WL Central will be updating news on Bahrain, with new items added at the top. All times are ET in USA. You can contact me on twitter @carwinb or by email at carwinb@hushmail.com. Don't send media when links available. Most email is not encrypted and not anonymous. I cannot guarantee anyone's safety in transmission.
Current time and date in Manama, Bahrain:
Send Arabic #firstaid images by MMS/SMS/email or print as fliers usng http://bit.ly/gv3tS #Bahrain.
Amnesty calls for halt to execution of four young men who were protesters sentenced to die tomorrow by firing squad. Three others sentenced to life in prison.
[CORRECTION] My sincere apologies for the error in today's report. I regret any pain the headline may have caused. Please see revised headline and subtitle. - @carwinb
*Picture via @a340aviator
Death Sentence:
Life Sentences:
Excerpt from Amnesty International:
Authorities in Bahrain must not allow the execution of four protesters sentenced to death by a military court over the killing of two police officers in anti-government demonstrations last month, Amnesty International said today...
...“In this case, the accused were tried before a special military court, although they are civilians. It also appears that the trial was conducted behind closed doors. As well, those sentenced have no right of appeal except to another special military court, raising great fears about the fairness of the entire process.”
The court sentenced Ali Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis, Qassim Hassan Matar, Saeed Abduljalil Saeed and Adbulaziz Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain to death on 28 April.
Three other defendants tried with them, Issa Abdullah Kadhim Ali, Sadeq Ali Mahdi and Hussein Jaafar Abdulkarim, were sentenced to life in prison by the same court. All seven accused are reported to have denied the charges. (Source: Amnesty International
THURSDAY, April 20
Internet service in Bahrain will be affected by 30 to 40% for 5 to 10 days due to repair on the FOG sea cable - (Fiber Optic Gulf) which runs through UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait. (Source: aljarida.com).
Sources in the aljarida.com report were said to be amazed it would take the repair vessel a week to travel from the UAE to fix the cable.
Back in early March, the acting assistant undersecretary for International Services Engineer, Samah Abulbanat, was reported to have already confirmed that a vessel had set out to fix the FOG cable. (Source:arabtimesonline.com)
Back on March 2, she had indicated the ministry had already detected the cause of the interruption, saying it was expected to be fixed back then in four or five days, provided the weather is conducive at the Arabian Gulf.(Source:arabtimesonline.com)
Fortune and coincidence shower authoritarian regimes and their telecom friends this 'Arab Spring'.
Back in late January, Yemen News Agency reported that the Arab Telecom and Info Council was due to meet in Beirut on what ended up being the day that Egypt left the Internet.
The meeting’s agenda was to review the current situation of Arab broadbands projects as well as proposals made for the technical operation of these broadbands for the interest and under the full supervision of the Arab League. (Source: CitizenLab.org)
The Ministers' Beirut meeting, presided over by Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Jamil Al-Mulla , was scheduled to occur in parallel to the Arab Telecom & Internet Forum 2011.
According to the event Web site, the forum was cancelled "[d]ue to the unfortunate incidents that Lebanon is witnessing" - referring to violent protest against Hezbollah's nomination of a candidate for the post of prime minister.
Hosted by inter-governmental organizations, sponsored by multi-national telecom and defense firms, and "in the presence" of government ministries, the focus of this year was to be "the importance of the role of IT during emergencies and crises." (Source: Al-Iktissad PR)
Thuraya Telecom Co, a satellite telecom firm, had scheduled a dedicated session on the role of information and communication technology (ICT) solutions in managing national security. (Source: Maritime Executive)
Thuraya satellites cover 140 countries and can reach remote land and sea areas unreachable by terrestrial networks. They provides 'NettedComms' or secured autonomous networks for government segments - that is, "satellite-based ‘solutions’ that integrate different telecom technologies into a single closed user group, enabling users with different telecom devices to communicate effectively during security and disaster recover activities.”
MONDAY, April 18
As previously reported (scroll down to April 17), there are few independent journalists left able to cover unfolding events in #Bahrain, due to the gov'ts brutal crackdown.
So, as yet, there are unconfirmed reports that 50 female students have been beaten; and, 17 female students and nine teachers were arrested from Yethreb girls secondary school in Hamad Town by security forces this morning.
Facebook Page: Release the arrested students from Yathreb School reports:
According to the accounts of parents, the students were beaten inside the school, without knowing the real reasons behind what happened. (Source: Facebook Page: Release the arrested students from Yathreb School)
According to someone we spoke with, the 50 girls were beaten with hoses and sticks against a wall, and the 17 students, taken to police station, had Clorox bleach thrown on them.
Also, according to the Facebook Page: Release the arrested students from Yathreb School, the students were released and told to report back to the police station in the morning.
But we were told by one secondary source who spoke to eyewitnesses that: while most of the students were released and told to report back to police in the morning, the teachers and three fourteen year old students are still being detained.
In another statement from eyewitnesses, taken at our request, by another person who identified themself as a family member of one of the arrested teachers:
Image of Security Forces Surrounding the Girls Secondary School
SUNDAY, April 17
Since the regime's brutal crackdown on demonstrators, bloggers, newspapers, doctors, lawyers, and human rights activists, traditional news reportage coming out of Bahrain has begun to slow down.
Yesterday, the state run BTV attacked Bahrain Center for Human Rights and human rights activist, Nabeel Rajab (@nabeelrajab). He responded by daring BTV to invite him for broadcast and give him the right to talk and respond.
The irony, of course, is that while there is a gag order on reporting on detainees, billboards across Bahrain declare their guilt
Since the regime's recommitment to violence with the destruction of the Pearl Roundabout on March 18, there are few independent journalists left in the country to cover events. They have been denied entry, arrested, detained, or die in custody.
On April 16, there were unconfirmed reports of violent suppressions of religious ceremonies in Manama, Sanabis, Sitra, Sar, Duraz, Dair, Nuwaidrat, Bilad, Hamad Town, Karranah, Karzakhan, Al Diraz, Bani Jumrah, Budaiya, Al Bilad, and Mahooz.
One person I spoke with mentioned that helicopters were circling, flying low, and firing tear gas and sound bombs in the village of Sar. Another person I spoke with said that there were also unconfirmed reports of intimidation and destruction in some parts of Muharraq.
On the morning March 18, 2011, the government tore down the Pearl Monument, and announcing on state television that the site had to be "cleansed." It was an attempt to destroy a major physical symbol of the revolution.
Lulu it seems is idea, as much as it was a space. In acts of defiance, miniature LuLu monuments are reported to be appearing in Bahrain.
Pearl monument in the village of Maalikis
The removal of a miniature Pearl monument in Karzakan
VOA Middle East Voices has created a hash tag on twitter to discuss reform in Bahrain. The news service according to their Facebook Fan Page: VOA Middle East Voices , "is an online network of reporters, bloggers and citizen journalists. Collaborating on Mideast stories that the mainstream media is missing."
The hash tag is BahrainDebate
A copy of the current Bahraini Constitution can be found at Bahrain Constitution Online
Calls for a nationwide hunger strike have appeared on twitter. The nationwide hunger strike is meant to show solidarity with the hundreds of Bahraini caught in ex-judicial detainments, who are now under grave threat of torture and death.
Zainab Al Khawajah (@angryarabiya), the daughter of prominent human rights activist, Abdulhadi Alkhawajahas now been joined by Mohammed Al Daaysi (@MDaaysi) in a hunger strike. Al Daaysi (@MDaaysi) is the cousin of a missing female pediatrician from Salmaniya Hospital, Dr. Khulood. He is in his fifth day without food.
See also, Mohammed Al Daaysi' blog As I deprive myself from food.
Dr. Khulood was detained by police forces on or around the 5th of April. According to a Facebook advocacy Fan Page: "She disappeared from Salmaniya hospital following what was told to her was a doctors meeting and it was eventually found out that she is being held for an undisclosed reason" (Source: Facebook Fan Page: Free Khulood AlSayyad).
Her arrest came after a crackdown by the Bahraini and Saudi forces on peaceful protesters at the pearl roundabout. Dr.Khulood and many other doctors are being detained for protesting, providing aid to those injured during the crackdown (which is part of their Job), and for speaking to the media.
Doctors at Salmaniya hospital evidenced the brutality of the attacks by the police forces and the regime is trying to slience them and accusing them of being disloyal to the Country and Ruling Family. (Source: Facebook Fan Page: Free Khulood AlSayyad)
One person I spoke with said that, Dr. Khulood was one of the medical personnel targeted on the now defunct Facebook Fan 'Terror' Page: Together to detect traitors Bahrain.
[Scroll down for previous coverage and today's update on Bahraini use of Facebook to crowdsource threats and targeting of demonstrators].
Ms. Al Khawaja, as reported previously (scroll down), commenced a hunger strike 5 days ago after Bahraini security forces severely beat and arrested Alkhawaja's father, Human Rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, her husband, Wafi Almajed, and her brother-in-law, Hussain Ahmed Hussain.
Her uncle was also arrested three weeks ago, with no further information available. Human Rghts Watch has called for his immediate release, as have Physicians for Human Rights. Frontline defenders has released a report about the concern that Abdulhadi Alkhawaja may be at high risk of torture while in incommunicado detention.
On April 13, Human Rights Watch called on the Bahraini government to disclose the whereabouts of detainees, and to permit them contact with their families and lawyers. They also called on the Bahraini government to open detention centers to independent inspection. The action came after the torture and death of three of detainees in custody: Ali Isa Ibrahim Saqer, Zakaria Rashid Hassan al-Asherri, and Hassan Jassim Mohammed Maki. (Source: Human Rights Watch):
With the death of a fourth person, Kareem Fakhrawi, Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch said, "Four detainee deaths in nine days is a crime, not a coincidence. The government tells families of detainees nothing about their whereabouts or well-being while they are alive or about the circumstances of their deaths." (Source: Human Rights Watch)
The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that, "Fakhrawi is one of numerous investors in Al-Wasat, local journalists told CPJ. He is also a book publisher, the owner of one of Bahrain's biggest bookstores, and a member of Al-Wefaq, Bahrain's chief opposition party" (Source:The Committee to Protect Journalists)
According to the same CPJ report, "Bahrain's official news agency said on its Twitter feed that Fakhrawi died of kidney failure. Photographs published online, however, show a body identified as that of Fakhrawi with extensive cuts and bruises." (Source:The Committee to Protect Journalists)
Wifaq National Islamic Society had collected names of 430 people who relatives say have been arrested since demonstrations began on February 14. (Source: Human Rights Watch)
Attached to this entry, below (scroll to the bottom), are the lists of those detained, killed, targeted, and missing as of March 31, (from 15 days) ago via the Bahrain Center for Human Rights.
In an update to WL coverage from Monday, the Facebook 'Terror' Page being used to crowd-source target and threaten demonstrators, Together to detect traitors Bahrain has apparently been taken down.
The Facebook Page had around 355 photos and contained images of people with arrows and circles drawn around their faces and bodies. Many of the people targeted were medical personnel, like D. Khulood, above.
The site has now been replaced with Together to detect traitors Bahrain 2. There are currently 63 pictures on the site.
Another site, Bahrain against false media, that targeted bloggers (see below) is still operational.
Maryam Alkhawaja, daughter of Human Rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja speaks to Secretary Clinton at the US Islamic World Forum.
In an update to our April 8th WL coverage (scroll down), and events reported by Zainab Alkhawaja (@angryarabiya) and aggregated by @dubpool, here. An online petition calls for the release of 'Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and All Political Prisoners in Bahrain'.
The petition is in support of Zainab Alkhawaja, @angryarabiya, the daughter of Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, and her open letter to President Obama and concurrent hunger strike.
Read Zainab Alkhawaja Open Letter to President Obama or listen to VOA reportage and interview with Ms. Alkhawaja.
Bahraini security forces severely beat and arrested Zainab Alkhawaja's father, Human Rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, her husband, Wafi Almajed, and her brother-in-law, Hussain Ahmed Hussain.
Her uncle was also arrested three weeks ago, with no further information available. Human Rghts Watch has called for his immediate release, as have Physicians for Human Rights. Frontline defenders has released a report about the concern that Abdulhadi Alkhawaja may be at high risk of torture while in incommunicado detention.
*Picture via @angryarabia
The online petition:
In a case of reprisal in Manana, Bahrain on April 9 2011, prominent human rights defender and former Middle East & North Africa Director of Frontline Defenders (an international foundation that protects human rights defenders at risk), Abdulhadi Alkhawaja was severely beaten and arrested along with two of his son-in-laws, Wafi Almajid and Hussein Ahmed. Alkhawaja is a very prominent human rights activist not just in Bahrain but internationally. He has reported to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and is the founder and former director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. Alkhawaja was also mentioned by the Crown Prince of Bahrain in a 2004 Wikileaks Cable.
On April 9th, Bahraini security forces broke the front door to the house wearing masks, dragged Alkhawaja down the stairs, and then beat him so severely that he was left unconscious with blood stains on the staircase. The Bahraini security forces repeatedly threatened Alkhawaja that they would kill him. His daughter, Zainab Alkhawaja told the Bahraini Security Forces that there was no need to beat him because he would go with them peacefully, and upon saying this, she was beaten as well. Additionally the security forces also severely beat Mohammad Almasqati, the President of the Bahrain Youth Society of Human Rights, threw him into a room, told him not to come out, and then closed the door.
This latest raid is part of a series of raids conducted after Saudi Arabian troops moved into Bahrain as part of a regional force from the Gulf Cooperation Council, the first cross-border intervention since a wave of popular uprisings swept through parts of the Arab world. Thousands of pro-democracy protestors took the streets in Bahrain beginning Feb. 14, demanding democratic reforms through free elections from their Sunni monarch.
Bahrain receives U.S military aid and assistance, and is the home of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet. In violation of the U.S Arms Export Control Act, the U.S continues to supply Bahrain with military hardware used to repress protestors. As such we demand that the United States state department pressure the Bahraini government to free Abdulhadi Alkawaja and all other arrested and disappeared peoples, and respect the Bahraini people’s universal rights of freedom of association, assembly and expression.
Sign the petition here
The US State Department remains silent. As written by the editorial board of the Washington Post:
The Obama administration opposes the crackdown; it has tried to strengthen the regime’s reformists and has pushed for a return to negotiations. But apart from an initial critique of the use of force by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and one statement about the arrest of a blogger, the administration has remained silent. Worse, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates appeared to bolster the Saudis’ hard line during a visit last week to Riyadh, saying that “we already have evidence that the Iranians are trying to exploit the situation in Bahrain.” (Source: The Washington Post)
Facebook 'Fan Pages' are being used to crowd source threats and to target demonstrators and bloggers in Bahrain. One such Facebook Fan Page is Together to detect traitors Bahrain, which targets demonstrators, including medical personnel.
Another, Facebook Fan Page, Bahrain against false media, has targeted bloggers (see below).
The Facebook Fan Page, Together to detect traitors Bahrain has around 355 photos with arrows and circles drawn around people's faces. Many of the photos show medical personnel.
One person I spoke with said that despite many people having reported the 'Fan Pages' to Facebook, no actions have yet been taken. In the photograph below, Bahraini bloggers are being targeted. The caption reads:
following the post of the anti-goverment group who incited others to rise against our King and country... we conclude that under the banner of Unite bh this group (picture attached) attempted to trick the international media and residents and citizens of the country to join them in their hate campaign under the disguise of pro-democracy while in fact it was purely anti goverment. Lairs and factions of this radical group and possible members are being investigated at this time
On April 10, Bahrain minister of interior announced the death of Isa Saqer. However, pictures show evidence of torture.
Zakaria alAsheri, who's death was also announced yesterday, is a blogger who was arrested because of his responsibility for the now closed forumal-dair.net.
AlAsheri's family informed The Bahrain Center for Human Rights that Zakaria never had sickle cell anemia, which the authorities said was the cause of death. (Source: Bahrain Center for Human Rights). His arrest and death has been condemned by Reporters Without Boarders.
The RWB report goes on to say:
Three other netizens are still detained. They are Fadhel Abdulla Ali Al-Marzooq (arrested on 24 March), Ali Hasan Salman Al-Satrawi (arrested on 25 March) and Hani Muslim Mohamed Al-Taif (arrested on 27 March). Marzooq and Taif moderated forums in which Internet users could discuss the ongoing events. Satrawi was a forum member. There is no news of Abduljalil Al-Singace, a blogger arrested on 16 March.
Reporters Without Borders is also worried that Nabeel Rajab, the head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, has been accused by a military prosecutor of posting a “fabricated” photo of the injuries inflicted on Ali Isa Saqer, one of two people who died in detention on 9 April. Rajab posted the photo on Twitter the same day, saying Saqer had died as a result of mistreatment while in police custody. (Source: Reporters Without Borders)
As reported by CNN, "Human Rights Watch says the body of Ali Isa Saqer, a protester that died after he was arrested in Bahrain, showed signs of "horrific abuse" and torture" (CNN)
A Facebook Event Page ARABS UNITE 4 FREEDOM calls for protests across the Arab world on April 15:
Arab peoples Unite on Friday the 15th, and go out as one big protest across the Arab world. If dictators can unite against people protesting for their rights, the Arab people, who demand their freedom, can unite as well. (Source: Facebook Event: ARABS UNITE 4 FREEDOM)
[Updates from Previous Coverage]
Bahrain Center for Human Rights reports that the prominent human rights defended and former Mena director at Frontline defenders, Abdulhadi Alhkawaja has just been arrested along with two of his son-in-laws- Wafi Almajid and Hussein Ahmed.
According to a BCHR spokesperson:
"They broke the front door to the house and then beat them severely along with Mohammad Almasqati, the president of the Bahrain youth society of human rights. But they through Mohammad into a room and told him not to come out and then closed the door. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja was beaten so severely that the blood stain is still visible on the stair case. And when his oldest daughter, Zainab, tried to intervene she was beaten as well.
On their search for Abdulhadi Alkhawaja they went to his apartment first and didn’t find him there. They then went to his cousin’s house and he wasn’t there either but his cousin, Habib Alhalwachi, was and they arrested him. They finally went to the home of his daughter, Zainab Alkhawaja, and found him, arrested him and two others as mentioned above.
URGENT PLEAS for intervention as all three are under arrest, high risk of torture, and their lives maybe in danger.
*via @angryarabiya
SUNDAY, April 3
Member of Alkhalifa royal family, @MohdSAlkhalifa, who threatened Bahraini blogger, @emoodz, with violence and arrest on Twitter now threatens arrest for #FreeEmoodz supporters.
Blogger has now been under arrest. #FreeEmoodz hash tag formed.
Yesterday we reported that the member of the Alkhalifa royal family had previously told Bahraini blogger, @emoodz: "Look you AlMasqati, I know you well and I know where you live. If you dont stop what you are doing, I swear by God I will have your family searching for you. Those who give warning are excused." The second reads tells him there is a warrant for his arrest. (Source of Translation: Bahrain Center for Human Rights, also scroll down for images)
The only independent newspaper in Bahrain, AlWasat newspaper has been suspended for allegedly "publishing unethical and unprofessional reports" (Source: Bahrain News Agency)
At least 27, among them one child and one women, have died since the beginning of protests February 14.
Bahrain Center for Human Rights reports that Bahrain's ministry of interior announced on the "death of Mr Hassan Jassim Mohammed Makki, aged 39, on April 3 in a detention centre where he has been kept since his arrest on 28 March as a suspect of being involved in the recent unrest. The General Inspector of the Ministry, Ibrahim Habib A-Ghaith, claimed that the cause of death is a hereditary blood disease suffered by detainee." (Source: @MohdSAlkhalifa threatens @emoodz the Bahraini blogger with violence and arrest on Twitter.
Mohammed AlMasqati, @emoodz, was threatened by a member of the royal family on Twitter, @MohdSAlkhalifa. Now @emoodz has been arrested.
The first picture of the threat (in Arabic) reads: "Look you AlMasqati, I know you well and I know where you live. If you dont stop what you are doing, I swear by God I will have your family searching for you. Those who give warning are excused." The second reads tells him there is a warrant for his arrest. (Source of Translation: Bahrain Center for Human Rights)
This same royal family member, Mohammed S. AlKhalifa, has been attacking several people on the internet threatening to arrest them/go after them.
"Saudi officials say they gave their backing to Western air strikes on Libya in exchange for the United States muting its criticism of the authorities in Bahrain, a close ally of the desert kingdom." (Source: Telegraph)
Bahrain Center for Human Rights reports that more than 370 people have been detained or are missing since the state's euphemistic "national safety" campaign." (Source: Bahrain Centre for Human Rights)
All detainees are at great risk for all types of physical, psychological and sexual torture. Among them, Ayat AlQurmezi, a 20 year old poet was arrested because she read a poem about the AlKhalifa family. She has now been admitted to the Bahrain Defense Force hospital.
All detainees are being held incommunicado with no access to lawyers, which is typically when torture happens. Two of the arrested women are pregnant.
Among those arrested are teachers, doctors, poets, artists, photographers and activists, dissidents and human rights activists and members of political societies.
Many of the detainees or missing persons were arrested from SMC hospital after being injured with police shots and before the completion of their treatment.
The place of detention of the vast majority of detainees is unknown.
Youngest missing child is no older than 12years of age (Ahmed Ali Thamer Abbas Yahya).
(Source: Bahrain Centre for Human Rights)
One detainee who was released approximately one month ago gives the following testimony of how he was tortured:
They arrested me and took me, I didn't know who they were.
Then they asked me do you know where you are? And I said no.
They responded "You are in the National Security Apparatus. Do you know what the National Security Apparatus is?" I said, "Yes."
They said, "You've been arrested before by the National Security Apparatus. Before it was just the cutting of ears, now we cut heads." This was their introduction.
I was surrounded by security forces, and the lieutenant ordered one of the men to bring two buckets. I had no idea what was going on. He also ordered them to strip me of my clothes. I refused so they came by force and cut my pants. I was stripped naked of all my clothes.
They then brought the two buckets, I did not know what was in them as I was blindfolded. My feet were tied and my hands were handcuffed behind my back. They lifted me up and put me in the bucket. One of them said "I want to see you make waves." I said, "Why? I will not. Why should I? " I heard the sound of something which sounded like electric current, and he said, "Do it or you will get a taste of this". So I obeyed.
I was doing this for a few minutes, and there was an air conditioner that was turned on to the fullest directed straight at me at close proximity. They then threw the other bucket on me which had water and ice in it. I was shaking from the cold and they were making fun of me.
They then started with the use of electricity in the genital area and other sensitive areas. Behind the ear, in the mouth, the backside, the fingertips, everywhere sensitive, the umbilicus. They used it on every place they thought would have the most effect. I was screaming, and one of them told me, "No one here can help you."
My screaming got louder so they put the electricity into my mouth and I lost consciousness. They revived me through beating me with hoses and the electricity. They told me "We want you to die a slow death. We do not want a confession from you, we want you to die. We will kill you in a way that you will be begging for death."
This was the beginning of my arrest.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights has published a list of detained and missing persons available here: XLS Download of a renewable list of detainees and missing persons in Bahrain from the Bahrain Center for Human Rights
SCROLL DOWN. See bottom of entry for other lists complied by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights including:
See March 1 through 21, March 22 through 31, and February for previous WL Central coverage.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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The price of Western silence is high,
In return for Western, specifically American, silence; Saudi Arabia has cut oil production by over 10%. This in combination with production losses in other North African and Middle Eastern States has forced up the price of oil and reduced supplies for China. Thus following the program begun with the first Gulf War against Iraq.
The increase in global oil prices has also allowed BP to get permision for 10 'New' deepwater oil wells in the Gulf of Mexico. Can it get better? Certainly, The US is currently importing oil from Canada at $15 'below' World price because those contracts are based on WTI which can be manipulated by jambing the Cushing pipeline hub. Who pockets the $15 per barrel on the millions of barrels of Canadian crude?