Today on October 18 at 3:00am, Mrs. Jaleela Al Salman, Vice President of Bahrain Teachers Association, was re-arrested following a homeraid by security forces without an official notice or warrant for her arrest.
On 25 September 2011, Mrs. Jaleela Al Salman was senteced to 3 years imprisonment by a Military court with charges of inciting hatred towards the regime, calling for a teachers strike and attempting to overthrow the ruling system by force. This comes among other charges alongside her colleague, Mahdi Abu Deeb, President of Bahrain Teachers Association, who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.
Today on October 18 at 3:00am, Mrs. Jaleela Al Salman, Vice President of Bahrain Teachers Association, was re-arrested following a homeraid by security forces without an official notice or warrant for her arrest.
On 25 September 2011, Mrs. Jaleela Al Salman was senteced to 3 years imprisonment by a Military court with charges of inciting hatred towards the regime, calling for a teachers strike and attempting to overthrow the ruling system by force. This comes among other charges alongside her colleague, Mahdi Abu Deeb, President of Bahrain Teachers Association, who was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Mrs. Jaleela was detained since 29 March 2011, only to be released on August 21 2011 with Head of the Nurses’ Society, Rula Al Saffar, after her health deteriorated for going on a hunger strike in protest of her illegitimate detention.
Masked security forces in civilian clothing broke in to Mrs. Jaleela’s house at 3:00am today for the second time this year, despite her father’s willingness to open the door after hearing noises. They claimed to be executing court order but lacked an arrest warrant. According to a family member, her father told them that he will call his daughter but they insisted on storming into the house and going upstairs were she was in her room sleeping. Her father stood in front of the room to prevent them from entering as they were all men, so they finally agreed to let a female officer in to arrest Mrs. Jaleela. Neither her no her lawyer had received an official prior notice to her arrest. After an hour of her arrest, she called her family to inform them that she is in Isa Town police station and will later today be transferred to jail. Both her and Mahdi Abu Deeb, who is currently held in Jaw prison, are awaiting their appeal on December 11 2011.
It should be mentioned that after her release on August 21 2011, Mrs. Al Salman had to be treated for disc disorder and high blood pressure, as well as for having unstable heartbeats which she had developed during her 149 days in detention when she was on hunger strike.
It is believed that Mrs. Jaleela’s arrest is due to speaking up last week about her detention and being subjected to torture. She has been actively speaking about the Bahraini regime’s violations against teachers and women overall.
Seven other board members from the Bahrain Teachers Association who have been detained in the past few months are also awaiting trial:
– Sana Abdulrazag
– Ghusoon Alsayed
– Afrah Alasfoor
– Ali Albana
– Salah Albarry
– Anwar Abdulaziz
– Fakhreyya Meelad
Since March hundreds of teachers have been targetted with arrests, charged with false offenses and fired from their jobs.
BCHR: Petition to end the violations against students and educators: https://www.change.org/petitions/pres..
Recent Interviews of Jalila AlSalman about torture
• With Human Rights first (Video)
• With WVoN
More information
• Teachers in Bahrain on World Teachers Day: Jailed, tortured, prosecuted and dismissed from work for political reasons
• AMNESTY: Bahrain teachers given jail sentences
• HRW: Bahrain: Reinstate Ousted Students, Faculty
• BCHR: Bahrain regime continues targeting students and teachers
• BCHR: Teachers ordeal in Bahrain: arrested, tortured, sacked, suspended and prosecuted
• BCHR: Urgent Appeal: Teacher Unionist’s Life at Risk in Bahraini Prison
• Bahrain: UN concerned about court sentences for teacher leaders
• Bahrain: EI demands release of teacher leader on hunger strike