Unofficial translation – BCHR
20 May 2011
Stockholm / TT Military Trials in Bahrain, including the conviction of a Swedish, are unfair and politically motivated, says human rights group Amnesty International in a statement. Swedish Foreign minister Carl Bildt agrees: Unacceptable, and we are very concerned about the situation, “he says.
Carl Bildt said that the Swedish Foreign Ministry continues to seek access to the Swede, but that to date have not succeeded.
– It is customary difficulties we sometimes have with dual citizenship and various countries that do not recognize dual citizenship. We do, however, so we are working intensively with the issue.
Unofficial translation – BCHR
20 May 2011
Stockholm / TT Military Trials in Bahrain, including the conviction of a Swedish, are unfair and politically motivated, says human rights group Amnesty International in a statement. Swedish Foreign minister Carl Bildt agrees: Unacceptable, and we are very concerned about the situation, “he says.
Carl Bildt said that the Swedish Foreign Ministry continues to seek access to the Swede, but that to date have not succeeded.
– It is customary difficulties we sometimes have with dual citizenship and various countries that do not recognize dual citizenship. We do, however, so we are working intensively with the issue.
Bildt could not confirm reports that the Swede have been tortured or whether he risks the death penalty. He also wants to inform themselves about the court, he says:
– It is clear that the military courts under martial law is something that we do not accept. We are also concerned about four death sentences have been imposed, in a different case, and we have every reason to condemn.
TT: What do you think of what the regime in Bahrain is doing right now?
– Unacceptable, and we are very concerned about the situation, which we will express when we meet EU foreign ministers on Monday.
TT: It is expected to discuss the decision on sanctions against the Syrian leader. Is there a similar discussion about Bahrain?
– For the moment, no. Although the situation in Bahrain is very serious. We have a situation in Syria where we consider that thousands of people are killed and many, many, many thousands are imprisoned, so that we may see some differences between countries as well.
Amnesty saw court action and requires that the offender is released – the organization says that the condemned do not seem to have done nothing but peacefully demonstrate.
Trials in the Bahraini military tribunal is unfair, including the offender against the Swede, “says Said Boumedouha, Amnesty International’s Bahrain-researcher in London.
– These people are civilians and the prosecution should take place before a civilian court, not military.
He says that the accused does not have to see their family, and that contact with the lawyers have been very short, for example, when being interviewed.
In addition, the Act marked by violence and arrests have testified torturous prison conditions.
– There are reports of torture and at least four people have died in prison under very suspicious circumstances, “says Said Boumedouha.
Bahraini authorities have suspended all international observers to attend the trial and lawyers are the subject of media gag. Therefore can not comment on the Amnesty proof mode, but the organization still judge the trials.
The Swede is facing yet another trial, and Amnesty International fears that he could get the death penalty, although the allegations are vague and sweeping.
– Yes, there is a very high risk for it, “says Said Boumedouha. – Several accusations of those, in other countries would fall under freedom of speech.