Bahrain human rights and football update

This video says about itself:

Zainab Alkhawaja #FreeZainab

5 July 2013

Zainab Alkhawaja is a human rights and pro democracy acticist in Bahrain. She is currently in prison for speaking out for her people. Her father Abdulhadi Alkhawaja is also in prison.

Please help Zainab to win her freedom by tweeting #FreeZainab and sharing this video widely. When Zainab is free she will be tweeting to @angryarabiya.

To know more about Zainab or this video tweet @JamilaHanan.

From the International Federation for Human Rights:

Bahrain: Ongoing judicial harassment against Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja

October 22, 2015

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has received new information and requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Bahrain.

New information:

The Observatory has been informed by reliable sources about the ongoing judicial harassment against Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja, human rights defender and blogger known for her participation in peaceful gatherings calling for reforms and the respect of human rights in Bahrain.

According to the information received, on October 21, the Bahrain Court of Appeals reduced the sentence against Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja to one year imprisonment while upholding a fine of 3,000 BHD (approximately 8,000 USD), on charges of “insulting the King”. The latter had been sentenced to three years imprisonment in first instance. As per Bahraini law, if Ms. Al-Khawaja is unable or unwilling to pay the fine, the sentence will turn into an additional year and a half in prison. Ms. Al Khawaja can be arrested at any time.

Besides, the Court adjourned the appeal case concerning the charges of “destroying public property” and “assaulting a police officer” to December 3, 2015. Ms. Al-Kawaja had been sentenced to 16 months imprisonment in first instance (see background information).

The Observatory deplores the ongoing judicial harassment against Ms. Al-Khawaja as it seems to merely aim at sanctioning and hindering her human rights activities. The Observatory calls on the Bahraini authorities to drop all charges against her and reiterates its concern about the pattern of harassment against members of Ms. Al-Khawaja’s family.

The Observatory more generally calls on the Bahraini authorities to put an end to all acts of harassment – including at the judicial level – against all human rights defenders in Bahrain, and to comply with all international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Bahrain, in particular the United Nations (UN) Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 9, 1998.

Background information:

Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja is the daughter of Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, who was sentenced on June 22, 2011 by the National Safety Court – a military court – to life imprisonment for his peaceful human rights activities. On January 7, 2013 Bahrain’s highest court upheld the convictions against 13 leading activists for their role in anti-government demonstrations in 2011, including Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concerns about the lack of fairness and due process afforded to these activists. The court ruling came more than a year after the government’s pledge to implement the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), which called on authorities to “commute the sentences of all persons charged with offences involving political expression not consisting of advocacy of violence” and to overturn convictions imposed after grossly unfair trials.

Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was subjected to a severe level of torture starting from the time of his arrest on April 9, 2011. He is currently being held in Jaw prison. He has repeatedly gone on hunger strikes to protest his imprisonment and conditions of detention.

On December 16, 2011, Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja staged a sit-in to call for reforms and more rights at Abu Saiba roundabout and was joined by several women. The riot police fired tear gas canisters to disperse them. Ms. Al-Khawaja continued her sit-in peacefully and refused to move until she was shot at directly with a tear gas canister. She was then handcuffed, dragged across the pavement by her handcuffs, had her hijab removed and was slapped by a female police officer. She was further cursed and beaten in the police station. She was then released pending investigation.

On February 27, 2013, she was again arrested during a peaceful sit-in to protest authorities’ refusal to hand over the body of a man who was killed during a demonstration on February 14, 2013. She was taken to Al Hoora police station, where she was charged with “obstructing traffic”, “damaging public property”, “prejudice to authority” and “inciting hatred of the regime”.

On February 27, 2013, the Third High Criminal Court upheld a one month imprisonment sentence against her on charges of “participating in an illegal gathering” and “entering a restricted zone”, i.e. the Pearl Roundabout, in relation to a February-2012 protest. The same court also upheld another two-month imprisonment sentence previously rendered by the Lower Criminal Court on charge of “damaging Ministry of Interior property”, after Ms. Al-Khawaja had torn a photograph of the King of Bahrain, although she had already served that sentence after a previous arrest. As a result, the Public Prosecution announced in a statement that Ms. Al-Khawaja was to start serving her sentence on February 28, 2013, for a total of three months and 20 days. In addition, on the same day, the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal ruled by the Court of First Instance on May 2, 2012 in another case related to charges of “insulting a police officer” in a military hospital, and sentenced Ms. Al-Khawaja to three months imprisonment. Ms. Al-Khawaja was protesting inside the Bahrain Defence Forces hospital when her father, Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, was on hunger strike in that hospital.

On May 22, 2013, Ms. Al-Khawaja was again sentenced to three months in jail on charges of “taking part in an illegal gathering” and “insulting a police officer” in reference to the December 2011 protest. At the time, she had been serving the two above-mentioned sentences and was due to be released at the end of May 2013.

On January 27, 2014, the Criminal Court issued a new sentence in absentia against Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja, where she was sentenced to four extra months of imprisonment in two new cases in which she was accused of destroying property of the Ministry of Interior during her detention at Isa Town police station in May 2013, after she ripped up a picture of the King of Bahrain.

On February 16, 2014, Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja was released from prison. At the end of August 2014, she was briefly detained when she went to the hospital to visit her father after he was transferred there from the prison.

On December 4, 2014, Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja was sentenced to a three-year prison term for “insulting the King”, as well as being subject to a fine of 3,000 BHD (approx. 7,285 Euros) for tearing up a photo of the King of Bahrain before the Court in October 2014. The court set bail for 100 BHD (approx. 240 Euros) and she was released pending the outcome of the appeal.

On December 9, 2014, the Court of Appeals sentenced her to 16 months in prison on charges of “destroying government property” and “insulting a police officer” whilst in detention in 2012. Although Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja is not currently detained, the sentence may be executed at any time.

On June 2, 2015, Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja was sentenced in first instance to nine months’ imprisonment on charges of “entering a restricted area” and “insulting a public servant”. A bail of 300 BHD (approx. 707 EUR) was paid to suspend the implementation.

Actions requested:

The Observatory urges the authorities of Bahrain to:

i. Drop all charges against Ms. Zainab Al Khawaja and put an end to any act of harassment, including at the judicial level, against the Al Khawaja family, as well as against all human rights defenders in Bahrain;

ii. Release Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja immediately and unconditionally as his detention is arbitrary since it seems to merely sanction his human rights activities;

iii. Conform in any circumstances with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular:

– its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually or in association with others, to promote the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”;
– its Article 6 (c) which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others to study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters”;
– and its Article 12.2 which states that “the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present Declaration”.

iv. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Bahrain.

Addresses:

· Cheikh Hamad bin Issa AL KHALIFA, King of Bahrain, Fax: +973 176 64 587
· Cheikh Khaled Bin Ahmad AL KHALIFA, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tel: +973 172 27 555; Fax : +973 172 12 6032
· Cheikh Khalid bin Ali AL KHALIFA, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs, Tel: +973 175 31 333; Fax: +973 175 31 284
· Lt. Gen. Cheikh Rashed bin Abdulla AL KHALIFA, Minister of Interior, Tel: +973 17572222 and +973 17390000. Email: info@interior.gov.bh
· Permanent Mission of Bahrain to the United Nations in Geneva, 1 chemin Jacques-Attenville, 1218 Grand-Saconnex, CP 39, 1292 Chambésy, Switzerland. Fax: + 41 22 758 96 50. Email: info@bahrain-mission.ch

Please also write to diplomatic representations of Bahrain in your respective countries.

In U.S.-backed Gulf regimes, you face years in prison — or execution — for insulting the king. Pro-democracy activists in U.S.-allied Gulf monarchies are brutally punished for writing poems or ripping up photos: here.

Bahrain will host the Manama Dialogue, a high-profile security conference, from October 30 to November 1. A senior delegation of U.S. officials from Congress, the State Department, and the Pentagon are expected to present on U.S. security policies. They should use the opportunity to advance a comprehensive strategy to address the grave human rights abuses in Bahrain and the region: here.

This video says about itself:

11 November 2011

ESPN Report on Arrest & Torture of The Athletes Of Bahrain

From Reuters news agency:

Fri Oct 23, 2015 8:56am BST

Next FIFA boss should be outsider with good human rights record – FIFPro

The next FIFA president should be an external candidate with a good record on human rights and governance and provide a strong track record of driving democratic reform, world players’ union FIFPro said on Friday.

Football’s world governing body, engulfed in the worst scandal in its history, is set to elect a new president on Feb. 26 to replace the suspended outgoing head Sepp Blatter, who has been in charge since 1998.

“A clean break from the past is essential for FIFA to climb out of the toxic pit which continues to produce serious accusations of corrupt behaviour on almost a daily basis,” FIFPro said in a statement.

“Clearly, the presumption of innocence is a principle that needs to be upheld while various investigations are ongoing. At the same time, there is no doubt the present mayhem has left FIFA morally bankrupt.”

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain said this week he had been urged to stand in the election, but FIFPro’s four-point criteria released on Friday was a clear question mark on his suitability.

Salman’s AFC election in 2013 was blighted by accusations from human rights groups that he, as head of the Bahrain Football Association and member of Bahrain’s royal family, had local football players arrested, detained, abused, tortured and publicly humiliated during democracy protests in February 2011. …

Michel Platini, the president of European soccer’s ruling body UEFA, had been favourite to replace Blatter, but his hopes were thrown into doubt after he was placed under an ethics investigation along with the Swiss.

Complete list of FIFA presidential contenders so far: here.

From the BBC:

23 October 2015

Fifa: ‘Deep concern’ over Sheikh Salman presidency bid

The controversy surrounding the possible candidacy of Sheikh Salman for the Fifa presidency has intensified with the International Trade Union Confederation expressing “deep concern” over the Asian football chief.

Salman has been accused by Bahraini human rights groups of complicity in the detention and torture of footballers and other athletes in a crackdown launched by the Arab kingdom’s rulers following pro-democracy protests in 2011.

Campaigners have called for him to be prevented from standing for alleged “crimes against humanity”.

Although Salman, who denies the claim against him, is yet to declare whether he is a candidate, the 49-year-old says he has been urged to stand “by a growing number of senior football administrators, Fifa members and personalities of public life”.

He became favourite after the campaign of front-runner Michel Platini was thrown into chaos when the Uefa president was suspended over a £1.3m payment made to him by suspended Fifa president Sepp Blatter.

However, ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow said: “It’s difficult to know how low Fifa politics can actually go. Football’s governing body refused to investigate the allegations against Sheikh Salman from 2011, and it is inconceivable that someone who is facing such grave allegations of human rights violations could step into the void at the top of Fifa resulting from Swiss and US corruption investigations.”