(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Al-Wefaq's Head of Liberties and Human Rights department, Sayed Hadi Al-Musawi, said in a press conference at Al-Wefaq, that Bahrain authority is not implementing but rather circumventing the law.
Al-Musawi spoke of the authority's procedural irregularities against freedom of expression which he said it has violated by suppressing a peaceful protest march in the capital Manama Monday 17th December.
He mentioned that more than twenty citizens were arrested Monday, some were later released at midnight, the arrests took place in Manama where protesters held an event to mark 'martyr's day'. He said that high-ranking security officers have attacked women on streets sides while they had not broken the law.
Double-Standards
Al-Musawi pointed out that the authority tends to present reasons and excuses for its arbitrary bans on protests critical to itself, but at the same time totally ignores the same reasons for protests that support it, as it does not talk about traffic disturbance or maintaining security, and it does not claim that those protests are not peaceful as it does with the opposition's peaceful protests.
He said that the security checkpoints and roadblocks that have been in Manama for days is what disturbs traffic.
Al-Musawi also criticized the authority for misusing the law to arrest human rights activists like Sayed Yousif Al-Muhafda and Hasan Jaber.
"We've heard that Sayed Yousif has been detained and interrogated for tweeting inaccurate news, he was merely arrested for his presence in Manama"
Using the law for political tightening
Al-Musawi pointed out that the authority imposes measures that make normal life and movement difficult for residents and citizens in Manama whenever there are calls for protests there. He stressed that every citizen has the right to call for protests as long as they are peaceful, but the authority is using the law to tighten on rights and political activities.
"While the authority claims that protests in the capital disturb security and stability, we find its forces terrorizing the residents there, and disrupting businesses and shops, arbitrarily arresting citizens and causing injuries that are absolutely unnecessary, solely for practicing their civil and political right.", he said, "the excessive use of toxic teargas against has caused health damage to citizens and residents. The authority has distorted the image of Bahrain and has been slammed with international condemnations, and the world will not approve to the authority's neglect of the people's right to express opposition to injustice and oppression", he added.
Communicating with the international community
Al-Musawi stated, "The photos and video footages prove that the protesters were peaceful and had not used violence, but the regime forces conducted a series of pursuits and arrested the protesters, whom we consider prisoners of conscience". He clarified that lawyers of the detainees will most probably not be given the chance to attend at the public prosecution as the timing of its interrogations are not previously set. "We will present the names of these detainees to the Special Rapporteur of the right to peaceful protest the UN, and to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and to the Human Rights Council, and to all human rights organizations to show the world how the authority respects human rights and freedoms". Al-Musawi demanded the immediate release of the detainees.
A people's suffering from a vague law
Al-Musawi stated that the local Bahraini penal code is vague and imprecise (in articles 165,168,169,179) according to international legal experts, and this makes the possibility of the interference of personal desire of executive and judicial decision-makers, a disadvantage to the defendant. He also mentioned that Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that;
"The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others." and this is higher than all local laws as long as Bahrain has signed the covenant.
Al-Musawi further clarified that articles 165 and 168 and 169 of the Bahraini Penal Code restrict opinion and expression, and criminalize incitement of hatred against the regime, or damage to the public interest, without stating precise acts that harm the society and persons, and these laws have been used to repress any opinions critical of the government, as the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry acknowledged.
Reckless and irresponsible behavior
Al-Musawi described the behavior of the Ministry of Interior personnel that were involved in the attacks against the protesters in Manama. He mentioned the use of pepper spray in the face of people sitting on the side of the streets and toxic teargas against residents and citizens there for no reason in addition to threatening women on streets.
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