Open Letter to President Biden: The Summit for Democracy

Dear President Biden:

On the eve of the Summit for Democracy, I am writing this open letter to you to propose a new and transformative path forward for the United States and all countries that value and seek to advance democracy and human rights. I commend you for putting democracy and human rights at the forefront of US rhetoric when talking about international relations and there is no better time than now to address this critical issue head on.

Authoritarianism, corruption, and human rights violations are increasingly prevalent around the globe — growing stronger in problem countries and gaining new footholds in countries that have avoided them in the past. To stop and reverse this trend, I encourage bold, innovative, collaborative, and decisive action by the US and its allies who value living in a world where freedom and liberty are realities for citizens, not just memories.

I want to share with you my experience as the Executive Director of Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain. First, I applaud the fact that the Government of Bahrain was not invited to participate in the Summit for Democracy. Bahrain is a serial, chronic, and unrepentant abuser of the rights of its people that has repeatedly side-stepped opportunities to improve its reprehensible record on human rights and anti-democratic abuses. The Kingdom of Bahrain is rightly a focus of a forum dedicated to promoting democracy and human rights, not a participant.

Yaser Jawad Ahmed

Yaser Jawad Ahmed is a 22-year-old Bahraini who was arrested without a warrant by Bahraini authorities in 2021. He faced various fair trial and due process violations and is currently serving his 3-year sentence in Jau Prison.

At 5 a.m. on 26 April 2021, officers from the Ministry of Interior attacked and raided Yaser’s house, chased him, and violently arrested him without a warrant in Khadamat street. He was accused of participating in the bombing that took place at an ATM machine belonging to the Bank of Bahrain on 3 February 2021 and sheltering a wanted individual.

Authorities disappeared Yaser for 7 days, and his lawyer was not permitted to attend the investigations. Afterwards, he called his family to inform them that he was at the CID. He was then taken to the Office of the Public Prosecution to be interrogated again without his lawyer. Officers tortured him until he confessed to the allegations made against him.

On 14 September 2021, Yaser was sentenced to three years in prison in a mass trial that included 13 defendants. He was charged with: 1- sheltering a convict in the case of the National Bank of Bahrain bombing, helping him move, and hiding him from the police 2- Knowing about the explosion and participating in it. His appeal has been postponed. Yaser was pursued from the age of 15, and he was previously arrested in January 2016 and sentenced to four years in prison, which he served in full, only to be arrested again a year after his release. He has two older brothers who are also convicted on political charges.

Bahrain and the US

Open Letter to President Biden: The Summit for Democracy

Profile in Persecution

Yaser Jawad Ahmed