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EI has launched a campaign to urge the Bahraini authorities to immediately release on bail Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, President of the Bahraini Teachers Association (BTA), given his deteriorating health condition. This campaign is organised in partnership with LabourStart, an online news service aiming to serve the international trade union movement by collecting and disseminating information.

The appeal of Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, Vice-President and President of the BTA, held on 11 December, was adjourned by the Supreme Court of Appeal to 19 February, consequently prolonging the detention of Mahdi.

Jalila, who is currently freed on bail, reported to EI that there are serious fears regarding the condition of the BTA President's health which is reported to be deteriorating day by day since he was transferred to Jaw Prison in October.

Officials continue to deny him the medical help he urgently needs. The request of the BTA lawyers to release Mahdi on bail, given the state of his health, was rejected by the court. The report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) describes detention and torture methods that have been inflicted on Mahdi and other detainees by the authorities. The BTA lawyers asked the court to include the BICI report as evidence in the case. They also requested for the so-called "confessions" obtained from both activists under torture to be dropped.

Jalila and Mahdi are appealing the decision of the military National Safety Court that, in September, sentenced them to respectively three and ten years imprisonment, for unwarranted accusations, including inciting others to commit crimes, calling for hatred and overthrow of the ruling system, leaving work on purpose and encouraging others to do so and taking part in illegal gathering.

Their strong involvement in the peaceful protests of March 2011 led to a crackdown where teachers and trade unionists became subjected to arbitrary arrests, military prosecution, investigation, suspensions, dismissals, salary cuts and torture.

EI also condemns the dissolution and the arbitrary procedures against the BTA which are in clear violation of the free exercise of human and trade union rights in Bahrain, and violate Bahrain's own labour laws as well as Bahrain's obligations as a member state of the International Labour Organisation.

Join the campaign and sign the petition requesting Mahdi’s immediate release by clicking here!