Seminar on Constitutional Petition Banned and Prevented by Force:Riot Police Attack Gathered Seminar Crowd Without Warning

Reports of Injuries Due to Use of Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Ref: 06092400

Reports of Injuries Due to Use of Tear Gas and Rubber Bullets

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Ref: 06092400

The BCHR has learnt that the Riot Police yet again prevented, by use of excessive force, a Seminar which was to be staged by the Freedom of Liberties Movement(HAQ) yesterday, Friday the 22nd. The Seminar was to be originally held on Friday the 15th of September, but was banned by the Special Security Force (SSF) by an enforcement of a security blockade around the area. Threats were allegedly made to venue representatives to refrain from hosting the Seminar(BCHR ref:06091600). In a statement, the organizers of the event declared that they chose to postpone the Seminar to this past Friday the 22nd, rather than engage in a confrontation with riot police. The Ministry of interior justified the attack with claims that the gathering was not authorized and that no permit was requested by the organizers.[1] This is required by law in Bahrain, in accordance to the controversial amendments to Decree No. 18 of the year 1973 of Public Meetings, Processions and Gatherings or what is known as the “Bahraini Gatherings Code”.[2]

Upon arrival at the Seminar site, BCHR representatives witnessed a large number of riot police geared up with batons in the actual site and at the exits of the village in which the Seminar was to be held. A Surveillance helicopter monitored the area as crowds continued to gather awaiting the Seminar. Eye witnesses relate to the BCHR that without previous warning, the Riot Police attacked the gathered crowds which included woman and children in addition to representatives of political and civil societies. Rubber bullets and tear gas were used excessively which lead to a flee and stampede, resulting in injuries of gatherers and by passers. The BCHR has been informed of many complaints, of them, a woman Nazha Seyed Ahmed, 29 years, Bilad Al-Qadeem, who according to her husband, got trampled and was taken to hospital where she received stitches in the head, she was also treated for bruises to the forehead and nose in addition to a broken tooth. Another serious injury was Ali Hassan Qambar, 28 years, Nabih Saleh, who received stitches between the brow and the right eye due to receiving a rubber bullet during the attack. A third documented case is that of Muhammed Sahwan, who was also taken to hospital with head injuries resulting from a rubber bullet.

The BCHR can see no justification for this use of unnecessary force by Riot Police and condemns the aiming of rubber bullets at civilians, whether it be intentional or otherwise, and calls for an end to the excessive use of tear gas in crowds and heavily inhabited areas. Furthermore, the BCHR, once again calls for the immediate revision of the Bahraini Gathering Code which has been condemned widely by local and International Civil and Human Rights Organizations as restrictive and in violation of the fundamental rights of Freedom of gathering and association as stipulated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Report by Human Rights Watch on Gathering Code