Bahraini NGOS call on UK Home Office to urgently halt deportation of Isa Al-Aali to Bahrain
Isa Haidar Al-Aali, 19 years old, has been detained by UK immigration authorities for over three months. Isa’s application for asylum has been refused twice and a deportation order made was issued last week for immediate deportation on 22 May 2014 despite having been sentenced in absentia to a 5 years imprisonment by a Bahraini court. Based on recent evaluations by global and local NGOs, Isa has not and will not receive a fair trial in Bahrain and will almost certainly be exposed to physical and psychological harm by Bahraini authorities.
Based on the ongoing documentation of torture by local activists and NGOs over the past 3 years, the risk factors are clear:
1. Bahrainis with a suspected or actual association to unauthorized peaceful protests are at significant risk of arbitrary arrest and torture
2. The partial judiciary in Bahrain is unwilling and unable of providing a fair trial that meets minimum international standards
3. The risk of greater persecution given the media profile of Isa Al-Aali will be used against him and will only exacerbate the risk of harm if he is forced to return.
On 19 May 2014, a Bahraini pro-government newspaper targeted, defamed and labeled 19-year-old Isa Haider Al Aali as a “terrorist” confirming the imminent risk of torture that he faces on his return to Bahrain. The headline states, “Haider, will return on Thursday!”. The underlying tone of the article is threatening and should be taken as an ominous warning.
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