Bahrain dictatorship news

This video is called A Disturbing Account of Torture in Bahraini Prisons [English subtitles].

By David Swanson in the USA:

When Are You Blackmailed with Video of Yourself Sleeping With Your Wife? When You Challenge the U.S.-Allied Bahraini Government

31 July 2012

Bahraini authorities are targeting human rights activist and lawyer Mr. Mohamed Isa Al-Tajer due to his human rights activities and years of work on behalf of political detainees and prisoners of conscience.

Mohamed Isa Al-Tajer is an attorney, human rights activist, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Bahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-violence Organisation (BRAVO) and works with many international human rights organizations. Al-Tajer has defended many prisoners and participated in several defense firms formed to defend activists, political figures, and prominent human rights defenders in Bahrain since 2007.

In June 2012, Al-Tajer participated at the Bahrain UPR meeting in Geneva. Pro-Bahrain-government newspapers and state television led a smear campaign against Al-Tajer. Later video and private photos of him and his wife were published via pro-government forums and accounts on the social media.

Al-Tajer has previously provided testimony to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry BICI that “he was videotaped sleeping with his wife and that he was threatened that this tape would be made public.” (BICI 1261.b)

By Justin Elliott, ProPublica in the USA:

Lobbyist-linked Group Footed Bill for Rep. Burton’s Bahrain Trip

July 31, 2012, 3:53 p.m.

When Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) and his wife Samia arrived in Bahrain in April, they were greeted with a huge welcome poster featuring oversized smiling headshots of the Burtons.

The veteran Indiana Republican, who is the third-ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs committee, met with the crown prince, after which a local pro-government newspaper ran a picture of the two men under the headline, “Bahrain’s reforms are hailed.” The paper reported that Burton had “lauded His Majesty for his statesmanship [and] steps to modernise Bahrain and promote reforms,” amid continuing pro-democracy protests.

When the congressman returned to Washington from Bahrain, he took to the House floor to praise Bahrain’s leaders and criticize protesters. …

Burton’s soothing words for the embattled government weren’t the only unusual thing about this trip.

The $20,966 cost of the trip, including business-class flights for Burton and his wife, was paid by a nonprofit group, the Bahrain American Council, created last year by the lobbying and public relations firm Policy Impact Communications to promote the Bahraini government line in Washington.

Members of Congress are not allowed to accept travel funds from any entity that “employs or retains” a lobbyist. The rule was instituted in 2007 after the Jack Abramoff scandal, which involved the corrupt lobbyist paying for luxury junkets for members of Congress and other officials.

Given the prohibition, how could a lobbyist-connected group finance Burton’s trip?

Because the Bahrain American Council says it doesn’t have any lobbyists on its staff.

But it sure is close to them.

The Bahrain American Council is located at 1401 K Street, NW, Suite 600 in Washington. That’s the same office as Policy Impact, which does employ a registered lobbyist and thus would be barred from paying for Burton’s trip.

Tanks from Saudi Arabia vs. Half-Naked Unarmed Man in Bahrain: here.

Bahrain tear gassing amounts to torture, rights group says: here.

BBC News – Bahrain authorities ‘weaponising’ tear gas: here. And here.

Bahrain Opinion: US Needs More Than Words About the Regime: here.

USA: Will Congress Put Bahrain in the Human Rights Spotlight? Here.

Six NGO’s write letter to French President to clarify his “secret” meeting with King of Bahrain: here.

It’s yet again that Gamma International sold spyware toolkit to one country in Middle East, since security investigators have unraveled spying software that was dispatched to hacktivists inside Bahrain as having connection with the company’s products. Techweekeurope.co.uk published this on July 26, 2012: here.

Bahrain riot police fire tear gas, stun grenades on protesters: here.