International Women’s Day in dictatorial Bahrain

This video from Bahrain says about itself:

July 8, 2012

Bahraini riot police firing tear gas canisters toward a woman with her children in Ma’ameer village -south of Manama-.

This scene is considered as a targeting operation of many innocent citizens, and a copy of many previous scenes repeated in different areas in Bahrain from the beginning of 14 FEB revolution in the last year.

From al Wefaq in Bahrain:

Bahrain: On International Women’s Day (8th March) / Videos

Bahrain has the highest women arrests ratio among all Arab Spring countries:

· More than 230 females arrested since the beginning of the demands movement
· More than 14 female martyrs as a result of the regime’s brutality
· Over 200 female students suspended from Bahraini universities
· Over 380 female staff dismissed in Bahrain
· Bahraini women suffer outrageous abuses perpetrated by the regime
· Tens of male detainees have been threatened with the rape of female family members

As the International Women Day passes, Bahraini women live their ever worst conditions and violations perpetrated by the Bahraini regime. Many violations have been documented after the eruption of the revolution and the demands movement in Bahrain which witnessed a systematic escalation in attacks against women.

Numbers and documentations made by human rights organizations in Bahrain show that more than 230 Bahraini females were arbitrarily arrested, including children. 72 of which were arrested from their work places, 65 women were summoned and 58 female medics were arrested. Records also show that some female prisoners are still behind bars, a number of were abducted from their houses after midnight.

More than 14 women are reported to have been martyred due to the official violence and excessive use of force against peaceful protesters. Bahya Al-Aradi is one martyr who was killed by direct targeting with live ammunition, while other female martyrs died of asphyxia caused by toxic gas fired excessively at houses. Amina Sayed Mahdi, 36, was the last victim of toxic gas suffocation who died in her home town Abu Saibe’a.

The Bahraini women are also terrorized during frightening house raids conducted by the regime forces in different areas around Bahrain.

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report revealed in paragraph no. 1190 that a number of detainees were “threatened with the rape of female family members”, and this was documented in ‘Annex B: Summary of Torture Allegations’ in cases no. 7, 18, 26, 37, 52 and others.

Over the past two years, more than 2500 homes have been raided by the regime forces, sometimes backing civil militias. In most home raids the inhabitants are verbally abused, and the females are humiliated.

Paragraph no. 1126 of the BICI report states, ” The women in the household were asked to stand in their sleeping garments and were not permitted to cover their bodies. These women were embarrassed and degraded, particularly in light of their religious beliefs”, the report adds in the same paragraph “In all reported cases, the hooded security forces broke into the houses and through internal closed doors, thus terrorising the inhabitants, including women and children,” and, “The hooded security forces were armed and the display of their weapons added to the terrorising effect on the inhabitants of the household”.

According to statistics, 70% of home raids -mostly illegal- included security forces looting of personal belongings of the inhabitants, most of which were women’s.

In some of these home raids, women were arrested in a humiliating and degrading way and subjected to killings, arbitrary arrests, torture in detention, harassment, verbal and sexual abuse and threats of rape. The BICI report has documented a number of cases in which women were subjected to appalling crimes committed by the security forces in checkpoints, house raids, during arrest and in streets, violating the law and international covenants.

Bahraini females have also been subjected to unfair dismissal from jobs and universities alongside their male colleagues in the politically motivated retaliation which included 200 female students and more than 380 female staff in the public and private sector.

As 8th March marks International Women’s Day, Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society is proud to praise the Bahraini women who have endured a heavy burden and played a vital role in the pro-democracy revolution in Bahrain. The Bahraini women have always proven their wide presence in the ongoing peaceful pro-democracy protests exceeding the presence rate of women in protests among all Arab Spring countries.

While women around the globe celebrate International Women’s Day, the Bahraini women are suffering under a brutal regime and forced to say goodbyes to a killed son, brother or father, Al-Wefaq added.

The Women Affairs Department in Al-Wefaq said, “Today, the world is honoring women, however, the people of Bahrain are honoring the struggling Bahraini women who have remained steadfast in the face of repression and abuse which violated all international covenants. The Bahraini people stand in gratitude for the Bahraini active women who have proven their readiness to endure the pain for the sake of freedom and democracy and until the rightful demands to make the people the source of all powers are fulfilled,” adding, “this brutal regime which has constantly showed its absolute disrespect to women is waiting the day when all abusers who’ve violated women rights will be held accountable and no one shall escape accountability”.

Attachments: links of videos shows attacked women in Bahrain by regime forces

Video 1: Paragraph 1132 of the BICI report on night house raids and humiliation of women by security forces

http://goo.gl/KyeCD

Video 2: An officer kicks and beats a woman

http://youtu.be/Ru1unaHN_t4

Video 3: Security forces beat sisters of an arrested boy

http://youtu.be/sl4HEm-xbGo

Video 4: security forces attack girls directly with arms

http://youtu.be/00VjQqWE7VI

Video 5: Targeting woman with her child in her car

http://youtu.be/IhpW-r-bqRc

Video 6: Attack on Bahraini women

http://youtu.be/MrzHcQIvXKc

Video 7: Direct shot and attack a woman in front of her House

http://youtu.be/B6GIYAeBpzw

Video 8: torture citizen on the street and an attack on women

http://youtu.be/FgZvsNfYXM0

Video 9: prosecuting women and direct shot

http://youtu.be/mIiUMBjt1sY

Video 10: regime forces’ assault on women

http://youtu.be/GX94qDfOcC4

Video 11: Attack on Bahraini woman

http://youtu.be/FIEQqlw3LaI

Video 12: attempt to run over people and targeting women by direct shot

http://youtu.be/WRqw221raD4

Video 13: A woman tells the story of her being battered by regime forces in the capital Manama

http://youtu.be/Xzr-xWCE5gU