Posts Tagged ‘Nabeel Rajab’
February 17, 2013
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), published on 14 February 2013 a report, which presents the findings of a judicial observation mission conducted on the trial in appeal of prominent human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. The report concludes that a series of violations of the right to fair trial marred the judicial process and that Nabeel Rajab is suffering judicial harassment (and was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment) for merely advocating for and exercising the right to peaceful assembly in Bahrain. The report is available in English and Arabic.
Nabeel Rajab is President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) and Director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), Deputy Secretary General of FIDH, and the BCHR was 2012 nominee for the MEA. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, OMCT | 6 Comments »
Tags: Bahrain, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, Gerald Staberock, human rights, International Federation for Human Rights, Manama, MEA 2012, Middle East, Nabeel Rajab, Observatory for the Protection of HRDs, religion, Souhayr Belhassen, trial observation, World Organisation Against Torture
December 16, 2012
“Ales Bialiatski, Nabeel Rajab, Nasrin Sotoudeh… I dedicate this evening to them” With these words Souhayr Belhassen = the President of one of the oldest human rights NGOs in the world (the Anti-Slavery Society is older I think) – assigned the 90th anniversary of FIDH to its 26 activists currently in detention. Interesting to note that two of the three were nominees of the MEA tyhis year,
“These human rights activists are fighting for their freedom and their rights; they are fighting for our freedom and our rights. It is to them that I dedicate this gala evening. Your presence here this evening is a sign of your support for our fight. In their name, and in the name of FIDH, I thank you.”
read more on Human Rights Defenders : Souhayr Belhassen dedicates the 90th anniversary … – FIDH.
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Tags: Ales Bialiatski, anniversary, detention, FIDH, Human Rights Defenders, MEA, Nabeel Rajab, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Souhayr Belhassen
October 18, 2012
The situation in Bahrain continues to deteriorate and judicial harassment goes on unabated:
On 16 October 2012, human rights defender and president of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights Mohamed Al-Masktai has been summoned for interrogation at Al-Naem police station. On 17 Oct 2012 he was released. Human rights defender Mohamed Al-Masktai has been active in documenting and reporting the violations committed by the Bahraini authorities in recent months. In September 2012 he has been subjected to intimidation campaign as he received more than a dozen anonymous phone calls threatening his life and the safety of his family, which followed an oral intervention he delivered at the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva, during a panel discussion focused on intimidations and reprisals, where he informed the (HRC) about the massive intimidation campaign against him.
On 16 October 2012, human rights defender Nader Abdulemam was summoned for interrogation at the public prosecution office. At the time of writing this appeal (17 Oct) Nader Abdulemam has not appeared at the public prosecution office as yet.
In addition to her previous 13 plus lawsuits, activist and human rights defender Zainab Al-Khawaja was summoned again for a new case that includes the charge of “insulting a police officer”. The case goes back to 6 May 2012, however it has been activated just now and a trial was scheduled on 17 October 2012, but postponed to 2 November 2012 in order to summon Al-Khawaja. Al-Khawaja was recently released on 3 October 2012 after she spent two months imprisonment sentence on the charge of “ripping photo of king of Bahrain”. She is expecting verdicts on several cases in the coming weeks.
On 16 October 2012, the court refused to release leading human rights defender Nabeel Rajab; during a session of his appeal trial against 3 year imprisonment sentence which has he received on charges of “participating in illegal gatherings” and “calling for gatherings over social media”.
In addition, the court refused to provide assistance to allow foreigner witnesses to enter Bahrain and testify on behalf of Rajab. On 15 October 2012, Stephanie David, a representative from FIDH has been denied entry to Bahrain to testify for Rajab, as she was required to provide an authorization from the court.
Bahrain: Judicial crackdown continues on human rights defenders and activists.
Posted in FIDH, human rights, Human Rights Defenders | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Bahrain, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, FIDH, harassment, Human Rights Defenders, human rights violations, independence, Nabeel Rajab
October 10, 2012
Nabeel Rajab May 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Martin Ennals Foundation would like to express its growing concern regarding the upcoming hearing on October 16th concerning the appeal of Nabeel Rajab’s conviction.
Mr. Rajab is appealing a three year sentence handed down by the Bahraini Courts. This sentence is widely viewed as an attempt to block his freedom of expression and prevent him from supporting peaceful protests.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights was one of three Finalist Nominees for the Martin Ennals Award, which was handed out in Geneva on October 2nd. The Martin Ennals Award is selected by a Jury of ten leading Human Rights organizations and aims to publicize the work and protect a Human Rights Defender. Regrettably, Mr. Rajab was not able to attend the ceremony due to his detention.The Martin Ennals Foundation supports the widespread calls for his release made by many leading Human Rights Organizations including members of our Jury. We urge the Bahraini Courts to release Mr. Rajab.
from : http://www.martinennalsaward.org
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | Leave a Comment »
Tags: Bahrain, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, freedom of expression, human rights, Human rights defender, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, Nabeel Rajab, trial observation
September 27, 2012
Every day all over the world, unsung heroes are risking their lives to call attention to injustice and to fight for human rights. On Tuesday October 2nd, one of them will honored with the Martin Ennals Award. The Martin Ennals Award is chosen by a Jury of ten leading Human Rights organizations including: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First and others (see www.martinennalsaward.org). Thus, this prize represents the expression of the whole Human Rights movement.
The winner will be selected from three nominees, who personalize wider issues in their home countries and allow these issues to be represented through individual cases:
- Venerable Sovath Luon: sometimes referred to as the “Multimedia Monk”. He challenges the widespread eviction of poor people from land they have long held but without title, often due to the destruction of records during the Khmer Rouge period.
- Nasrin Sotoudeh, an Iranian Lawyer serving a 6 year prison sentence in Iran for “… the offences of “acting against the national security”, “propaganda against the regime” and “membership of Human Rights Defenders Centre” – an organisation presided over by the Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi.
- Bahrain Center for Human Rights: Currently high on the world media agenda. Two of the main founders: Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab are serving jail sentences. Zainab al-Khawaja was arrested for demonstrating against the government, while other members are regularly arrested and abused.
The ceremony is hosted by the City of Geneva in Victoria Hall. Short films commissioned by the Martin Ennals Foundation. Those who cannot attend in person may want to follow it on the internet (www.martinennalsaward.org) starting at 18h00 Geneva time.
Posted in human rights, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 3 Comments »
Tags: Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, award, Bahrain, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Cambodia, ceremony, event, Geneva, HRDs, human rights, Human Rights Defenders, human rights movement, internet, Iran, Luon Sovath, Martin Ennals, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, Nabeel Rajab, Nasrin Sotoudeh, Shirin Ebadi, streaming, video
September 27, 2012
On 26 September Human Rights First (HRF) reports that a Bahraini court sentenced Zainab Al-Khawaja to two months in prison for publicly tearing a picture of Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. It notes that the ruling confirms Bahrain’s reputation as a volatile place without due respect for the rule of law.
“The Bahraini regime seems locked into a spiral of imprisoning human rights leaders and it is unable to tolerate freedom of expression. This is not the reform the king promised” said Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley ”
Zainab Al-Khawaja, a well-known activist, is the daughter of prominent Bahraini human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, who is currently serving a life sentence in prison after being arrested, tortured and given an unfair trial in a military court for taking part in the pro-democracy protest. Throughout the uprising in Bahrain, Zainab Al-Khawaja has worked to bring to light abuses committed by the Bahraini regime. Through her blog and twitter account, @angryarabiya, Zainab has urged to world to show its support for the Bahraini people.
“In 18 months, Bahrain has rocketed from obscurity to international fame as a place where doctors were tortured and human rights activists are jailed for peaceful dissent. Zainab’s sentence reinforces this image of a regime addicted to targeting its human rights defenders, and only able to respond to dissent with repression,” Dooley concluded.
Zainab Al-Khawaja’s verdict comes just one day before another prominent human rights leader, Nabeel Rajab, is scheduled to hear the verdict in his appeal of a three-year prison sentence for his part in what the government calls “illegal gatherings.” Rajab is president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), an organization selected by Human Rights First to receive the 2012 Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty and also one the three nominees for the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders 2012 which will be decided on 2 October in Geneva.
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Tags: award, Bahrain, Brian Dooley, Human Rights Defenders, Human Rights First, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, Nabeel Rajab, twitter, Zainab Al-Khawaja
September 19, 2012
A group of 10 human rights NGOs called during the 21st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to accept the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recommendations, to be adopted on 19 September. They urge the international community to call for the unconditional release of human rights defenders linked to the MEA 2012 nominee the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights who are currently jailed in Bahrain:
- Nabeel Rajab, sentenced on 16 August 2012 to three years’ imprisonment in relation to three cases brought against him for calling for and participating in peaceful gatherings that the government deems “illegal”. His family has reported his ill-treatment in prison, where he is held separately from other political prisoners.
- Zainab Al-Khawaja, arrested on 2 August 2012 after she staged a one-woman protest calling for the release of her father, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja. It was her fifth arrest since April 2012. On 4 August, she was accused of tearing a photo of the King at the police station and remains in detention, facing 13 charges in total. She requires medical attention for a broken leg suffered during a demonstration.
- Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and Abdul-Jalil Al-Singace, whose life sentences were upheld by the High Criminal Court of Appeal on 4 September 2012 in the high-profile case of 13 political and human rights leaders. Despite allegations of confessions made under torture, the men were among 21 originally sentenced by military court in June 2011 to between two years and life in prison on charges including “setting up terror groups to topple the royal regime and change the constitution.” In the same case, Blogger Ali Abdulemam was sentenced to 15 years in absentia and his whereabouts are unknown.
…….
In November 2011, the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), which was mandated by the King to investigate reports of serious human rights violations that occurred since February 2011, released its report. Among the recommendations, the BICI called for the cases of over 300 individuals jailed for peacefully expressing their views to be transferred to civil court, and for an investigation into allegations of torture in detention, which was used to extract confessions. The BICI also recorded a culture of impunity in the deaths of prisoners in custody due to torture, and called for the authorities to hold those responsible accountable. Estimates by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), of which Nabeel Rajab is President, put the number of political prisoners at 3000 as of today, and rights groups continue to record cases of torture and mistreatment in prison.
The NGOs demand the immediately and unconditionally release Nabeel Rajab, Zainab Al-Khawaja, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Abdul-Jalil Al-Singace and all those jailed for exercising their right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, observing due process, as recommended by the BICI;
- Implement all 176 recommendations in Bahrain’s UPR, including to respect the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, not just 156 of them;
- Suspend and then revoke the use of penal code articles that violate the right to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly;
- Comply with the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1998, and international human rights treaties and documents ratified by Bahrain, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
- Guarantee the safety of Bahrainis who attend the UNHRC sessions, ensuring they won’t face reprisals as a result of their participation in the peaceful promotion of human rights protection.
Co-signatories:
(in red the two NGOs members of the MEA Jury)
Bahrain Press Association (BPA)
Bahrain Rehabilitation & Anti Violence Organisation (BRAVO)
Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR)
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Front Line Defenders
Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
International Media Support (IMS)
Khiam Rehabilitation Centre
No Peace Without Justice
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Tags: Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, Bahrain, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, Front Line Defenders, International Federation for Human Rights, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, Nabeel Rajab, United Nations Human Rights Council, Universal Periodic Review, UPR
August 23, 2012
It is not often that three different UN Rapporteurs jointly take such a strong position on a particular country, but in the case of Bahrain that is exactly what happened today 23 August 2012:
A group of independent United Nations experts today voiced serious concerns about the “
campaign of persecution” by the Bahraini authorities against those working to promote human rights in the country, and called for the prompt release of a prominent human rights defender recently sentenced to three years imprisonment.“It is time for the Bahraini authorities to comply with the rights to peaceful assembly and expression and immediately release those arbitrarily detained for exercising their legitimate freedoms,” the experts said in a
news release issued by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (
OHCHR).They also called for the immediate release of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab, who was convicted on three charges of illegal assembly related to his participation in peaceful gatherings in favour of fundamental freedoms and democracy, including a peaceful protest to denounce the detention of fellow defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja. Mr. Rajab was recently sentenced to
three years imprisonment. The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is one of the nominees for the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders to be decided on 2 October in Geneva. Mr. Rajab is also currently serving three months imprisonment for alleged libel through a social networking site. After a series of postponements, a decision by Bahrain’s Higher Appeal Court on that sentence is reportedly due to be announced today, but this will not make much difference of his 3-year sentence referred to above.
“The sentencing of Nabeel Rajab represents yet another blatant attempt by the Government of Bahrain to silence those legitimately working to promote basic human rights,” said the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya. “The Bahraini Government must immediately cease its campaign of persecution of human rights defenders in the country”.
The Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, stressed that “the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly should not be subject to prior authorization from the authorities.” He noted that the criminalization of people participating in peaceful assemblies for the sole reason that they did not seek the approval of the authorities to hold such assemblies contradicts international human rights law.
“The continuing repression of free speech in Bahrain runs counter to international law and standards that individuals will not be prosecuted for peaceful political speech,” said the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Frank La Rue. He added, “The authorities must take all measures to guarantee the free expression of all individuals in Bahrain, whether through social media or otherwise.”
for the full text: Independent UN experts call for end to persecution of rights defenders in Bahrain.
Posted in Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Bahrain, Frank LaRue, Human Rights Defenders, Maina Kiai, Margaret Sekaggya, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, Nabeel Rajab, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations Special Rapporteur
August 16, 2012
Today, 16 August, Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) which is one the 3 nominees of the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders 2012, was sentenced to three years imprisonment on charges of illegal assembly
Posted in Front Line, Human Rights Defenders, MEA | 1 Comment »
Tags: Bahrain, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Front Line, human rights, Human rights defender, MEA, Nabeel Rajab, prison
August 16, 2012
Image from twitter.com by user @SAIDYOUSIF
Late last night, Wednesday 15 August, Russia Today reported that another Bahraini HRD was arrested: Said Yousif (pictured on the right with Nabeel Rajab). Both work for the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, one of the three nominees for the 2012 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders. The ongoing crackdown on human rights activists completely contradicts the promised made by the Government after a government-sponsored report revealed gross violations of human rights.
Posted in Human Rights Defenders | 1 Comment »
Tags: Bahrain, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, detention, Human Rights Defenders, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, MEA, Nabeel Rajab, Non-governmental organization, Said Yousif
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), published on 14 February 2013 a report, which presents the findings of a judicial observation mission conducted on the trial in appeal of prominent human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. The report concludes that a series of violations of the right to fair trial marred the judicial process and that Nabeel Rajab is suffering judicial harassment (and was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment) for merely advocating for and exercising the right to peaceful assembly in Bahrain. The report is available in English and Arabic. 
Nabeel Rajab with one of many tear gas cannisters fired into his house
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 