On 22 November, 2005 the Unemployed Committee had decided to hold a peaceful gathering near the King’s Court to voice their concerns and requests. As representatives of the Committee were authorized to meet with a delegation of the Royal court, the gathering was postponed. Few days later, considering that no immediate measures promised by the authorities to solve the problem of unemployment were taken, the Committee has decided to organise on 29 November, a peaceful picket near the Royal Court in Riffa and has informed the Police Station at Riffa of this gathering. Their request was refused as the Royal court is considered as a forbidden area.
Following the declaration by the Unemployed Committee to hold this gathering, several members of the Unemployed Committee and in particular, members of the dialogue team which met with the Royal court delegation have reportedly been subjected to different kinds of harrassment to dissuade them to hold a picket. On 27 November 2005 at night, Musa Abd Ali was caught by alleged armed security individuals in civilian clothes who sexually mistreated and beated him. He was summoned to pass message to the Unemployed Committee and told that the same treatment will be passed to the rest of the Committee and the unemployed if they do not renounce to the demonstration. On 30 November at 2.30 a.m., another member of the Unemployment Commitee, Hassan Abdulnabi was arrested by the police, he was released few hours later. He was also reported mistreated during the questioning.
On 29 November, 2005 severe clashes took place between security forces and demonstrators protesting against the attack on the Unemployed Committee members, in central Manama. Several demonstrators were reported injured and human rights organisations in Bahrain condemned the disproportionate use of force by the police.
FIDH and BHRS recall that on 19 June, 2005, the anti-riot police had cracked down on another protest gathering jobless Bahrainis by using excessive force, around 30 demonstrators were arrested for « protesting in a prohibited zone » and released the day after. On 15 July, 2005 a group of demonstrators led by the Unemployment Committee, gathered to protest the fact that the Bahraini national budget had been passed by the Parliament and the Shura Council without provision for a social welfare fund for the unemployed and low earners were reported wounded and were taken to hospitals, a part of them suffering from several fractures.
FIDH and BHRS urge Bahraini authorities to take measures to ensure that police officers conform to international standards on the right to freedom of assembly and to put an end to use of force in all circumstances. They also call upon the authorities to open an investigation on the clashes and the alleged attack on Musa Abd Ali and to ensure that the perpetrators of the acts of violence will be brought to justice.
FIDH and BHRS are concerned by these violations of human rights and individual liberties and in particular, the denial of freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly.
FIDH and BHRS call upon the Bahraini authorities :
– to promote in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of all residents in Bahrain;
– to ensure the freedom of expression to all residents as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain and international human rights instruments in particular, by Art. 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as recommended by several UN Committees which recently assessed on the human rights situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain;
– to ensure the freedom of peaceful assembly and to conform in particular, to 1998 UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders which stipulates in its Art. 5b that « for the purpose of promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, everyone has the right, individually and in association with others (...) to meet or assemble peacefully ».