(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - In this context, Director of Amnesty International's Meddle East and North Africa Program Malcolm Smart affirmed, "The release of these government critics is welcome, if overdue, but the Bahraini authorities must ensure that all charges based on their legitimate exercise of freedom of expression or other human rights are also dropped, so that the threat of re-imprisonment is not left hanging over Matar Matar, Jawad Fairouz and others".
A third government critic was released also this weekend, human rights Member of Parliament Mohammad al-Tajer, who affirmed to Amnesty International on Monday that his "peaceful activities remain stifled".
Mohammad al-Tajer noted that the charges against him have not been dropped, stating that the items confiscated from his office have not been returned and his bank account is frozen.
"I am happy for the release but I am forces to sign papers stating that I would appear in court and be available for interrogation at any time if I was summoned, and I was required to declare that I would not undertake any activity "against the country", al-Tajer further indicated.
After their release, the three former Bahraini Members of Parliament described the brutal torture practiced by the Saudi-backed forces against them, after they were accused of taking part in the "peaceful protests" sweeping across the country.
On this level, Amnesty International's Malcolm Smart stressed that the Bahraini authorities must ensure that all allegations of torture are independently investigated and that those responsible for torture are brought to justice.
"They must not continue to tolerate such abuse and allow the perpetrators to escape accountability", Smart reaffirmed.
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