Judicial harassment
The court is deliberately delaying the verdict in the BTA case, as in other human rights cases, in order to prolong Mahdi’s pre-trial detention. In protest to the deplorable detention conditions, Mahdi Abu Dheeb and other prisoners in the Jaw prison have a started a hunger strike on 18 September. According to information received from Jalila Al-Salman, Mahdi is not receiving needed medical treatment.
As communicated earlier, EI is extremely concerned about the outcomes of recent Bahraini appeals upholding harsh prison sentences against 13 human rights activists and recently, on 1 October, against nine medics convicted for taking part in last year’s pro-democracy demonstrations. Bahraini officials responded to international calls to end the persecution of human rights defenders by claiming they would not interfere in the proceedings of their “independent judiciary“. A few weeks ago, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) voiced serious concerns about the “campaign of persecution” by the Bahraini authorities against those working to promote human rights in the country. “It is time for the Bahraini authorities to comply with the rights to peaceful assembly and expression and immediately release those arbitrarily detained for exercising their legitimate freedoms,” the experts said in a news release.
Human and trade union rights violations
The Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, stressed that “the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly should not be subject to prior authorisation from the authorities.” He noted that the criminalisation of people participating in peaceful assemblies for the sole reason that they did not seek the approval of the authorities to hold such assemblies contradicts international human rights law.” “The continuing repression of free speech in Bahrain runs counter to international law and standards that individuals will not be prosecuted for peaceful political speech,” said the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue. He added, “The authorities must take all measures to guarantee the free expression of all individuals in Bahrain, whether through social media or otherwise.”
The revision of the convictions is also highlighted in the strong recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI). On 23 November 2011, it recommended the Bahraini authorities “to review convictions and commute sentences of all persons charged with offences involving political expression, not consisting of advocacy of violence, or, as the case may be, to drop outstanding charges against them.” A full section of the BICI report focuses on the teacher situation (paras 1340 to 1549).
International solidarity crucial
BTA colleagues believe that the regular presence of diplomats and international observers at the court hearing is making a difference, so please make sure that the final court appeal hearing on 21 October is monitored.
For an overview of the case, please click here.
