Bahrain arrests 183 protesters, including 31 children in one month: opposition

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) Sayed Hadi Al Musawi, Head of Liberties and Human Rights Department (LHRD) in Al Wefaq Society, revealed that 183 were arrested during the month of December 2013, including 31 children. Al Musawi also confirmed 17 cases of torture during the month.The statistics were revealed in a press conference held at Al Wefaq headquarters on Tuesday 14th (January 2014). Al Musawi added that his department was able to document 745 sporadic protests, he said, 400 of which were repressed by Bahrain security forces, causing injuries amongst protesters and suffocation amongst inhabitants inside homes as a collective punishment. The LHRD recorded 16 injuries; most were due to direct aiming at protesters’ bodies with firearms (shotgun) and tear gas canisters.The LHRD statistics revealed 207 home raids, also to have taken place during December 2013. However, in all cases, the security forces did not present legal warrants or judicial permission to raid the houses. The inhabitants of the raided homes complained of vandalism of their property and belongings during the raids. Most of the raids took place during late night hours when the females would be in sleepwear. The Bahraini Independent Commission of Inquiry report, issued November 2011, described the raids it had documented to be carried out in a “terror-inspiring” manner. The very same manner continues to be used today by breaking open doors and damaging furniture and terrorising women and children as part of the regime’s ongoing systematic brutality against citizens.The LHRD has recorded 18 cases of vandalism, most of which were practiced during home raids. In some cases, civilian cars and private property were damaged due to random firing of tear gas canisters in residential areas during crackdown on protests.Ongoing violations prove BICI recommendations not implementedAl Musawi highlighted that the December 2013 statistics measure the continuation of the violations documented in the BICI report. He said the LHRD monthly reports also documented other forms of human rights violations that did not exist when the BICI report was written.Al Musawi said human rights violations and abuses are ongoing in jails while Government institutions turn a blind-eye. “Where is the Ombudsman? Where is the Government’s committee to follow-up on the implementation of the BICI recommendations? Where is the National Institution for Human Rights? Where is the Ministry of Human Rights that is been active in publishing press bulletins about the good human rights situation in Bahrain and that Bahrain is responding to the U.N mechanisms? We are receiving complaints on human rights violations from prisoners in Juw and Dry Dock prisons. We find Bahrain has failed to respond to the U.N human rights mechanisms and failed to implement the BICI recommendations”, he said.He stated that Bahrain’s refusal to receive the U.N torture expert indicates that it does not have confidence in international experts and that torture exists on the ground.Torture and maltreatmentIn regards to torture and cruel treatment and maltreatment, the LHRD has documented 17 cases, most of which included either assault or severe assault during arrest. Families of a number of detainees told the LHRD that their relatives had been tortured during interrogation sessions, although the LHRD has not been able to confirm these allegations. Therefore, it is probable that the number of maltreatment victims has increased. The LHRD mentions two cases here:Case no.1: A 19 year old told the LHRD that he was arrested during his participation in a peaceful event. He was then taken by the police to a remote area where he was severely beaten on different parts of his body. His cell phone was destroyed and his family was not able to find him until the next day. He was extremely exhausted.Case no. 2: A family of a 15 year old boy told the LHRD that their son was arrested in a raid carried out at his friend’s house, while peaceful protests were taking place in the area. He said he was threatened with a gun and taken to a nearby farm where he was severely beaten in his private parts, neck and face. He was also threatened that cigarettes would be burnt out on his body before a policeman bit his ear. His cell phone was confiscated and he was thrown in a remote area.   Al Musawi confirmed that children in Dry Dock prison had their heads shaved then thrown on the floor as a punishment because of a problem with a policeman. “The authorities know but they are hiding the misdeed. If this is how children are treated in custody, then how are the children taken to remote areas treated?”Provocative violations of religious freedomThe LHRD was able to document 39 cases of violations against religious freedom in December 2013. 8 board members of religious places were detained on 25th December in relation to slogans hanged or sprayed along roads where an annual religious procession was to pass. They faced fabricated charges of insulting the king and organising unauthorised protests. The board members said they have nothing to do with the mentioned charges. After just days, another 7 board members of religious places in Manama were summoned for the same reasons.   In two incidents, on 21st and 28th December, citizens were prevented from reaching Al-Barbaghi mosque in Aáli for prayer. One person was arrested and Sheik Fadhil Al Zaki was summoned for participating in an authorised assembly.Al Musawi said the relocating of the demolished mosque is unacceptable in both religion and by the people. He also mentioned that the Sa’sa’a bin Suhan ancient mosque in Askar is being attacked and vandalised and left open for animals.  Unprecedented measure: collecting blood for DNAAl-Musawi stated that on 28th December 2013 the CIA summoned the Secretary General of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society to be interrogated after delivering a speech at a mosque in heart of the capital Manama on 27th December 2013. He was then transferred to the prosecution to be charged later with incitement of hatred against sect and spreading false news. He was then released but banned form travelling.  Al-wefaq Secretary General’s defense panel showed serious concerns over denying the SG to his lawyers and then forcefully collecting blood, a suspicious measure that is unprecedentedly undertaken by the CIA.Al-Musawi pointed out that more alarming restrictions are imposed on the small margin of freedom of expression in Bahrain as it is subjected only to the authorities mood but not the national nor the international laws. “We are so worried over the summoning of the Secretary General of Al-Wefaq and concerned about the suspicious measure of collecting blood for DNA from Al-Wefaq Secretary General. Moreover, barring the Secretary General from travelling is meant to restrict his political activity. However, the ban should be lifted off him as well as Khalil Al-Marzooq because they are both exercising their political activity for the sake of the Bahraini people.No information provided about two seriously injured citizensAl-Musawi pointed out that the authorities are systematically practicing enforced disappearance against citizens for over three years. Authorities refuse to provide any information about the arrested to their families denying them a basic humanitarian right.“Families of victims of enforced disappearance are always feared to be harmed as there is no information provided about their sons” he added. “If the authorities were undertaking legal measures, they would hide any information about the detainees. All detainees’ families have not known about their sons’ whereabouts for over 6 days since they were arrested, who is responsible for this dangerous behaviour? ” he said“Hussain Al-Ghassra is a man who is in his fifties and suffering from back pain. He was arrested during a home raid, and his family still has not received any information about his whereabouts. We have contacted the red across for 75% of the detainees, the red cross contacts the authorities in Bahrain, the authorities then call the families of the detainees in respect to the Red Cross.Al-Musawi pointed out that there are two young men who are reported to be in serious conditions after being arrested during a snatch operation conducted by the regime authorities. The MoI reported that they were injured and provided no details about their conditions or their whereabouts. One of the detainees’ families managed to know that their son is in the BDF but the MoI refused to inform the two families about their conditions or how bad their injuries are. “The event happened and the authorities are fully aware of the families concerns, though they refuse to provide any information to them about their sons’ conditions,” Al-Musawi said. Al-Musawi concluded that he will continue contacting the Red Cross regarding this issue.Liberties and Human Rights DepartmentAl Wefaq National Islamic SocietyDecember 2013/149