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Amnesty International Report 1996 - Bahrain

An estimated 4,000 people were arrested during the year following the outbreak of widespread protests calling for the restoration of democratic rights. The vast majority were Shi‘a Muslims, among them prisoners of conscience, who were held without charge or trial. Between 150 and 160 people arrested in connection with the protests were sentenced following unfair trials. At least 15 political prisoners convicted after unfair trials in previous years continued serving their sentences. Scores of political detainees were tortured, two of whom died in custody. At least 10 civilians were shot dead by the security forces and riot police in circumstances suggesting that they may have been extrajudicially executed. One death sentence was passed. Seven Bahraini nationals were forcibly exiled and at least 11 others were prevented from returning to the country.

Widespread protests calling for the restoration of democratic rights, which broke out in December 1994, continued during the year in a number of districts in Bahrain, including Jidd Hafs, Sitra and the Northern Region (see Amnesty International Report 1995). The authorities responded with mass arrests and resorted to the use of force to quell demonstrations. The majority of demonstrations were peaceful although some were marked by violent incidents. Three policemen were killed during or in the aftermath of clashes between December 1994 and March 1995. In October the Amir, Shaikh ‘Issa bin Salman Al Khalifa, announced that the Majlis al-Shura (Consultative Council) a government-appointed body with no legislative powers, would be given wider powers. By the end of the year the Council’s powers had not been widened.

As many as 4,000 people, including women and children as young as 10, were believed to have been arrested between December 1994 and July 1995. The vast majority were Shi‘a Muslims, among them prisoners of conscience. Many were held for several days for questioning and then released without charge. However, over 2,000 detainees were held incommunicado for weeks or months without charge or trial. Most were held in Jaw and al-Manama prisons, as well as in various police stations. Makeshift detention centres were also used to hold detainees for short periods, including a disused sports stadium in Madinat ‘Issa.

The unrest subsided for a few months, but resumed in November with the arrest of more than 100 people, including high school students and at least 10 children aged between 12 and 15.

Among those arrested during the year were religious scholars and opposition figures accused of inciting anti-government protests, including Shaikh ‘Abd al-Amir al-Jamri and ‘Abd al-Wahab Hussain ‘Ali, who had sponsored the December 1994 petition calling on the Amir to reinstate parliament (see Amnesty International Report 1995). Both were believed to be prisoners of conscience. They were arrested in March and April respectively and held without charge or trial at undisclosed locations until their release in September. In April, seven teachers, including Fatima ‘Abdullah Abu Idris and Kahtun Ahmad Khalaf, were arrested at Madinat ‘Issa Secondary School for Girls, along with several of their students, reportedly after the authorities learned that a demonstration was to be held there. They were detained for several days at al-Khamis police station before being released without charge. Other women, whose male relatives were sought by the authorities, were arrested and held as hostages. For example, Malika ‘Abdullah Singais, whose brother was wanted by the authorities, was arrested in April and held without charge or trial until her release in mid-June. Scores of children were detained. Among them were 15-year-old Mirza Muhammad al-‘Arab and 12-year-old Fadhel ‘Abbas ‘Abd al-Latif who were arrested in December 1994 and January 1995 respectively. Mirza Muhammad al-‘Arab was released during the year. Among the prisoners of conscience was ‘Abd al-Nabi al-Turaifi, a bank employee arrested in December 1994 and held incommunicado until his trial in October 1995 when he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.

During the year the government announced the release of groups of detainees held in connection with the pro-democracy protests. About 750 people were reported to have been released by the end of the year, including 50 freed by the Amir on National Day on 16 December. In most cases it was difficult to establish the identities of those released or on what charges, if any, they had been held; the government failed to publicize the names of those arrested or released. Between 500 and 600 people were still held at the end of the year.

In March trials began of defendants charged in connection with the pro-democracy protests before the State Security Court, the High Court and the Juveniles Court. By mid-July between 150 and 160 defendants had been convicted after unfair trials on charges including premeditated murder, destruction of private and public property, violence against the police, participating in illegal gatherings and, in one case, membership of an unauthorized organization. Custodial sentences passed ranged from six months to life imprisonment and one person was sentenced to death (see below). Throughout their detention, defendants were denied access to defence lawyers until the start of their trials and many were reportedly tortured. At least 80 were convicted by the State Security Court after grossly unfair trials held in camera, reportedly on the basis of uncorroborated “confessions” which they stated had been extracted under torture. All were denied the right of appeal to a higher tribunal. They included Hussain ‘Ali al-Tattan and Salman Abdullah al-Nashaba who were sentenced to 10 and five years’ imprisonment respectively for alleged membership of the banned Islamist group Hizbullah. Several of those acquitted reportedly continued to be held without any legal basis and it was not known whether they had been released by the end of the year. Others convicted after unfair trials included at least 50 juveniles below the age of 15 who were charged with offences such as rioting and inciting hatred of the government. Several juveniles received the maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, including 14-year-old Muhammad ‘Ali Muhammad al‘Ikri who was charged in July with throwing a petrol bomb at po-lice personnel. His conviction was overturned on appeal and he was released in September, but he remained under police supervision and was not allowed to travel abroad.

At least 15 political prisoners sentenced to long terms of imprisonment after unfair trials in previous years remained in prison. Some had been convicted of membership of unauthorized organizations and others of participation in an alleged coup attempt in 1981 (see Amnesty International Reports 1994 and 1995). In September ‘Abd al-Jalil Khalil Ibrahim, sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment in 1990 for alleged membership of Hizbullah, was released (see Amnesty International Report 1991).

There were numerous reports of the routine and systematic torture of detainees. Scores of detainees held in the custody of Idarat Amn al-Dawla, the Security and Intelligence Service, and Idarat al-Tahqiqat al-Jina’iyya, the Criminal Investigation Department, were said to have been tortured to extract “confessions” or as punishment. Methods of torture included: severe and sustained beatings; suspension by the limbs; enforced standing or sleep deprivation for prolonged periods; sexual abuse; and threats of execution. Women and children were also reportedly ill-treated while in custody.

Two detainees died in custody apparently as a result of torture. One of the victims was 16-year-old Sa‘id ‘Abd al-Rasul al-Iskafi who died in July after 10 days’ detention at al-Khamis police station. He was reportedly suspected of spraying anti-government graffiti on walls near his home in al-Sanabes. A forensic examination found injuries consistent with allegations of torture. No official investigations into his death or into reports of the torture of other detainees were known to have been carried out.

At least 10 civilians were shot dead by members of the security forces and riot police in circumstances suggesting that they may have been extrajudicially executed. Peaceful demonstrations were broken up violently by the security forces by the repeated use of live ammunition, birdshot pellets and tear-gas. Among the victims was 17-year-old ‘Abd al-Hamid Qassem, from al-Duraz, who was shot in the head following a demonstration in March and died the next day. Scores of protesters were injured and the authorities prevented some of them from receiving medical treatment at hospitals. Tear-gas was said to have been deliberately used in enclosed places such as houses and mosques, allegedly leading to two deaths in January and February.

One death sentence was imposed. ‘Issa Ahmad Qambar, who was arrested in connection with the pro-democracy protests, was sentenced to death in July after an unfair trial before the Bahraini High Criminal Court (see above). He was convicted of the premeditated murder of a police official. In November an appeal court upheld his death sentence and a second appeal was lodged in December with the Court of Cassation.

In January, seven Bahraini nationals, all Shi‘a Muslims, were forcibly exiled from the country. They included Shaikh ‘Ali Salman, Shaikh Hamza al-Dairi, Shaikh Haidar al-Sitri, Shaikh ‘Adel al-Shu‘la and Shaikh Muhammad Kojestah. At least 11 others were denied entry to Bahrain in January after attempting to return from abroad. Most were students of theology in Qom, Iran. The Bahraini authorities continued to deny entry to other Bahraini nationals throughout the year.

During the year Amnesty International repeatedly appealed to the government to put an end to widespread human rights violations by its security forces. It called for independent investigations into incidents involving the killing of demonstrators and the torture of detainees, and for those found responsible to be brought to justice. It requested information on all detainees arrested since December 1994 and on those released during the year, and repeatedly proposed sending a delegation to Bahrain for talks with government officials and to observe ongoing trials. In May the organization urged that trials before the State Security Court be halted until they complied with international standards for fair trial. No responses were received. In a meeting in June with the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amnesty International reiterated its request for access to Bahrain.

In September Amnesty International published a report, Bahrain: A Human Rights Crisis, detailing widespread violations committed since December 1994. The report contained recommendations to the government aimed at improving the human rights situation. By the end of the year no substantive response had been received.

In April Amnesty International submitted information about its concerns in Bahrain for UN review under a procedure established by Economic and Social Council Resolutions 728f/1503 for confidential consideration of communications about human rights violations.