing the Bahraini prisons from all political and human rights defenders.
Using tear gas, rubber bullets and all means of force, Bahraini Special Forces (BSF) fiercely attacked the residents of village of Sanabis in an attempt to suppress a demonstration started from within the village after being banned from being launched from its declared position. The sponsoring group of the event composed of fourteen well known scholars, political, human rights activists publically called for a peaceful demonstration to be held last Friday. The demonstration is to call for cleansing the Bahraini prisons from all political and human rights defenders.
Three days before the event, the sponsoring group informed the Authorities of its call and passed a written notification to the Capital Security Authorities who refused to receive it.
An hour before the event, the BSF, armed and outnumbered, besieged the location where the demonstration should launch, preventing any body from coming close. Protestors then gathered in the nearby village of Sanabis and initiated a demonstration, towards the other end of the village, away from the location of the BSF. The security forces fiercely attacked the demonstration as it reached the main road, and showered it with rubber bullets and tear gas. Protestors reverted to the village main center, but the BSF chased them into Sanabis throwing big quantities of gas and the bullets, on the residents of the village. Protestors and people from the village re-acted by blocking main roads with garbage containers, setting fire into them . This situation continued until the evening, and resulted in the arrest of some detainees.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its concerns over the violent attitude of the Authorities towards freedom of assembly, and the violent re-action by the demonstrators.
A month ago, the same group held a sit-in in front of the Bahrain Mall, calling for the same demands and was attended by representatives of the Bahrain Human Rights Society, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, local committees defending the rights for detainees in addition to some political societies. The event lasted for over an hour without any clashes or misconduct.
The act of the Bahraini Authorities is in violations to articles of the ICCPR, conceded by Bahrain on September 20, 2006, in particular that for freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. Article 19 of ICCPR states that “Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference”. Article 21 of the same covenant states that:”The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others”.
MORE INFORMATION:
For further information contact Nabeel Rajab, President, BCHR, Manama, Bahrain, tel: +973 3963 3399 / 3940 0720, fax: +973 1779 5170, e-mail: nabeel.rajab@bahrainrights.org, info@bahrainrights.org, Internet: http://www.bahrainrights.org