The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has again criticized the ongoing gross human rights violations against activists and peaceful protesters in Bahrain.
In its annual report, Human Rights Watch confirms Bahraini authorities stepped up their crackdown on social media and internet activists in 2020, prosecuting critics despite peaceful expressions, and courts sentenced dissidents to death after oppressive trials.
The report confirmed that even the Bahraini Court of Appeals had upheld death sentences against at least four activists by a criminal court for allegedly supporting terrorism. According to the “Center for Human Rights and Democracy in Bahrain,” at least 27 people are currently on death row in Bahrain.
Despite suspension of the death penalty in 2017, six people have been executed in the country. Such as in the case of Ali al-Arab and Ahmed al-Malali: the Shiite activists were sentenced to death in a mass trial in 2018 and executed in 2019. The Bahraini prosecution had accused them of supporting terrorism, among other things.
“This may well include using the fight against terrorism as a pretext to crack down on political opponents. “Joe Stork, deputy director of Southwest Asia at Human Rights Watch, commented that Bahraini authorities use various available means to repress, silence, and punish anyone who criticizes the government, and in the meantime, the use of the death penalty has increased. Individuals would be targeted for their activities on social media, and prominent opposition figures would be excluded from medical care after their arrest.
The Bahraini judiciary has tried several individuals solely for posting on social media, including two prominent lawyers, Abdullah al-Shamlawi and Abdullah al-Hashim.
Bahraini authorities deny prisoners medical care, according to a Human Rights Watch report.
Opposition associations are banned, and actors critical of the regime are repeatedly the target of repressive measures and arbitrary arrests.
by Basit Abbasi – FB