Statements – Bahrain Freedom Movement

Bahrain: four developments indicate serious rise in tension

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 07/05/2007

The reverberations from the decision by the ruling family to put three activists on trial are taking new dimensions. The situation in the country is expected to take a new turn to the worse as the civil resistance movement takes deeper roots in the Bahraini society. The situation is becoming more polarised as the people become further disenchanted with the policies of the Al Khalifa hereditary dictatorship.

Bahrain: The crisis deepens as repression intensifies

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 17/04/2007

The clashes between the people of Bahrain and the Al Khalifa death squads have intensified in recent days, with casualties on both sides. The events of Sanabis in the past few days have confirmed the long-held suspicion that the regime is attempting to annihilate the people with every dirty means at its disposal.

Criminal acts by the Al Khalifa against demonstrators

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 14/04/2007

As the political crisis in Bahrain deepens, demonstrations have become a recurrent event on daily basis. On Friday, the Al Khalifa rulers prevented a peaceful demonstration in protest against their criminal acts against the people of Bahrain.

Bahrain: Murder of a citizen; death squads suspected

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 01/04/2007

The Al Khalifa ruling family has refused to form an inquiry into the crime that has shocked Bahrain, despite numerous calls to that effect. In the early hours of Friday 30th March, a young Bahraini citizen was shot while on duty as a security guard at Al Bustan Hotel in Manama.

Bahrain: More attacks on freedom as minors are summoned for trial

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 19/03/2007

As the political strife continues in Bahrain, the Al Khalifa regime has become more cruel in its treatment of Bahraini citizens who peacefully express their opinion. The attack on the peaceful demonstration last Friday by the riot police has triggered a spate of anger among the citizens who are increasingly becoming disappointed by the lack of real political or economic reforms.

Young Bahraini students behind bars as Al Khalifa tighten their grip

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 05/03/2007

Students of Jidhafs School have been warned by the ruling family against participating in demonstrations calling for the release of other detainees. The warning was issued after a massive demonstration by students on 1st March calling for those who had been arrested during an earlier demonstration on Tuesday 27th February. The demonstrators were photographed by naturalised teachers and agents of the secret service.

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 23/02/2007

Political disturbances in various parts of the country erupted yesterday and today as the people of Bahrain continued their pro-democracy protests and called for an end to the hereditary dictatorship of the Al Khalifa clan.
Bahrain: More victims of torture as the situation becomes more volatile

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 20/02/2007

Bahrain’s ruler has ordered the re-commissioning of the massive networks of torture chambers which had been temporarily closed in 2001. More Bahrainis are now detained, tortured and then released. It is a practice intended to inflict maximum pain to opponents in a short time to avoid attracting outside attention. People of Bahrain are now feeling the extent of betrayal of the Al Khalifa ruling family as it seeks to alter the social and religious composition of the country. Death squads have become the main force in combating the rising public discontent. A new element has made these squads more dangerous. Recent reports have spoken of a new recruits from former Ba’thists from Iraq. Camps have been opened to train members of the death squads to deal with the new realities following the failure of Sheikh Hamad’s political programme and the new resurgence among the discontented youth.

Bahrain: Al Khalifa Torture Chambers receive more innocent Bahrainis

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 12/02/2007

The political crisis in Bahrain is deepening following the decision by the Al Khalifa rulers to open up their notorious prisons to Bahraini political activists. Six were snatched yesterday by their death squads, while three others were detained and interrogated at the Bahrain-Saudi causeway.

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 05/02/2007

Calls are being made for an urgent investigation into the misadventure ordered by the royal palace in Bahrain last week after it emerged that several people were injured as a result of police aggression. The uprising of Friday 2nd February had shocked the Al Khalifa occupiers and forced them to concede defeat as wave after wave of protesters emerged in various parts of the country not only to challenge their authority but also to declare their rejection of the hereditary dictatorship and its outdated mode of rule.

Senior opposition figures arrested in Bahrain

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 02/02/2007

In the ealry hours of Friday 2 February 2006, scores of police and special branch members dressed in civilian clothes surrounded the house of two leading opposition figures and arrested them for undisclosed reasons.

Bahrain: Prison sentences for possessing political leaflets

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 01/02/2007

A Kangaroo court today passed unlawful prison sentences against two Bahraini activists for possessing leaflets. A foreign judge, sentenced two citizens to one year and six months imprisonment for possessing leaflets calling for boycotting the illegal elections last November.

Bahrain: More repressive attacks waged against innocent demonstrators

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 19/01/2007

A peaceful demonstration calling for the release of two innocent citizens was viciously attacked today by the Al Khlaifa’s thugs on orders from the royal palace. Many young men were injured including a youth who was hit in the head. The demonstration was called for by the families of the two detainees; Dr Mohammad Saeed Al Sahlawi and Hussain Abdul Aziz Al Habshi, who have been languishing in torture cells for the past two months. Their guilt is possession of leaflets urging people to boycott elections for powerless bodies. Many calls have been made to the ruling family to release the hostages but to no avail. Today’s demonstration took place near the town of Daih. Riot police were deployed to prevent the demonstration whose organisers had already obtained a permit to hold it. Women and children were frightened by onslaught who mercilessly attacked the participants and caused enormous fear among the children.

Bahrain: When peaceful expression of opinion is criminalised

Bahrain Freedom Movement – 08/01/2007

A kangaroo court yesterday, presided over by s foreigner, refused to order the release of two citizens after eight weeks in illegal detention.

Bahrain: More arrests and torture by Al Khalifa to celebrate the New Year

– Bahrain Freedom Movement – 02/01/2007

The execution of Saddam Hussain has been welcomed by the people of Bahrain who had lost several of their sons at the hands of his regime.

Bahrain: Demise of Sheikh Al Jamri, the historic leader

– BFM – 19/12/2006

The demise of Sheikh Abdul Amir Al Jamri was announced in Bahrain yesterday after an illness that lasted three years. Last night, tens of thousands of citizens joined the spectacular funeral that stretched over several kilometres in a show of defiance unparalleled in recent years.

– 16/12/2006

The attack on freedom of expression continued unabated with Government’s death squads assuming new role in attacking those who venture to express themselves. When people decided to express solidarity with the prisoners of conscience languishing in Al Khalifa torture chambers Sheikh Hamad dispatched heavily armed forces to the spot where the demonstration had been planned to start, preventing people from approaching the area and pointing their guns to the heads of would be protesters. Manama suddenly became like a garrison with death squads roaming its roads especially in the vicinity of the planned demonstration.

– 07/12/2006

The appointed half of the Shura council has been announced only toindicate the reality of the Al Khalifa destructive political programmein Bahrain. Out of forty appointed members, 20 are Sunnis, 18 Shia,one Christian and one Jew.

Bahrain: More political prisoners on the eve of pseudo-elections

– 24/11/2006

Another young citizen, Mohsin Al Salman, 27, has been kidnapped today by the death squads of Sheikh Hamad. He is from Jad Hafs area and had been in jail before. Earlier this year, he spent with his brother, Jawad, several months in torture chambers because they had participated in a peaceful protest at the airport.

– 23/11/2006

Concerns have been raised by local and international human rights activists in regards to the unlawful arrest, detention and maltreatment of two prisoners of conscience in Bahrain. ON Thursday 16th November, Dr Mohammad Saeed Matar and Hussain Abdul Aziz Al Habshi were kidnapped from the street by the death squads of the ruling family. Alarming facts have now become available surrounding the unlawful detention of the two Bahraini activists: