13 June 2011
Ayat al-Qarmezi, a student and poet, has been sentenced to one year in prison by a military court for reading a critical poem during a pro-democracy protest, Amnesty International reported on 12 June.
Ayat al-Qarmezi, a second year teaching degree student at the University of Bahrain, has been sentenced to one year in prison by a special security tribunal on Sunday, after reading a poem critical towards the regime during a pro-democracy protest in Manama, the capital.
13 June 2011
Ayat al-Qarmezi, a student and poet, has been sentenced to one year in prison by a military court for reading a critical poem during a pro-democracy protest, Amnesty International reported on 12 June.
Ayat al-Qarmezi, a second year teaching degree student at the University of Bahrain, has been sentenced to one year in prison by a special security tribunal on Sunday, after reading a poem critical towards the regime during a pro-democracy protest in Manama, the capital.
She was forced to turn herself into custody on 31 March after her brothers received death threats by masked policemen at her parents’ house. She was charged with disrupting public security while taking part in illegal protests and publicly inciting hatred towards the regime, in reference to the poem she read in public in February during a pro-reform demonstration in the capital’s Pear Roundabout. Her poem was addressed to King Hamad bin ‘Isa Al Khalifa and was asking him to hear and listen to his people’s demands.
During the first 15 days of her custody, she was prevented from any external contact and was only allowed to meet her family twice since then. Al-Qarmezi allegedly reported she was beaten and tortured with electric shocks while in detention.
It has also been reported that al-Qarmezi was also expelled from university, like several hundreds of other students and staff, for their alleged participation in the pro-democracy protests.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, condemned the decision as an evident denial of freedom of expression in Bahrain. Al-Qarmezi’s mother reported that she is planning to appeal the decision.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Demonstrations against King Hamad bin ‘Isa Al Khalifa’s regime, inspired by recent popular uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, broke out in Bahrain in February. The Bahraini authorities responded to the pro-reform demonstrations with a violent crackdown on protestors. Since February, at least 31 people have died during violent clashes with the police, and a minimum of 500 protesters have been arrested, including four who have died in suspicious circumstances during their custody. An additional two thousand people have been dismissed from their positions, including in the University of Bahrain, in what looks like a purge of pro-democracy supporters.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Please respectfully urge the Bahraini authorities to:
1. Re-examine the circumstances of Ayat al-Qarmezi’s arrest and investigate the allegations of her mistreatment and torture during her detention.
2. Drop the charges against Ayat al-Qarmezi who was peacefully using her right to freedom of expression and opinion, guaranteed by the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) articles 18 and 19, which Bahrain is signatory.
3. Re-examine the circumstances of the students, academics and university staff dismissals at the University of Bahrain.
APPEALS TO:
His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa
King of Bahrain
Office of His Majesty the King
P. O. Box 555
Rifa’a Palace, Kingdom of Bahrain
Fax: + 973 1766 8884
His Excellency Dr Majid bin Ali Al-Naimi
Minister of Education
Ministry of Education Building
Al Istiklal Street
P.O. Box 43
Isa Town Central, Kingdom of Bahrain
Fax: +973 1768 7866
His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa
Minister of Justice & Islamic Affairs
Ministry of Justice & Islamic Affairs
Diplomatic Area,
P.O. Box 450
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
Fax: +973 1753 6343
COPIES TO:
Bahraini Ambassador of your country of residence.
Contact details can be found on the website of the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
PLEASE ALSO SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:
Programme Officer,
Network for Education and Academic Rights
90 London Road,
SE1 9LN
London, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7021 0884
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7021 0881
contact@nearinternational.org
nearinternational.org
