3 December 2010
As Hilary Clinton arrives in Bahrain (today Friday 03 December) to open the annual Manama Dialogue, which draws political leaders from across the Middle East, Front Line has written to Secretary of State Clinton regarding its concerns re the ongoing trial of Ali Abdulem and 10 other imprisoned human rights defenders.
3 December 2010
As Hilary Clinton arrives in Bahrain (today Friday 03 December) to open the annual Manama Dialogue, which draws political leaders from across the Middle East, Front Line has written to Secretary of State Clinton regarding its concerns re the ongoing trial of Ali Abdulem and 10 other imprisoned human rights defenders.
Secretary of State Clinton is in Bahrain to open the annual Manama Dialogue organised by the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies, which this year draws prime ministers, defence ministers, military officials, intelligence chiefs and private sector heads from across the region.
As political leaders from across the region gather in Bahrain to discuss regional security Front Line wishes to emphasise the need to recognise the vital and legitimate role of human rights defenders.
Specifically Front Line’s open letter calls for the release of Ali Abdulemam and 10 other human rights defenders who are facing trial in Bahrain charged with participation in a terrorist conspiracy.
Front Line has raised the concerns identified in the report of its observer at the most recent trial hearing which focused on the lack of credibility of the charges, the denial of due process and the serious and credible allegations of torture. The letter included a statement from Ali Abdulemam in which he described the torture in detail.
“I was subjected to torture, beatings, insults and verbal abuse. They threatened to dismiss my wife and other family members from their jobs. I was interrogated in the prosecution without a lawyer, and the officer there who appeared to be from the National Security dismissed my denials to the allegations put against me. He never allowed me to respond to the questions he was asking, but rather answering them himself whilst I was stood behind the door as I was not permitted to sit during the investigation.”
Front Line is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Ali Abdulemam and the 10 other imprisoned human rights defenders and for a full and independent investigation into the allegations of torture.
The full text of the Front Line Letter to Secretary of State Clinton is attached in PDF format.
Open Letter to Hillary Clinton l 3 Dec 2010
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/13954