Tried on a Fabricated Charge with A Sentence up to Life Imprisonment
9 November 2010
The Court has to Drop the Fabricated Charge of the Activists to Protect Public Freedoms in the Kingdom
Cairo on November 9th, 2010
The signed organizations of this statement followed with great interest, the hearing set up by the High Criminal Court in Bahrain on Thursday, October 28, 2010 under strict security measures, for 27 political and human rights Shiiti activists. The 27 persons were provided by the prosecution to the court prior to the Bahraini elections with fabricated charges by the Bahraini security on the background of their peaceful activities in support of the rights of Shiiti citizens and criticizm of the policies of the Bahraini government, which is “working to overthrow the regime, establishing a terrorist organization seeking to create hatred in the society”. The hearing took place under great rightist and media existence , but security had surrounded the court and prevented alot of the activists and journalists from entering the hall to attend the hearing.
Tried on a Fabricated Charge with A Sentence up to Life Imprisonment
9 November 2010
The Court has to Drop the Fabricated Charge of the Activists to Protect Public Freedoms in the Kingdom
Cairo on November 9th, 2010
The signed organizations of this statement followed with great interest, the hearing set up by the High Criminal Court in Bahrain on Thursday, October 28, 2010 under strict security measures, for 27 political and human rights Shiiti activists. The 27 persons were provided by the prosecution to the court prior to the Bahraini elections with fabricated charges by the Bahraini security on the background of their peaceful activities in support of the rights of Shiiti citizens and criticizm of the policies of the Bahraini government, which is “working to overthrow the regime, establishing a terrorist organization seeking to create hatred in the society”. The hearing took place under great rightist and media existence , but security had surrounded the court and prevented alot of the activists and journalists from entering the hall to attend the hearing.After listening to the statements of the accused and the defense ,the court decided to drop charges of attempting to overthrow the regime , but it kept on the charge of composing a terrorist organization that seeks to create hatred, a charge may has serious penalties may be life imprisonment . The court decided to adjourn the case to November 11 ,2010.
The organizations that signed this statement not only express its full solidarity with the activists and questioned the validity of the charges against them, but also confirm their strong indignation of the court’s refusal of the defense’s request ,that is connected with releasing the activists with any safeguards it deems appropriate. As well as, the lack of dealing with the defendants’ allegations regarding their subject to torture and ill- treatment in the way that commensurate with the seriousness of the incident.
The organizations said, “It is better for the Bahraini government to take peaceful dialogue as a way to resolve their differences with their opponents, instead of using security attacks and fabricating serious criminal charges to them, especially the activists have not committed any offense other than the peaceful expression of their views against the government’s policies in dealing with human rights especially Shiiti citizens, who are subject to severe adverse distinction based on a sectarian basis, which the activists should not be punished for,by trial , torture and the threat of life imprisonment ”
The organizations affirmed that the security crackdown launched by the Bahraini government against the activists since last August, is the largest against freedom of expression since the present King’s crowning of Bahrain.During this period the government prohibited publishing and blocked many websites which published news of the prosecution investigation , the facts of torture of detainees which constitute major violations of the right to a just trial , freedom of expression and circulation of information, which is a violation of national legislation and international law of human rights.
The undersigned organizations ,call the High Criminal Court to save Bahrain from the organized crackdown that is launched by the Bahraini security on the Shiiti activists ,which threaten public freedoms, stability and security of the country. This requires the court to drop all the fabricated charges against them, to investigate the facts of torturing them and to hold accountable the responsibles for that crime.As well as,the organizations call on all activists and supporters of freedom of expression inside and outside Bahrain to attend the session , follow it up, to expose any evading from the law and conditions of the fair trial.
The signed organizations:
1. ANHRI
2. Bahrain Center for Human Rights
3. ACHR
4. Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights
5. CIHRS
6. Women’s Petition Committee
7. ICAWC
8. Damascus Center for Theoretical and Civil Rights Studies
9. Bahrain Human Rights Society
10. Protecting Human Rights Defenders in the Arab World
11. National Organization for Human Rights in Syria
12. Free Voice Organization for Defending Human Rights
13. Arab-European cultural Forum
14. ASDHOM
15. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
16. Arab-Euro Friendship Association
17. Aldameer for Human Rights
18. Committees for the Defense of Democracy Freedoms and Human Rights
19. Human Rights First Soceity -Saudia Arabia
20. Arab European Center for Human Rights and International Law
21. Arab Human Rights Defenders Union
22. Arab Human Rights Network Programe
23. Skeyes
24. Hurryat
25. Committees for the Defense of Democracy Freedoms and Human Rights-Syria
26. SHRIL-SY
27. SAF-Yemen
28. Tunisian Observatory for the Rights and Freedoms of Association
29. Tunisian League for the Defence of Human Rights
30. The Center of International Humanitarian Law & Human Rights
31. The Arab Organization for Human Rights-Syria (AOHRS(
32. Association for Freedom of Thought and Expression
33. ECESR
34. HMLC
35. Arab Foundation for civil society and human rights support
36. JWRL
37. El Nadim center
38. AHRLA
39. Egyptian constitutional and legal human rights Society
40. OMDH
41. Bokra for media studies and human rights Foundation
42. The Egyptian Observatory for Justice and Law
43. HCER
44. The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhacment
45. ACIJLP
46. CTPJF
47. nwrcegypt
48. Group for Human Rights Legal Aid
49. Sawasya
50. -National Center for Human Rights