Bahrain Centre for human rights renovate its condemns against violence and counter-violence

Witnesses: security forces attacked a group of citizens in “Nuwaidrat” without any reasons; perhaps this was the entrance of the mysterious incident.

Bahrain Media Corporation used this incident to inflame sectarian and provoke hatred.

26 May 2011

Bahrain Centre for human rights received Bahrain News Agency (BNA) announcement with much regret. The official media said that on Tuesday, 17 May 2011, eleven men were injured. Nine security men were run over and two citizens injured, one of them was injured in the head, the incident took place in one of the Shiite villages. Also, the driver who was accused of running over had several injuries [1].

Witnesses: security forces attacked a group of citizens in “Nuwaidrat” without any reasons; perhaps this was the entrance of the mysterious incident.

Bahrain Media Corporation used this incident to inflame sectarian and provoke hatred.

26 May 2011

Bahrain Centre for human rights received Bahrain News Agency (BNA) announcement with much regret. The official media said that on Tuesday, 17 May 2011, eleven men were injured. Nine security men were run over and two citizens injured, one of them was injured in the head, the incident took place in one of the Shiite villages. Also, the driver who was accused of running over had several injuries [1].

As stated in the news “security men were in on duty in Nuwaidrat dealing with a group of people trying to provoke riots and vandalism. One of the citizens was injured in his head, his brother immediately drove the car and ran over the security men intentionally, causing injury to a number of police men, four of them were seriously injured, and five with different injuries, while the driver had various injuries. All the injured were taken to the hospital”. The first official version of the story seems to be about a reaction by someone as a result of wounding his brother in clashes with protesters. However, the official’s scenario has changed later in some of the official newspapers and in Bahrain TV programs to accuse the driver of planning the run over operation [2]. Bahrain TV broadcasted the news at the same night, with pictures of the injured police men, but did not show any pictures of the citizen who was the reason of the alleged run over which ignited the spark of the incident nor pictures to his alleged injured brother in the incident ,according to the security source.

Some witnesses from the same village told Bahrain Center for Human Rights what happened. That is on Tuesday night, the night of the incident, group of young men about eight where sitting as usual near the football field, which is used by the village club. There were not any security clashes or acts of protest in the region that day. Suddenly, while they were sitting, a number of five to six police cars surrounded them and a group of riot police from different Arab and Asian nationalities dismounts from the cars, then started beating and insulting them – before asking them to disperse and return to their homes, which they did. Whereas they were leaving, the security forces came back again and arrest one of them: Abdul Shahid Ali Hassan al-Mal Allah, believing that he intended to walk slowly and not as hurry as they asked him. Once Abdul Shahid got arrested a number of security forces members severely beaten him and then thumped his head to the car door several times without any reason. After that, they took him to the main checkpoint located near the village’s roundabout of Nuwaidrat entrance. At that time, Abbas Mal Allah brother of Abdul Shahid was returning home while some passing by told him what happened to his brother, immediately he went to the checkpoint to inquire about where his brother is and the reasons for his arrest, after that time no one saw him again.
Later, some people who witness the assault went to the checkpoint to uncover Abdul Shahid fate and try to release him. When they arrived to the checkpoint, they saw the same troops brutally beating Abdul Shahid who was lying on ground bleeding and screaming, one of the security men pointed his gun at Abdel Shahid head, as if he intended to kill him or perhaps wants or suggests, another security man was trying to stop his colleagues from beating and dimensions the gun from Abdel Shahid’s head. Meanwhile, another group of the security forces fired tear gas intensity in each direction in order to prevent passers-by from watching the beatings or photographed it.

Although the Centre could not ensure the credibility of the ran over alleged incident by the Authority or its details, due to the absence of direct witnesses from the village on account of the fear the security forces planted there, According to the authority first version and the villages witnesses the hidden part from the story is that perhaps one of the citizens ran over the security men after seeing them beating his brother and trying to kill him.

Bahrain Centre for human rights always repeats its previous calls [3] calling all parties to abide peace, respect principles and human rights on the basis of international conventions which Bahrain is a party, and invites all parties to avoid violence and counter-violence. Moreover, the Centre demands security, intelligence and military authorities to stop causing reasons that lead to violence and desire to revenge, by using excessive violence against protesters and citizens without justification and stop all the rigorous actions that degrades and humiliates, starting from beatings and insulting them at the checkpoints .Bahrain Center for Human Rights has warned the authorities from using violence since the security forces began to use it against peaceful protests, also warned them since the beginning of the peaceful protests in February [4] from using violence against peaceful protesters and provide them with freedom to exercise their legitimate right to protest peacefully and express their views in order to avoid worsen the situation. However, the authorities ignore these calls. The Centre observed and documented previous reports [5] about security forces involvement that made the situation worse, as an example , smashing citizens cars in many areas [6] which were parked near their houses, stealing some houses after raiding and arresting , not to mention sexual harassment and beating the residents of those houses although they are not wanted. Furthermore, attacking villages and flooding them with tears gas as a collective punishment, humiliating citizens, beating and torturing them at the checkpoints [7] as well as targeting people’s beliefs and rituals through the demolition their mosques and religious facilities in Shiite villages, which could lead to increase the hatred towards the ruling regime, particularly those actions are committed by foreign forces brought by the authority to suppress the protests demanding freedom and democracy . As a result of the excessive violence used by these forces, more than thirty people were killed in the past few months, four of whom were tortured to death and thousands were wounded, in the time of using force and bullets against peaceful protesters, there was no need to use violence.

Usually, civilians who are security services victims do not get any margin of media coverage, but as terrorists. Just like this case, the media did not show any details about the causes of the incident, which is the bloody attack on the citizen that ignited the alleged incident. Regarding to this, official media contribute to duplicate the problem by incitement hatred and inflaming the domestic public opinion, rather than being neutral (see the detailed report on Bahrain TV role in inflaming Hatred). While Bahrain News Agency proclaimed Nuwaidrat incident as a reaction to an assault, Bahrain TV used the incident to inflame sectarian hatred. the next day , Bahrain TV broadcasted a program about the incident as it had occurred with premeditation, had been previously planned and supported from outside Bahrain, this, however, contradicts the previous statement and their version.[8]

Bahrain Centre for human rights could not confirm the authority’s alleged incident as cannot disprove, especially since there are many precedents for statements from the security services about murders, and accusing people [9] but later on its discovered not true or neutrality (see Bahrain Centre report on acquittal those accused of attempted murder after confessing under torture). However, BCHR has always rejected the use of violence against people, including security personnel because it threatens the most important human right, the right to life. As well as, demanding the authorities and security forces to stop using excessive violence , raiding on villages and houses and beating its residents , steeling people’s money , stop insulting and attacking at the checkpoints and stop sectarian incitation programs, all these things drive people to hopelessness, frustration and perhaps cause them to counter violence.

Therefore, Bahrain Centre for human rights demands to:

1. Open an impartial investigation into Nuwaidrat incident including an independent party to reveal the circumstances to the public.
2. Clarify the fate of the first injured as well as the accused in the case, informing his family on his health condition and to enable his family to visit him.
3. Stop the violence and collective punishment practiced by the security forces and stop the siege on villages that dishonors the citizen’s dignity at the checkpoints.
4. Stop inflaming sectarian and exploitation issues and accidents by Bahrain TV for mongering, which adversely affect the coexistence and civil peace.

Scenes from the checkpoints:

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