Updated – Mohamed Hameed AlDaqqaq is a Bahraini citizen who was arbitrarily arrested when he was 23 years old near his home. He was subjected to torture, enforced disappearance, solitary confinement, medical neglect, an unfair trial, and ill-treatment during his detention. He is currently serving a 19-year prison sentence on political charges. Mohamed suffers from many diseases, most notably sickle cell anemia and the associated pain. His continuous deprivation of health care for years in Jau Prison has exacerbated his suffering, and his health has reached a perilous stage due to the progression of the disease. On 4 March 2019, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention issued an opinion deeming Mohammed’s detention arbitrary, calling on the government of Bahrain to immediately release him, expunging all his criminal records, and granting him the necessary compensation. On 18 September 2019, four United Nations Special Procedures offices published an allegation letter to the Government of Bahrain regarding the denial of adequate medical care to Mohammed, expressing concern at the allegations of his torture and ill-treatment, deteriorating health condition, denial of appropriate health care, and retaliation against him for peacefully protesting inside the prison.
2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia: Agreeing to repeat human rights violations
On the 31st of October, FIFA announced that Saudi Arabia had become the sole bidder of the 2034 World Cup. The decision certainly does not come as a surprise. FIFA has regularly been criticized for bribery scandals and its nonchalance in sponsoring World Cups in states with poor human rights standards (Russia, China, Qatar).
Nonetheless, the most authoritative football federation’s official stance is to ensure complete respect for human rights in the preparation process for the World Cup. Arguably, it does so by referring to Article 7 of the FIFA Human Rights Policy and underlining its adherence to the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. However, doubts can be raised on how binding these instruments are since neither Qatar nor FIFA compensated the families for the deaths and injuries of migrant workers during Qatar’s turn at hosting the prestigious sporting event.
Seeking Justice for Iraq’s Disappeared Protesters: A Continuing Struggle
With four years passing since the Tishreen Uprising in Iraq, the echoes of the protests for justice, accountability, and a better future still resound within the nation. However, these demands have remained largely unmet, overshadowed by a grim reality of enforced disappearances and a lack of accountability for the brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators.
The anti-government protests, which began in October 2019, were met with excessive force by Iraqi security forces, leading to numerous deaths, injuries, and the disappearance of activists, lawyers, and ordinary citizens. Organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have highlighted the grim aftermath, shedding light on the tragic stories of those forcibly disappeared.
