August 27, 2010
Scholars at Risk (SAR) is gravely concerned about the arrest and detention of Professor Abdul Jalil Al-Singace, a mechanical engineer at University of Bahrain in Isa Town. SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails urging authorities to explain publicly the reasons for Prof. Al-Singace’s detention, disclose the whereabouts of Prof. Al-Singace and ensure his access to medical care, family and legal counsel.
August 27, 2010
Scholars at Risk (SAR) is gravely concerned about the arrest and detention of Professor Abdul Jalil Al-Singace, a mechanical engineer at University of Bahrain in Isa Town. SAR asks for letters, faxes and emails urging authorities to explain publicly the reasons for Prof. Al-Singace’s detention, disclose the whereabouts of Prof. Al-Singace and ensure his access to medical care, family and legal counsel.
Scholars at Risk is an international network of universities and colleges dedicated to promoting academic freedom and to defending the human rights of scholars worldwide. Scholars at Risk invites interventions on behalf of scholars suffering the most serious threats to their academic freedom or their exercise of their fundamental human rights including, as in this case, detention without charge and incarceration in an undisclosed location.
Professor Al-Singace is a scholar of mechanical engineering who has worked at University of Bahrain since 1995. He is also the Director of the Human Rights Bureau of the Haq Movement for Civil Liberties and Democracy, an opposition political movement. Scholars at Risk has learned that Professor Al-Singace was arrested on August 13, 2010 at Bahrain International Airport, upon his return from the United Kingdom, and taken to an undisclosed location. This followed his address on August 5 to the British House of Lords during which he reported on Bahrain’s human rights situation. Reports also indicate that Professor Al-Singace has not been permitted regular visits with his family or lawyer; indeed we understand that his lawyer was able to see him for the first time only recently. Although Bahraini law dictates that detainees are brought before the public prosecutor or formally charged with an offense within 48 hours, Professor Al-Singace has yet to be formally charged. Furthermore, Scholars at Risk understands that Professor Al-Singace suffers from poliomyelitis. In light of this, his prolonged detention without regular access to counsel, family or adequate medical support would appear to constitute a reckless disregard of his health and well-being.
This disregard, coupled with the suddenness and lack of any clear basis for his arrest, raises concerns that this case appears to involve retaliation against one scholar’s peaceful exercise of fundamental rights, which are guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bahrain is a party.
Scholars at Risk therefore joins with the many national and international academic associations, human rights organizations and individual scholars that respectfully urge that the government of Bahrain examine the circumstances of Professor Al-Singace’s detention and to disclose his location. SAR urges authorities to intervene to ensure his well-being including ensuring immediate and regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to any necessary medical treatment. Given the public reports surrounding Professor Al-Singace’s detention, we further urge you to explain publicly the reasons for his detention or absent this, to arrange for his earliest release.
Scholars at Risk invites letters, emails and faxes be sent:
-respectfully calling on the authorities to examine the circumstances of Professor Al-Singace’s detention and to disclose his location;
-respectfully calling on authorities to intervene to ensure his well-being including ensuring immediate and regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to any necessary medical treatment; and
-given the public reports surrounding Professor Al-Singace’s detention, respectfully urging authorities to explain publicly the reasons for his detention or absent this, to arrange for his earliest release.
PLEASE WRITE TO:
His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa
Prime Minister
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
P.O. Box 547
Government Road
Manama
Kingdom of Bahrain
Fax: +973 17536343
info@mofa.gov.bh
His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa
King of Bahrain
Office of His Majesty the King
P. O. Box 555
Rifa’a Palace, Kingdom of Bahrain
Fax: + 973 17668884
Her Excellency Ms. Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo
Ambassador of Bahrain to the United States
Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain
3502 International Drive NW
Washington, DC 20008 USA
Fax: +1 202 362-2192
COPIES TO:
His Excellency Dr. Majid Bin Ali Al Nuaimi
Minister of Education
Ministry of Education Building
Al Istiklal Street
P.O. Box 43
Isa City
Kingdom of Bahrain
Fax: +973 1768 7866
Email: moe.relations@bahrain.gov.bh
The Honorable Hillary R. Clinton
United States Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA
His Excellency J. Adam Ereli
Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of Bahrain
Embassy of the United States of America
Bldg 979, Road 3119, Block 331, Zinj
Kingdom of Bahrain
Fax: +973 1727 0547
Scholars at Risk
New York University
194 Mercer St., 4th floor
New York, NY 10012 USA
Fax: +1 212 995-4402
scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu
To view a copy of SAR’s letter of appeal, please visit our website: www.scholarsatrisk.org