'Silence is a war crime'
Overlooking the political situation in Bahrain will not detract from the blatant human rights violations. A very brief summary of a few violations which go against articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Many links throughout, which will lead you onto sources regarding statistics and more information.
- Was presented to those who were unaware that Bahrain existed let alone of the situations present-
(Recommended to download if wishing to view, as hyperlinks are more easily accessible)
2. Background
Information
Why
demonstrate?
Human Rights
Situation
Freedom of
expression?
Case Studies
Bahrain
Capital : Manama
Population : 1.234.571
GDP : $26.108 billion (91st)
Per Capita : $23,132 (33rd)
Area : 765.3 km2 (187th) - 295.5 sq mi
Largest City : Manama
President : Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Prime Minister : Khalifa bin Salman Al
Khalifa
Currency : Bahraini dinar (BHD)
Languages : Arabic & English
Location
Excessive
force
To find out
more
3. Background
Information
Why
demonstrate?
Human Rights
Situation
Freedom of
expression?
Case Studies
Excessive
force
To find out
more
Population
What are people continuing to demonstrate for?
Sunni
30%
-Democracy
-Fair elections and freedom
Shias
70%
-Constitutional monarchy
-Deportation of foreign mercenaries
-Rewrite of the Constitution
Senior positions in the
country. (2010)
-The end to economic and Human rights violations
Shias
13%
-Equality for Shias- (a sect of Islam of which equate to
approximately 70% of the Bahraini population)
Sunni
87%
Active
Discrimination
- Electoral
gerrymandering
- In Ministries
- In Defence forces
- Infrastructure in
parts of the
country
-In arrests
4. Background
Information
Why
demonstrate?
Human Rights
Situation
Freedom of
expression?
Case Studies
Excessive
force
To find out
more
-After the start of the pro-democracy protests in 2011, the police response was
described as a ‘brutal’ crackdown on ‘peaceful and unarmed protestors’
-Midnight house raids in predominately Shia areas, were carried out.
Article 9 (UDHR)
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
-Medical care was denied in a ‘campaign of intimidation’.
Article 25 (UDHR)
Everyone has the right to … medical care.
These are only a
limited varied
selection of
instances which
go against Articles
in the Universal
Declaration of
Human Rights
(UNDR).
-More than 2,929 people have been arrested, with at least five having died in
custody due to torture. By attending a protest you were putting yourself at risk of
being arrested, tortured and in the least losing your job.
- According to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report, physical
and psychological abuse was inflicted by the National Security Agency and the
Ministry of Interior on a systematic basis (torture).
Article 5 (UDHR)
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment.
- Citizens removed right of Bahraini Nationality
Article 15 (UDHR)
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
5. Background
Information
Why
demonstrate?
Human Rights
Situation
Freedom of
expression?
Case Studies
Excessive
force
To find out
more
Article 19 (UDHR)
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to
hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas
through any media and regardless of frontiers.
‘The King of Bahrain is the head of the
executive, legislative and judicial
authorities. He appoints
the government, its members, the
judiciary and public prosecutors and he
has promulgated the 2002
Constitution, without any public
consultation. Therefore, he holds all
powers’
‘Freedom of Speech’ is non-existent in
Bahrain. From the 19th November
2013, the Kingdoms local Newspaper
released a statement reading that
‘People who insult His Majesty King
Hamad could face up to seven years in
prison or fines up to BD10,000.’ The
BCHR has documented 30 cases in which
citizens were prosecuted, tried or
sentenced
over the charge of “insulting the
King”.
The ‘Bahrain Centre for Human Rights’ website was
blocked from access in Bahrain and still sometimes is.
http://www.bahrainrights.org/issue/term/24
6. Background
Information
Why
demonstrate?
Human Rights
Situation
Freedom of
expression?
Case Studies
Excessive
force
To find out
more
Nabeel Rajab a prominent human rights activist has been in
prison since July 2012 for charges related to freedom of
expression. He had served almost three months in prison
for tweeting about Bahrain’s prime minister, and has
remained in prison on the basis of attending ‘illegal
gatherings’ (a protest). Although due for early release on the
29th of November 2013, he is yet to be released. He is of
course not the only human rights activist being unfairly
treated.
After the uprising in
2011. 13 opposition
leaders were arrested.
Their ‘crime’ was
expressing their
opinions peacefully:
calling for
democracy, an end to
corruption, opposing
the monarchy. After
an unfair trial the men
were sentenced to
between five years
and life in prison.
Video
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/bahrainhigh-price-telling-hard-truths-2013-12-16
Photojournalist Ahmad Fardan was arrested
at his home on 26 December 2013. He was
brought before the Prosecution on 1 January,
2014 who ordered his detention for 45 days
on a charge of “intending to participate in
gatherings”. He was tortured during
interrogation. ‘beaten until he passed out’
‘sustained two broken ribs’ More info here
http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/6705
7. Background
Information
Why
demonstrate?
Human Rights
Situation
Freedom of
expression?
Case Studies
Excessive
force
To find out
more
-As of April 2012, the number of total
deaths was estimated at 90, most of
which were a result of Birdshot,
Gunshot, Tear gas, torture and physical
abuse.
-Not only is it used to disperse protests,
but police have also been seen
deliberately firing it inside houses and
at individuals. Tear gas commonly
causes crying, sneezing, coughing,
difficulty breathing, pain in the eyes, and
temporary blindness.
‘The UK government has
approved over £30 Million
worth of military and
dual-use arms export
licences to Bahrain;
including assault
rifles, pistols and naval
guns.’
Police fired one canister,
made in Korea, at a young
boy, 14 years old, named
Ali. The police fired the
canister at Ali's neck from
a short distance, and
killed him.
-Korean companies, DaeKwang
Chemical and CNO Tech
exported more than 1.5 million
tear gas canisters to Bahrain in
2011 and 2012. The population
of Bahrain is only 1.2 million
people.
Visit www.stoptheshipment.org to learn more.
