ADHRB Weekly: Belgian Senator Raises Alarm Over Worsening Covid-19 Outbreak in Bahraini Prisons

Belgian Senator Raises Alarm Over Worsening Covid-19 Outbreak in Bahraini Prisons

A member of the Belgian Senate, Philippe Courard, tabled a written question to the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sophie Wilmes, regarding the current COVID-19 outbreak in Bahraini prisons. Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) welcomes this parliamentary question and thanks Senator Courard for bringing attention to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in Bahraini prisons and the danger it poses to the imprisoned human rights defenders and political activists in Bahrain.

Senator Courard’s question is as follows:

“According to certain sources, the worsening of the spread of COVID-19 in Bahraini prisons is a very concerning matter. I am aware that the hygiene and health conditions in Bahraini prisons have been classified as alarming by the recent European Parliament Resolution on the human rights situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This text was adopted by a large majority on March 11, 2021. We also know that last April, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged states to free prisoners detained without a legal basis as well as political prisoners or those detained for having opinions that criticised the state, for the purpose of avoiding this exact situation that we are now facing in Bahraini prisons. (...)"

Hasan Asad Jasim Jasim Nesaif

Hasan Asad Jasim Jasim Nesaif was a 20-year-old Bahraini student when he was arrested without a warrant in an ambush in the al-Naim area following a raid on his family home. Hasan was tortured and subjected to several human rights violations, including his right to due process and a fair trial. He is currently held in Jau Prison.
On 20 May 2015, an ambush was set up by officers from the Ministry of Interior and civilian officers after his family’s house was raided and entirely searched. Hassan tried to escape, so he was pursued and shot. The area was subsequently surrounded by riot police. Officers beat Hasan while arresting him from the street, and he was transferred to al-Naim police station.

Hasan remained at the station, where he was tortured and mistreated, for around an hour until he was transferred to the CID, where he remained for two days before being transferred to the public prosecution building. Then, he was returned to the CID. At the CID, Hasan was insulted and cursed at, in addition to having his clothes torn, having his skin burned with cigarettes, and being beaten on his arms, legs, and sensitive areas. Hasan’s family did not receive a phone call from him until 5 days after his arrest. On the fifth day of his arrest, he was taken to Jau Prison and tortured there for a day before being transferred to New Dry Dock Prison as he was still under the age of 21. His lawyer was not allowed to be present throughout this duration. Hasan’s house was raided and searched entirely once again the day after his arrest.

European Parliamentarians call for the Emirati government to be held accountable for systematic violations of human rights

In an open Letter published on 15 april, a cross-party coalition of EU Parliamentarians have called for urgent action to be taken by the European External Action Service (EEAS) to address the widespread and systematic human rights abuses committed by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The letter, which was published in light of the upcoming EU-UAE Human Rights Dialogues this summer, calls for the release of all prisoners of conscience, for an end to torture and ill-treatment of these prisoners, as well as for the protection of prisoners’ families from collective punishment.

“As Members of the European Parliament, we are writing to express our deepest concern over the ongoing human rights violations in the United Arab Emirates, particularly with regards to the systematic crackdown on freedom of speech and expression and the subsequent retaliation received during detention.” the letter, addressed to High Representative and Vice President Josep Borrell, reads.

Read the full article here

Bahrain

Belgian Senator Raises Alarm Over Worsening Covid-19 Outbreak in Bahraini Prisons

Profile in Persecution

Hasan Asad Jasim Jasim Nesaif

Around the Gulf

European Parliamentarians call for the Emirati government to be held accountable for systematic violations of human rights

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