infopalVicious attacks by Saudi, Alkhalifa regimes on people confirm state terrorism
The attack on Awwamiya Town in Eastern Province of Arabia on Saturday 10th January has caused enormous damage to property and peace of the citizens in that area. It was both unprovoked and un-necessary and was meant to create fear in the hearts of the people. Live ammunition was used piercing screens and bodies of stationary and moving cars. The Saudi regime is now intent on punishing anyone calling for real reforms in the political system. The decision to flog Raif Badawi 1000 lashes and imprison him for ten years has been condemned by human rights bodies. He will receive the first 50 lashes on Friday. Opponents of the sentence said that “Badawi is ‘being used as an example’ in crackdown on reform calls”.
The call by the most senior religious figure in Bahrain to consolidate the peaceful protests against the Alkhalifa dictatorship has been welcomed by the revolutionary groups. Sheikh Isa Ahmad Qassim, considered the detention of the people’s leaders a futile aggression by the regime which will only lead to more tension and protests. He urged the people to continue their political action until their rights are fulfilled. He said the people are ready to puruse their political goals despite the intensive repression by the Alkhalifa dictatorship. However there are fears for the safety of Sheikh Isa Qassim who had been repeatedly attacked and threatened by the regime’s press and its Death Squads.
On 10th January Amnesty International issued an Urgent Action with regards to the detention of Sheikh Ali Salman. It called on the Bahraini authorities to drop the charges against a leading opposition figure and to release him without delay after his detention was renewed for 15 days. The organization “considers the detention and prosecution of Sheikh ‘Ali Salman a flagrant violation of his right to freedom of expression, association and assembly, and urges the Bahraini authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally”. It further added: “If convicted, the organization would consider him a prisoner of conscience.”
The defence team of Sheikh Ali Salman has accused the regime’s prosecutors of withholding vital papers containing information of the Sheikh’s interrogation for fear of uprooting the regime’s fabrication against the Sheikh. Meanwhile the UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Defenders, Michel Corus has called for the immediate release of Sheikh Salman.
Demonstrations have continued throughout the country, fuelled by the continued detention of AlWefaq’s leader. Most areas witnessed increased protests against the Alkhalifa dictatorship, but were attached mercilessly by the riot police and Death Squads. The protesters expressed solidarity with the native Bahrainis who had been sentenced to death for their anti-regime activism. From Sitra to Karzakkn to Karrana, Daih and Musalla native Bahrainis called for fundamental change of the political system. One native Bahraini from Saar Town was seriously injured. Three days ago a woman from Daih was hit by police in her leg. The protesters were also outraged by the Alkhalifa decision to put Sheikh Ali ibn Ahmad AlJidhafsi, an elderly cleric and fromer prisoner, on trial for taking part in anti-regime protests.
On 12th January at least seven youths from the town of Buri were arrested. Their homes were raided and searched for three hours to find or plant incriminating evidence. In Sitra mercenary forces attacked schools whose youth were sitting the finals exams. At least three boys were arrested at a time when they were sitting the end of term exams: Mahmood Jaffar Khalil, 15, Abbas Hassan AlNakal, 15, and Hussain Ali Isa, 14. The regime’s attacks on the peaceful protests have caused many casualties. On Saturday 10th January 45 native Bahrainis were injured.
In Tunisia human rights activists participating in a seminar hailed the Bahraini Revolution and called for the immediate release of Sheikh Ali Salman. Zuhair Makhloof, of the Truth and Dignity Commission said that Bahrain is still in the hearts of the Tunisians; especially those working with civil society institutions. In the first week of January there were 45 arbitrary arrests, 119 peaceful protests and 46 cases of collective punishment. At least eleven native Bahrainis were injured with shotgun pellets.
Bahrain Freedom Movement
13th January 2015