Bahrain: Appeals to human rights bodies for serious intervention – Bahrain Freedom Movement

As the people’s revolution continues unabated, Bahrainis have appealed to the international human rights bodies and political leaders to take a stand and force the Al Khalifa regime to release the prisoners of conscience.

 Among these victims of the tribal terror, Mr Hassan Mushaima, the leader of Haq Movement and who had served numerous jail terms in the past quarter of a century, stands out as a seriously sick man who is being persecuted for his political views. He suffers from Cancer for which he had been treated last year in London. Since his detention in mid-March Mr Mushaima has complained of various ailments due to lack of medical care and abusive language and violent treatment. He has been man-handled in aggressive ways and denied proper medication for his own ailment. He is also being subjected to psychological torture by forcing his son to cry out as they tortured him. Mr Mushaima’s condition is said to be causing serious alarm among the senior figures of the opposition who have been behind bars since mid-March when the Saudis illegally invaded the country.Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, had dispatched an assessment team to Bahrain. Its members had met officials of the regime who denied any wrongdoing and members of the opposition and victims and their families. The team listened to two totally opposite stories but came back to Geneva with a stark message; Investigate the claims before it is too late. The team had found evidence of serious maltreatment of prisoners and protestors and suggested that there should be a new page of trust between the people and the ruling family. The Bissioni commission had concluded similar facts that condemn the regime and make him unable to move around. The government-financed and controlled BICI has itself indicated that senior figures, including the dictator himself could be liable for crimes against humanity. However, the regime’s tools of deception have twisted the facts and procedures to present the criminals as worthy of praise. Both UK and USA have “commended” the dictator for permitting a fact-finding commission led by Charif Bissioni to investigate his crimes. When the commission confirmed those crimes, instead of condemning him and his regime they praised them. A Bahraini human rights activist said: Can a murderer be praised? Does it matter how the guilt is proven, whether by voluntary confession or intensive interrogation?Meanwhile the killing has continued along with the people’s revolutionary activism. Last week, an elderly person, Abd Ali Al Mawali, 68, was gassed to death. Ali Ahmad Al Qassab was killed by a passing car when the police shot him with a shotgun while crossing the road. The people were so outraged that they have now become more determined to pursue their revolutionary goals to achieve a regime change. In all towns and villages daily protests have been held. People’s favourite slogans are: People wants regime change” and “Down with Hamad, Down with Hamad”. The response by the regime’s brutal forces has been so vicious that many people are injured every day. Security forces have been instructed to deploy intensive amounts of chemical and tear gases that have led to serious injuries. Thick coloured clouds hoover over towns and villages during persistent attacks by those forces. The attackers have often targeted homes packed with women and children using poisonous gases. Bahrainis have appealed to the World Health Organisation (WTO) to send a team of investigators to assess those chemical gases that have caused people to vomit blood.On another level, the Al Khalifa regime, backed by the Saudi occupiers have refused to release the political prisoners despite the recommendations by Bissioni’s commission and Navi Pillay. The senior opposition figures such as Hassan Mushaima are suffering serious ailments due to ill-treatment. It has been reported that the life of Mr Mushaima is in grave danger as he is continuously denied proper treatment and medication. He suffers from lymphoma cancer and needs special medication according to the doctor who had treated him at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. Navi Pillay has been personally urged to intervene and ask for the immediate release of those prisoners in accordance with the recommendations by Bissioni and her own team who recently conducted a field visit. She is also urged to dispatch a fact-finding mission and an inquiry to reveal the extent of the regime’s violations.Bahrain Freedom Movement

23rd December 2011