Photo: Mohamed Al Jazeeri (17 years old)
28 January 2013
Mohamed AlJazeeri (17 years old) was sentenced today to 6 months imprisonment on the charge of “illegal gathering”. AlJazeeri who is a victim of the excessive use of force by security forces against protesters has lost his eye sight in his left eye due to a direct hit with tear gas canister.
Photo: Mohamed Al Jazeeri (17 years old)
28 January 2013
Mohamed AlJazeeri (17 years old) was sentenced today to 6 months imprisonment on the charge of “illegal gathering”. AlJazeeri who is a victim of the excessive use of force by security forces against protesters has lost his eye sight in his left eye due to a direct hit with tear gas canister.
On 18 Feb 2012, Mohamed AlJazeeri was participating in a funeral procession of Mansoor Salman AlSitri, who died due to tear gas suffocation in Sitra. Clashes ensued after security forces attacked the procession, and AlJazeeri was shot directly in the eye from less than 15 meters by a teargas canister. After he fell to the ground, and despite the severity of his injury, a large number of security forces started beating him. (video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiRtbmJAnDY).
Mohamed AlJazeeri was taken home after which he was moved to Sitra medical center, and from there to Salmaniya Medical complex. From 4:30 pm until 9:30 pm, despite the gravity of his injury and that he wasn’t fully conscious, he was not allowed to be treated. Instead, he was interrogated by officers in uniform as well as plain clothes intelligence officers. The next day, a representative from the public prosecution who refused to disclose his name made AlJazeeri sign papers although AlJazeeri was medicated, underage, without presence of a lawyer and without allowing him to read the contents. AlJazeeri was told that he will be held for 15 days under interrogation, but was allowed to leave hospital when discharged.
Due to being shot at shot a close range and directly in his eye, Mohamed AlJazeeri has lost complete eye sight in his left eye, the bones around his eye were shattered; and he had a fracture in his jaw. His family took him to a private hospital to avoid further harassment and provide him with proper medical treatment without the fear of having him detained. He underwent four operations.
Mohammed Al Jazeeri received further treatment to ensure that he is not at risk of losing sight in his right eye in Dublin, Ireland with the help of the Bahrain Rehabilitation and anti violence organization (BRAVO). The organization stated that “If he had received immediate and complete treatment, rather than the threatening atmosphere of police harassment, it is possible that Mohammed could have had a less traumatic experience and overall impact on his physical health”[1].
ALJazeeri needs to continue to receive medical treatment required for his case, but has now been sentenced to 6 months imprisonment. The charge brought against AlJazeeri is a charge related to freedom of assembly.
Due to the many cases of political prisoners not receiving adequate medical care, and in one case the death of a political prisoner due to lack of adequate medical treatment, the BCHR fears Mohamed AlJazeeri will also be denied access to adequate medical care.
Photo: Mohammed Abu Saadah
Other victims who lost their eyes due to the use of excessive force were imprisoned without access to medical treatment required for their cases. Mohammed AbuSaadah (26 years old) who was the first victim to lose his eye on 14 Feb 2011, was arrested on 10 Oct 2012 during a funeral procession and was beaten severely during the arrest. He was interrogated without a lawyer at the public prosecution, charged with illegal gathering, and eventually sentenced to 6 months in prison. His appeal process continues to be delayed and his family believes this to be intentional to force him to serve the whole sentence.
No official has been held accountable for the hundreds of injuries as a result of the excessive use of force by the security men since 14 Feb 2011.
The BCHR calls on the United States, the United Kingdom, the UN and all other allies and international institutions to put pressure of the Government of Bahrain to:
• Drop all charges against all persons who are being prosecuted for merely exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
• Call for the immediate release of all prisoners who have been detained for practicing their right of peaceful assembly in Bahrain.
• Hold accountable and bring to justice those responsible for the use of excessive force that resulted in hundreds of injuries.
• Stop the use of excessive force in response to the continued protests.
[1] BRAVO-Bahrain.org
