In Accordance to the Security Campaign Launched by the National Security
27 August 2010
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its grave concern over the Bahraini authorities’ decision to ask a hospital in London to stop the cancer treatment that Mr. Hassan Mushaima, president of Haq movement, is receiving. The hospital was informed that the government in Bahrain will no longer pay the expenses for the treatment starting from the 25th of the month. It appears that the reason behind this decision is because of the criticisms expressed by Almushaima in a public seminar at the House of Lords, as well as to television programs about the crackdown on freedoms and the escalation of abuses committed by the security bodies in Bahrain.
In Accordance to the Security Campaign Launched by the National Security
27 August 2010
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its grave concern over the Bahraini authorities’ decision to ask a hospital in London to stop the cancer treatment that Mr. Hassan Mushaima, president of Haq movement, is receiving. The hospital was informed that the government in Bahrain will no longer pay the expenses for the treatment starting from the 25th of the month. It appears that the reason behind this decision is because of the criticisms expressed by Almushaima in a public seminar at the House of Lords, as well as to television programs about the crackdown on freedoms and the escalation of abuses committed by the security bodies in Bahrain.
Almushaima was receiving treatment since June at a specialized hospital in London for lymphoma. It is the norm for the Ministry of Health to send a few patients abroad for treatment especially if the treatment is not available in Bahrain. According to the information received by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights the ministry decided to send Almushaima abroad because the appliance used to scan the progress of the cancer after every chemo session is not available in Bahrain. Nonetheless, in a phone call received by the hospital yesterday, an official from the Bahraini health ministry asked that the hospital immediately stop treating Almushaima on the ministry’s expense, and that he return to Bahrain should he want to keep getting treated. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights received documentation related to Almushaima’s health which confirms that should he travel to Bahrain, traveling on an airplane during his current condition could be a threat to his life. And it is believed by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights that this decision comes in response to his participation at the House of Lords seminar as well as his continuing meetings with foreign television channels, which came after the attack launched by the Bahraini authorities against opposition activists and defenders of human rights; especially his recent interview the program “Eye on Democracy” which was aired by Al-Hurra channel. The center has reason to believe that part of the reason of why they request his return is because they aim to arrest him or ban him from traveling after they arbitrarily arrested numerous political activists and human rights defenders. Almushaima himself has been subjected to several arrests and unfair trials the most recent being in 2009.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights finds this decision as being arbitrary and inhumane as it could threaten Almushaima’s life, and it comes as a part of a revenge policy against the opposition and human rights activists. This decision comes based on discrimination in offering governmental public services to the citizens, depending on their political opinions or activism. Hence the Bahrain Center for Human Rights demands that the Bahraini authorities withdraw this inhumane decision immediately and to allow Mr. Hassan Mushaima to continue his treatment.
Documents:
[1]Letter from Ministry of Health (Bahrain) to the hospital
