29 Sep 2010
The Arab Program for Human Rights Activists received this morning Monday 9/28/2010 with deep concern the news of the travel ban of the two promising human rights activists Mr. Nabeel Rajab, Chairman of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, on his way to travel to Saudi Arabia, and Mr. Abdul Hadi al-Khawaga, Coordinator of Front Line International MENA for the defense of human rights, on his way to Europe. Meanwhile, the authorities has also banned the human rights activist Laila Dashti from traveling without giving any reasons in a clear violation of freedom of movement set forth in the text of Article (13 / 1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
29 Sep 2010
The Arab Program for Human Rights Activists received this morning Monday 9/28/2010 with deep concern the news of the travel ban of the two promising human rights activists Mr. Nabeel Rajab, Chairman of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, on his way to travel to Saudi Arabia, and Mr. Abdul Hadi al-Khawaga, Coordinator of Front Line International MENA for the defense of human rights, on his way to Europe. Meanwhile, the authorities has also banned the human rights activist Laila Dashti from traveling without giving any reasons in a clear violation of freedom of movement set forth in the text of Article (13 / 1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is worth mentioning that Rajab and Al-Khawaga had been subjected to smear campaigns inside and outside Bahrain by which they are accused of their belonging to terrorist group, followed by security and media harassments that led to move temporarily the activities and the work of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights to Europe.
The Program expresses the deep disturbance on the escalated wave of arbitrary arrests prevailed in Bahrain, which involved more than two hundred and fifty detainees over the past months. The Program also emphasizes the concern over the increased human rights violations, especially the right to bodily integrity, where the detained activist Dr. Sinces lost his hearing in one ear after being exposed to physical and psychological torture at the hands of security forces in violation to the provisions of Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Moreover, the Program condemns the repressive acts of the Bahraini authorities that targeted the activists and defenders of human rights, in the absence of local and international oversight. In a series of arbitrary arrests, the activists are subjected to the worst kinds of torture and mental and physical abuse along with the smear campaigns against them
hush the voices of the opposition so as to prevent any competition in upcoming parliamentary elections.
The Program had repeatedly called upon and urged the Bahraini authorities to re- consider its approach towards the activists, demanded the immediate release of all non charged detainees and asked the authorities to announce the venue of detainees, to provide them with protection and to find out those involved in the arrests and torture to shoulder them legal accountability for their immoral and illegal approach. In this regard, the Program expresses its deep condemnation for the ignorance of the international community of all breach and violations of international laws and norms in Bahrain.
In this context, the Program calls on the State of Bahrain:
1 / To activate the implementation of the international conventions signed by Bahrain.
2 / To immediately release all detainees unconditionally.
3 / To hold accountability to those involved in the acts of torture against activists and defenders of human rights.
4 / To stop all security and information prosecutions against our fellow activists in Bahrain.
The Program also calls for the civil society organizations and human rights activists in other zones of the world to stand in solidarity with our fellow human rights defenders in Bahrain, as well as to demand the international community to stop the fierce campaign against the activists.