FIDH and OMCT call for the immediate end of repression!

11/05/2011
Press release

On the eve of the second hearing of a trial held against 21 opponents and defenders in Bahrain, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) strongly denounce the ongoing harsh repression against individuals considered as opponents or linked to the opposition movement by the Bahraini government.

21 opponents and human rights defenders have been brought to trial before the National Security Court on charges of ”organising and managing a terrorist organisation”, “attempt to overthrow the government by force and in liaison with a terrorist organisation working for a foreign country,” and the “collection of money for a terrorist group”. FIDH and OMCT consider that these proceedings against them actually aim at sanctioning their involvement in the peaceful protests demanding democracy and respect for human rights and/or political changes in the country.

Out of the 21 individuals tried, 14 of them [1] are currently arbitrarily detained. The seven other persons [2] have not been arrested and are being tried in absentia. At the May-8 hearing, the 14 all appeared to have lost weight during their detention and some of them reported that they had been kept in solitary confinement and subject to continuous torture. Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former MENA Protection Coordinator for Frontline and former Director of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), bore visible signs of torture.

FIDH and OMCT strongly deplore the arbitrary nature of these charges and of the entire proceedings against these 21 individuals, which contradict international human rights standards reaffirmed in a press statement issued by the Kingdom of Bahrain on May 8, 2011, underlining that individuals could not be charged “for any political or human rights activity, or for the exercise of legitimate rights of opinion or expression".

FIDH and OMCT therefore call for their immediate and unconditional release, and for the end of the proceedings against them.

FIDH and OMCT are further shocked by the acts of torture and ill-treatment against the aforementioned individuals and call on the authorities to immediately end such practices. FIDH and OMCT also call for a prompt, effective, thorough, independent and impartial investigation into the above-mentioned acts, the result of which must be made public, in order to prosecute and try the perpetrators of these violations before a competent, independent and impartial tribunal.

In the context where a Royal decree was issued on May 8, 2011, providing for the lift of the State of National Safety for June 1, 2011, FIDH and OMCT call for the immediate end of the harsh repression in Bahrain in blatant violation of fundamental human rights such as freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, where international observers -even journalists covering the events- are subjected to constant hindrances as evidenced again on May 10, 2011 by the expulsion from Bahrain of Manama-based Reuters correspondent. In addition to the fact that all foreign media are currently prevented from working in Bahrain, local independent journalists face systematic acts of harassment.

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