Beirut, 12 December, 2011 — The Gulf Centre for Human Rights and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights express their deep concern regarding the ongoing threats and harassment of some human rights defenders in Bahrain. They are: Ms. Lamis Dhaif, journalist and human rights defender, Mr. Nabeel Rajab, director of the Bahrain center for human rights, Mr. Mohammed Al-Maskati, president of the Bahrain youth society for human rights, Mr.Yousef Al-Mahafdha, the monitoring and follow-up officer at the Bahrain center for human rights, Mr. Yousef Abdulrasool, member the board of directors of the Bahrain youth society for human rights, and Mr. Ahmed Abbas, member of the Bahrain youth society for human rights.
Beirut, 12 December, 2011 — The Gulf Centre for Human Rights and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights express their deep concern regarding the ongoing threats and harassment of some human rights defenders in Bahrain. They are: Ms. Lamis Dhaif, journalist and human rights defender, Mr. Nabeel Rajab, director of the Bahrain center for human rights, Mr. Mohammed Al-Maskati, president of the Bahrain youth society for human rights, Mr.Yousef Al-Mahafdha, the monitoring and follow-up officer at the Bahrain center for human rights, Mr. Yousef Abdulrasool, member the board of directors of the Bahrain youth society for human rights, and Mr. Ahmed Abbas, member of the Bahrain youth society for human rights.
On December 5, 2011, Mr. Adel Fleifel, who is regarded as very close to the Bahraini government, published on his twitter account, a clear and explicit threat directed to human rights defenders: Lamis Dhaif, Nabeel Rajab, Mohammed Al-Maskati, and Yousef Al-Mahafdha. According to credible reports, Mr. Fleifel leads an armed civilian militias to incite sectarian violence and encourage civilians to carry arms to kill the advocates of reform, democracy and human rights activists. He is taking advantage of the failure of the government to perform the basic duty of protecting citizens and their property and to bring members of these outlawed militias to face fair justice.
On December 2, 2011, Yousef Abdulrasool, member of the board of directors of the Bahrain youth society for human rights, exposed to harassment and interrogation by the security forces at Bahrain International Airport, on his arrival from Beirut, after participating in a training course on the UN mechanisms organized by the Regional Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Also, the security forces in Bahrain targeted continuously, during the months of October and November 2011, member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, Ahmed Abbas, while he was monitoring and documenting human rights violations in the village of Nuwaidrat, forcing him into hiding until now.
This Pattern of violations includes, the serious threats which Mr. Adel Fleifel repeats from time to time against human rights activists, the intimidation of peaceful citizens by his armed militias, as well as human rights violations and harassment by the authorities in Bahrain against the 5 human rights defenders: Lamis Dhaif, Nabeel Rajab, Mohammed Al-Maskati, Yousef Al-Mahafdha, Yousef Abdulrasool, and Ahmed Abbas, is contrary to international human rights laws that focused on the necessity of protecting civil and human rights for all citizens and sharply contrast with what is mentioned in Article 12 of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders which states that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, adverse discrimination facto or de jure, or pressure, or any other arbitrary action ” as a result of the legitimate exercise of their civil and human rights.
The Gulf Centre for Human Rights and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, call on the Bahraini government to provide the adequate protection to all human rights to carry out their peaceful activities in defense of human rights. The government of Bahrain should take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of human rights defenders and that of their family members.
It is vital for the government of Bahrain, in particular after Bassiouni’s report, to send a clear and strong message to the international community, that there will be no impunity for alleged perpetrators of human rights related crimes such as Mr Fleifel. Also, the notorious decree 56 which gave amnesty to people who committed crimes of torture in the 90’s should be discontinued. This decree gives people like Mr. Fleifel impunity, and allows the continuation of practices of torture.
For more information, please contact:
Bahrain: Nabeel Rajab (Arabic and English) +973-396-333-99
Lebanon: Khalid Ibrahim (Arabic and English) +961-701-595-52
The Gulf Centre for Human Rights is an independent centre and has been registered in Ireland. The Centre works to strengthen support for human rights defenders and independent journalists in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
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