According to the information received, on December 17, 2007, Mr. Ali Jassim Meki reportedly died because of the excessive use of force by the authorities of Bahrain as he was taking part in a peaceful demonstration in the Sanabis area [1], at the occasion of the Martyrs’ Day - aiming at paying tribute to victims of torture in the past.
At around 5 p.m., the demonstration was dispersed by members of the riot police and of the special security force, who heavily resorted to tear gas and rubber bullets. Some participants were chased through narrow streets and beaten on the spot.
Mr. Meki managed to run to his home and told his relatives: “They destroyed us, I feel I am dying”. His breathing then became more difficult, and he vomited white foam. Mr. Meki was taken to the Bahrain International Hospital, but the doctor asserted that he had died on the way, and ordered that he be taken to the morgue of Al-Sulaimania Governmental Hospital.
At around 8 p.m., Mr. Abdul Hadi Al-Khawaja, President of the Bahrain Human Rights Centre, observed the body and noticed bruises on his chest and on his arms. However, at 9.40 p.m., before the body was examined by doctors, the official news agency surprisingly published a press release stating that the death was the result of natural causes. At 10.30 p.m., the body was observed by three doctors assigned by the government. The body had reportedly turned greenish-red and blood was coming from his mouth.
At around midnight, the doctors conducted an autopsy, and handed afterwards a death certificate to Mr. Meki’s family, reporting that his death had been caused by a “sharp decline in blood and breathing systems”. The relatives asked for independent doctors to examine the body, but were told that no independent specialist was available in the country.
Mr. Meki had actively taken part in human rights protests over the past years. He had been arbitrarily detained in 1996, in the framework of protests calling for the restoration of democracy and the release of detainees. He had also been briefly detained in 2005, for taking part in a demonstration to protest against sexual and physical assaults that had been perpetrated against Mr. Mussa Abd-Ali, an activist from the Committee of Unemployed People.
The Observatory expresses its deep concern at Mr. Meki’s death, and considers that there are strong reasons to believe that his death be directly linked to the violent repression he was subjected to because of his human rights activities. The Observatory therefore calls upon the Bahraini authorities to carry out immediately and unconditionally an impartial and independent enquiry, so that the circumstances of Mr. Meki’s death be clarified, and that those responsible be identified, brought to justice and sanctioned according to law. The Observatory also urges the authorities to guarantee adequate reparation to the victim’s family.
More generally, the Observatory urges the Bahraini authorities to put an end to any act of harassment against all human rights defenders in the country, as well as to conform with the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December, 9, 1998, and in particular its article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, and its article 12.2, which provides that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the [...] Declaration”.
For further information, please contact :
FIDH : Gael Grilhot: +33 1 43 55 25 18
OMCT : Delphine Reculeau : + 41 22 809 49 39