Trial of Seven Protestors Postponed to the 26th of February
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Ref:06020000
Trial of Seven Protestors Postponed to the 26th of February
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Ref:06020000
The trial of the Seven protesters, arrested and charged after a demonstration calling for the release of the Prisoners who got sentenced in two separate hearings((BCHR Ref: 09020601, and “Sentencing of 4 Activists”: 15/02/06), was postponed to the 26th of February. Family members of all seven detainees reported signs of beating and bruises on the detainees. Jaffar Hussain Eid, 25 years, from Maameer, is reported to have a broken leg as a result of a brutal beating he received by the riot police upon his arrest (kindly refer to the pictures Attachment 001). The Centre has also received a medical report for Mohammed Adulrasool, dated 20/01/06; after his arrest, which states that he has bruises and injuries. Detainees released in relations to the same incident concurred on information that several of the detainees showed clear signs of beating.
During the trial family members and Human Rights Activists were refused entry into the court.
Those standing trial are:
1. Abdulla Madan, 26 years, Maameer
2. Mohammed Abdulrasool, 30 years, Daih
3. Jaffar Hussain Eid, 25, Maameer
4. Jaffar Abdul-Jabar Jaffar Al-Mushaima, 24 years, Daih
5. Ahmed Yousef Mushaima, 26 years, Daih
6. Mohammed Hassan Saif, 24 years, Manama
7. Ali Jaffar Jassim Rabea, 24 years, Daih
Kindly refer to the BCHR’s report Ref: 02010606 for background information on the issue.
On a separate issue, the BCHR is gravely concerned upon hearing that the authorities have summoned 2 members of the Unemployment Committee (Ref: 11020604 for background information on the Unemployment Committee), to the Public Prosecutions Office. According to Ali Hassan, one of the members summoned, and an active member of the Unemployment Committee, they were both threatened and warned of grave repercussions if the do not desist from participating and organizing events that the authorities are uncomfortable with. He claims that they were told that the authorities have been watching their every move, and he was personally threatened with arrest when he refused to sign a statement.
Members of the Unemployment Committee have been repetitively subjected to threats and harassment by the security forces in the past (several BCHR reports have related cases of Kidnapping and assault on members of the committee), and several of their members were amongst those tried and sentenced last week in relations to the “Airport Incident” case(Ref: 16010600).