Last updated: 07/19/2011
Field: Mechanical Engineering
M/F: Male
Risk: Imprisoned or facing charges
Current Location: Bahrain
Summary
Professor Abduljalil Al-Singace is a mechanical engineer and professor at the University of Bahrain in Isa Town. He is also the Director of the Human Rights Bureau of the opposition Haq Movement for Civil Liberties and Democracy and authors his own blog.
Scholars at Risk learned that the first appeal hearing took place on June 29, during which 14 convicts where forcibly removed from the National Safety Appeal Court after they began shouting.
Last updated: 07/19/2011
Field: Mechanical Engineering
M/F: Male
Risk: Imprisoned or facing charges
Current Location: Bahrain
Summary
Professor Abduljalil Al-Singace is a mechanical engineer and professor at the University of Bahrain in Isa Town. He is also the Director of the Human Rights Bureau of the opposition Haq Movement for Civil Liberties and Democracy and authors his own blog.
Scholars at Risk learned that the first appeal hearing took place on June 29, during which 14 convicts where forcibly removed from the National Safety Appeal Court after they began shouting. The Military Judge subsequently adjourned the meeting until September 11 (Daily Gulf News, Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights). The Bahrain News Agency reported the establishment of a Royal Independent Investigation Commission, ordered by HM King Haman bin Isa Al Khalifa on the same day as the hearing, to research the incidents during the protests in February and March of this year (Bahrain News Agency, Peace Bahrain).
On June 22, 2011, the Lower National Security Court sentenced Prof. Al-Singace and seven others to life in prison during a trial against 21 prominent Bahraini opposition leaders and activists (Radio Free Europe, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, IFEX). The conviction took place despite the end of a state of emergency and martial law on June 1, which had given extra powers to the security forces and enabled the establishment of a special military-led national security court (The Guardian, New York Times, Reuters). According to a statement issued by the prosecutor’s office, Dr. Al-Singace will have the opportunity to appeal the court decision (NYT, Financial Times). While the Bahraini government recognizes that mistakes have been made, it has denies the routine abuse of human rights (Financial Times). This contradicts reports that several of the convicted activists were beaten by security forces after they where forcibly removed from the court room on June 22 and that torture was used to obtain forced confessions from the defendants (CNN, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Human Rights First). The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned the trial proceedings and the long sentences issued by the Lower Court of National Safety that appear to bear marks of political prosecution. In an official statement, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the Bahraini authorities “to allow all defendants to exercise their right to appeal and to act in strict accordance with their international human rights obligations, including the right to due process and a fair trial” (United Nations News Center).
The numerous charges that Prof. Al-Singace and the others faced relate to their alleged involvement in terrorist groups and reported attempts to overthrow the royal rule and constitution. Of the 21 suspects convicted, 14, including Prof. Al-Singace, were held in custody and plead not guilty. The remaining 7 suspects were tried in absentia (Gulf Daily News, Arab News, Trade Arabia, Human Rights First). The Prosecutor’s office said in an official statement that local and international media, Bahraini Human Rights Organizations and relatives have attended the court hearings (NYT, The Daily Gulf News, Trade Arabia). Human Rights First (HRF) however, reported that it was denied entry into the court despite the repeated assurances from Bahraini authorities that observers would be allowed in the courtroom. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights likewise denies having been allowed access to the court proceedings, despite the contradicting statements made by Bahrain News Agency, The New York Times, The Daily Gulf News and Trade Arabia. Other details on the trial proceedings also remained unclear. Some media reports indicate that the detainees had access to lawyers, medical care and family (Gulf Daily News). Other reports are more critical: HRF has labeled the court proceedings “a large show trial” “taking place in a highly militarized setting”. HRF issued an alert stating that despite government denial of a military trial, it is taking place in a Military Court in the presence of armed soldiers. According to the HRF alert, relatives reported that the 14 detainees were in bad physical and mental condition and showed signs of torture. They also had not been given enough time to prepare their cases and remained in solitary confinement despite a judicial ruling indicating otherwise (Human Rights First, Reporters Without Borders).
Background
On August 13, 2010, Prof. Al-Singace was arrested for the first time at Manama Airport, upon his return from the United Kingdom. Prof. Al-Singace had been invited to attend a seminar at the British House of Lords, that addressed Bahrain’s human rights situation On August 5, 2010 Prof. Al-Singace attended a seminar at the British House of Lords, addressing Bahrain’s human rights situation. While in London, reports indicated that he also met with several human rights organizations and committees, including Amnesty international and the Islamic Rights Commission.
According to human rights groups, Prof. Al-Singace was initially detained at an undisclosed location without regular access to legal counsel or medical care, in spite of the fact that Prof. Al-Singace suffers from poliomyelitis. It was reported that his crutches and wheelchair, on which he is dependent for mobility, were confiscated. On October 7, 2010, Reporters Without Borders stated that the violence to which he has been subjected during his detention had caused him partial loss of hearing. Al-Singace’s lawyer reported that, although Bahraini law dictates that detainees are brought before the public prosecutor or formally charged with an offense within 48 hours, this was not the case for Professor Al-Singace.
On August 18, FrontLine reported that Prof. Al-Singace faced charges of sedition and had made unauthorized contact with foreign bodies. An article published on September 7, 2010 indicated that Prof. Al-Singace was accused of “leading sabotage cells … contacting foreign organisations and providing them with false information about the kingdom” (The Guardian). His trial began on October 28, 2010, just five days after the first round of the general elections in Bahrain. He reportedly faced ten charges, some of which carried a life sentence. The most serious of the allegations of planning a coup against the Bahraini government was dropped.
There have been several reports about severe torture of the detainees. While the judge promised to move the accused to a different prison after complaints of torture, the torture continued. Prof. Al-Singace’s daughter said in a statement that her father carried visible marks of mistreatment, including severe weight loss, marks on his face, the loss of hearing in one ear and severe knee pain. The forms of torture, described by Prof. Al-Singace’s first lawyer, were both psychological and physical suggesting grave human rights abuses are taking place within the walls of the prison.
While initially prohibited from family visits, the wife of one of the 25 recently imprisoned activists has stated that family members were permitted to visit their loved ones; however, visits are limited to last only 15 minutes and they are prohibited from discussing any matter with a political content.
During a court hearing on December 23, 2010, the court was said to have reached “judicial deadlock”, since the detainees refused to work with their court-appointed lawyers (Reporters without Borders). At an earlier hearing on September 12, the original defense lawyers staged a walk out because of the court’s refusal to investigate the allegations of the use of torture against the detainees. On January 6, 2011, the sixth hearing ended again with an adjournment because the detainees refused, for a third time, to cooperate with their court appointed lawyers. The judge stated that new defense lawyers would be appointed before the next court date. During the seventh hearing on January 13, Prof. Al-Singace stood up alongside another detainee and stated that torture had continued since the preceding hearings. Prof. Al-Singace and the other detainee insisted that the original team of lawyers return to serve as their legal counsel. These lawyers were replaced in the first case allegedly because of their responsibility to investigate “the torture of the defendants” and re-investigate “them under the court jurisdiction in their presence” (Bahrain Freedom Movement).
At a hearing that took place on January 27, the detainees told the judge that the witnesses brought to testify were the same individuals who had tortured them. The detainees again demanded that they be allowed to select their own legal counsel. Human rights organizations reported that there were 13 lawyers who had been appointed to the detainees. Detainees and several of their family members were removed from the courtroom during the testimony of the alleged torturers. Several of the witnesses used in the trial are said to have been implicated in the torture allegations that Human Rights Watch has tried to investigate.
Prof. Al- Singace was released on February 23, 2011, when King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa ordered the release of 23 political activists during a wave of anti-government protest. However, his participation in subsequent demonstrations in March 2011, calling for the abdication of the Bahraini Royal rulers, led to his re-arrest on March 16.
Scholars at Risk action
This case appears to involve retaliation against one scholar’s peaceful exercise of fundamental rights, which are guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bahrain is a party. Scholars at Risk therefore joins with the many national and international academic associations, scholarly societies, human rights organizations and individual scholars in urging authorities to ensure that Bahrain’s obligations under international law are upheld with regard to Dr. Al-Singace.
SAR issued a letter of appeal on August 27, respectfully urging authorities to intervene to ensure Professor Al-Singace’s well-being, including ensuring immediate and regular access to legal counsel of his choosing, to family and to medical treatment. SAR furthermore urged Bahraini authorities to publicly explain the reasons for his detention or absent this, to arrange for his earliest release. On October 14, SAR issued a second letter of appeal, calling on authorities to investigate claims of ill-treatment in custody and to ensure Professor Al-Singace’s well-being pending his earliest release. SAR issued a third letter of appeal on March 18, following Professor Al-Singace’s rearrest, urging authorities to ensure that his case is addressed quickly and in keeping with Bahrain’s commitments to international law.
To view a copy of SAR’s letters of appeal, please visit:
– LOA_Al-Singace_08-27-2010.pdf
– LOA_Al-Singace_10-14-2010.pdf
– LOA_Al-Singace_03-18-2011.pdf
– LOA_Al_Singace_06_22_2011.pdf
To view a copy SAR’s alerts, please visit the following sites:
– http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Events-News/Article-Detail.php?art_uid=2288
– http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Events-News/Article-Detail.php?art_uid=2407
– http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu/Events-News/Article-Detail.php?art_uid=2671
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