Issued by: Bahrain Centre for Human Rights – 7th April 2011
As a part of the crackdown on the prodemocracy movement, Bahrain is witnessing a mounting wave of clampdown on trade unions and professional societies.
On the 6th of April, the Social Development Ministry issued a statement dissolving Bahrain Teachers’ Society (BTS) while security forces stormed the house of Mr Mahdi Abu-Deeb, the president of the society, and arrested him and took him to an unknown location. Ms Jaleela Mohammed Al-Salman, deputy president of the society, was arrested on the 29th of March. The Ministry statement accused the society of “issuing statements and speeches inciting teachers and students”
Issued by: Bahrain Centre for Human Rights – 7th April 2011
As a part of the crackdown on the prodemocracy movement, Bahrain is witnessing a mounting wave of clampdown on trade unions and professional societies.
On the 6th of April, the Social Development Ministry issued a statement dissolving Bahrain Teachers’ Society (BTS) while security forces stormed the house of Mr Mahdi Abu-Deeb, the president of the society, and arrested him and took him to an unknown location. Ms Jaleela Mohammed Al-Salman, deputy president of the society, was arrested on the 29th of March. The Ministry statement accused the society of “issuing statements and speeches inciting teachers and students” and “calling for a strike at schools, disrupting educational establishments, in addition to manipulating school students”. The statement added that: “BTS President delivered speeches haranguing and instigated protestors and inciting them against the political regime, flouting the real voluntary and lofty goals of the association”[1] .
On the same day, the Social Development Minister also issued an edict suspending Bahrain Medical Society (BMS) board of directors for “issuing statements and engaging into practices which flout the law on NGOs and its bylaw. Under the edict, an interim BMS board has been set up”[2] . It is worth noting that since the crackdown on the prodemocracy movement, many doctors and medical workers have been subjected to physical assaults by security forces, arbitrary detention, and dismissal of work. According to the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) on the 6th of April, the Ministry of Health suspended 30 doctors and nurses who had been referred to an investigation committee and many more employees will be sacked in the coming days[3] . BCHR has documented cases of more than 20 doctors and medical workers who have disappeared or have been detained.
Some of the detained doctors
An investigation committee formed by Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) to probe the absence of employees during recent events decided to sack nine members from the governing body of its trade union for their role of instigation and participation in the general strike. It acquitted two members and decided to continue investigations with two others. The committee is also conducting an investigation against employees who were absent from work during recent events. Around 230 employees will be subjected to investigation as the first group. Earlier, it had also dismissed company union chairman Abdulghaffar Abdulhussain[4] . Mr Abdulhussain is also a member of the executive board of the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU).
On the 5th of April, the headquarters of the General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions (GFBTU) was temporarily shut down. A pro-government newspaper reported that the GFBTU took the action to reduce tensions as they registered the names of workers dismissed for absenteeism, however, the newspaper also reported that a police patrol jeep along officers in civilian clothes later showed up at the building and did not allow anyone to enter[5] .
The House of Representatives, dominated by the government, voted on the 5th of April on a proposal calling for the government to take legal action against all trade union and societies’ chiefs, who encouraged workers to go on civil disobedience and strikes during the political unrest[6] . All Shiaa opposition members at the House of Representatives (18 out of 40 members) submitted their resignations on the 15th of March as a protest against the killing of peaceful protestors calling for reforms including a parliament with just representation and real powers. The authorities have been effectively using the official TV channel to defame, and justify measures taken against, those who took part or sympathized with the prodemocracy movement including trade unionists and activists at civil society groups.
Recommendations:
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights calls upon the relative UN mechanisms, the international organizations, and the concerned international actors to take appropriate action including sending observers and fact finding missions, and calls upon the authorities in Bahrain to:
• Take all measures to insure the basic rights of people in Bahrain in freedom of association and freedom of expression in accordance with international standards.
• Put an end to the politically motivated campaign against trade unionists and civil society activists.
• Immediately release all those who are in detention and restore the rights of those who were dismissed from their jobs or positions.
• Allow for an independent investigation in all violations and bring those responsible to justice.
• Promptly engage in serious dialogue with opposition and independent civil society groups to address the grievances and demands for reforms in order to promote human rights and restore peace and stability.