Front Line, the Dublin based International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders deplores and condems the life sentence passed against the organisation’s former Protection Coordinator for the Middle East and prominent member of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja. Front Line also condemns the 15 year prison sentence passed in absentia on blogger and founder of Bahrainonline.org Ali Abdulemam and calls for both men to be acquitted.
Front Line, the Dublin based International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders deplores and condems the life sentence passed against the organisation’s former Protection Coordinator for the Middle East and prominent member of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja. Front Line also condemns the 15 year prison sentence passed in absentia on blogger and founder of Bahrainonline.org Ali Abdulemam and calls for both men to be acquitted.
Further Information
Today’s verdict and the fact that the trial took place before a military court whose procedures fall far short of internationally recognised fair trial standards underlines the determination of the Government of Bahrain to secure a conviction at any cost” said Mary Lawlor, Executive Director of Front Line in Dublin today.
Abdulhadi Al Khawaja and the 20 other defendants were tried before the State of Safety Court which has consistently refused to address repeated and credible allegations of torture in pre-trial detention and during the trial itself. “This trial was a total legal charade and followed the brutal arrest and torture of Abdulhadi Al Khawaja for exercising his legitimate rights to freedom of expression and association by campaigning for democracy and human rights in Bahrain” said Ms Lawlor.
Front Line is concerned by the increasingly hard line being taken by the Bahrain Government. The targeting of members of the medical profession, including three doctors who are graduates of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the harassment of anyone who speaks about human rights abuses to the media is of particular concern.
“For the forthcoming national dialogue to have any serious hope of success the Government of Bahrain must attempt to restore trust as a vital pre-condition. The first step to creating trust is the immediate and unconditional release of Abdulhadi Al Khawaja and all other human rights defenders currently in detention. ”
For further information please contact & see editor’s note below
Jim Loughran – Head of Communications – Front Line
Tel +353 1 212 37 50 Mobile +353 (0)87 9377586
Editor’s note
At approximately 03.00 on 9 April 2011, masked police forced entry to the home of Abdulhadi Al Khawaja’s daughter, where he was present at the time. Upon entry, the police officers – one of whom reportedly spoke English, and no Arabic – proceeded to assault Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, along with human rights defender Mr Mohammed Al-Masqati, President of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), who was present at the time.
Abdulhadi Al Khawaja was reportedly dragged down the stairs of the house by the neck, and beaten by five officers, who refused to stop despite his claims that he could not breath. His daughter, Zainab Al Khawaja, was reportedly assaulted when she attempted to intervene. The women present in the house were then locked in a room and prevented from leaving. On 16 May 2011, during a session of his ongoing trial before a military court, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja alleged that he had been tortured but was silenced by the Judges who refused to order any investigation of the allegation of torture and attempted sexual assault. The Judges have also failed to listen to or investigate claims about torture made by Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and other defendants at previous hearings.
In a brief meeting with his family on the same day, 16 May, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja reportedly stated that the security forces had attempted to force him to record on videotape an apology to the King of Bahrain. He said he told them that he had nothing to apologise for. The security forces then reportedly tried to forcibly remove his clothes and sexually assault him to force him to make such an apology. Abdulhadi Al Khawaja told his family that he was handcuffed at the time and fell to the ground as he attempted to defend himself against the attackers suffering further injuries to his head, falling briefly unconscious.
Witnesses to a previous court appearance have reported that Abdulhadi Alkhawaja bears the scars of having been beaten and a resulting operation on his head at a military hospital. There are reports of at least four deaths in custody in the last six weeks amongst those detained by the Bahraini security forces.