AhlulBayt News Agency

source : al Wefaq
Wednesday

10 April 2013

8:28:00 AM
407737

Bahrain punishes teachers

Marking two years on the detention of Mahdi Abu-Deeb head of Bahrain Teacher's Association (BTA), human rights activists and political and education figures participated in a solidarity-stand last Saturday 6th April held at Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Marking two years on the detention of Mahdi Abu-Deeb head of Bahrain Teacher's Association (BTA), human rights activists and political and education figures participated in a solidarity-stand last Saturday 6th April held at Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.

Al-Wefaq's Abdul-Jaleel Khaleel said Abu-Deeb has been subjected to a major crime expressing full solidarity with him and all political, education and athlete figures in jail.

"The Bassiouni report mentioned that going on strike is a right and that Mahdi Abu-Deeb is a conscience prisoner who must be released", pointing out that Abu-Deeb was coerced into confession under torture.

"The bigger issue is that there is a systematic policy used to attack education and sports and other fields, and these jailed figures are titles to persecution. If this policy is not stopped, everyone will be harmed, this is why we are insisting today on a radical solution", he said. 

Jalila Al-Salman, BTA's vice-president said Abu-Deeb's detention means the detention of the BTA.

"We all know the difference his presence makes. The teachers have not forgotten his firmness and how all teachers have benefited from his movements, and so there must be a day for retaliation," she said," but because most fear to speak up, we feel that we have not done enough for Abu-Deeb. His name will always be called in all rallies because it frightens them. The whole world is demanding for his release and he was mentioned by name in the U's Human Rights Council,"  

Abdul-Ghani Abdul-Aziz, Al-Wefaq's municipality bloc member, slammed the authorities in Bahrain for spending the public budget on the security forces and army and censorship on citizens while democratic States spend billions on education.   

Human rights activist, Sayed Yousif Al-Muhafda stressed that according to the recommendations of the Bassiouni report and the U's Human Rights Council, Abu-Deeb must be released.

"Abu-Deeb's torturer has not yet been tried while the judicial harassments against members of the BTA continue for standing for teacher's rights", he said.

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