Amid the global threat posed by COVID-19, Bahraini authorities should release human rights defenders, opposition activists, journalists and all others imprisoned solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association, a coalition of 21 rights groups said today.

On March 17, 2020, Bahrain completed the release of 1,486 prisoners, 901 of whom received royal pardons on “humanitarian grounds.” The remaining 585 were given non-custodial sentences. While this is a positive step, the releases so far have excluded opposition leaders, activists, journalists and human rights defenders – many of whom are older and/or suffer from underlying medical conditions. Such prisoners are at high risk of serious illness if they contract COVID-19, and thus ought to be prioritized for release.

Read the full statement here.

Abdulla was a student and a football player for Al-Shabab Club when he was arrested in 2019, after authorities pursued him for six years for his participation in the peaceful protest and religious events demanding democracy in 2013. Since his arrest, Abdulla has been tortured and convicted in unfair trials; He is currently in Jau Prison. On 22 September 2019, Abdulla’s family house was raided in the Diraz region. He was arrested by officers in civilian clothing including members of the Special Security Force Command and members of Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) without any warrant. It was not the first time that Abdulla’s family house was raided in order to arrest him. For six years Abdulla was being pursued and was the target of death threats. During his arrest, officers provided Abdulla’s parents with only a summons with his name.

Read the full report here.

Authority forces from the Internal Security Service (ISS) in Oman have been active in targeting pro-reform activists for criticizing the Omani government on social media. After the Arab Spring Uprisings in 2011, Oman intensified the restriction on free expression in the country. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported an obvious pattern of repression on free expression, noting that many critics face harassment and threats of ambiguous criminal charges for activities deemed to insult the sultan or the country. Bloggers and online activists are arrested and detained for up to several years for criticizing the authorities’ policies. The Omani courts sentence these activists to prison on the basis of vaguely defined laws that repress freedom of speech.

Read the full report here.