Contents
1. Summary
2. Background
3. Action Required
4. Sample Letters
1. Summary
IHRC expresses deep concern over the Court of Appeal’s decision to pass a two-year prison sentence on the President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), Mr. Nabeel Rajab, for his human rights campaigns and exercise of peaceful freedom of expression. Mr. Rajab has been subject to numerous human rights abuses during his detention including repeated humiliating strip-searches, arbitrary solitary confinement and restricted access to water despite his deteriorating medical condition.
2. Background
On 16 August 2012, Mr. Nabeel Rajab, President of the BCHR, Director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR), and Deputy Director for the International Federation for Human Rights, was sentenced to three years in prison for advocating peaceful demonstrations to defend the human rights of all Bahraini citizens, and exercising his right to freedom of expression, all in accordance with the International Human Rights laws.
The BCHR confirmed that the Bahraini government denied entry to numerous senior international human rights defenders to delivery their testimony for Mr. Rajab during his court trial to appeal the three-year sentence. Videos of their recorded testimonies are viewable on the BCHR website http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/node/5558
The Appeal Court’s gesture to reduce his sentence from three years to two is unconvincing and IHRC holds that the Bahraini regime must immediately release Mr. Nabeel Rajab and all prisoners of conscience held in Bahraini prisons.
During Mr. Rajab’s detention, it has been reported that he has been subject to inhumane treatment, including excessive torture, housing with dead animals, arbitrary solitary confinement, being forced to stand despite a herniated disc in his back and a restriction to six litres of water per week despite his gallbladder stones condition.
3. Action Required
IHRC requests that campaigners and supporters to write letters and emails to their country’s foreign minister, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay. Demand that the Bahraini regime cease persecuting and abusing Nabeel Rajab, and that the security forces cease to attack the Bahraini people as they demand justice.
4. Sample Letter
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A sample letter is given below for your convenience. Please note that model letters can be sent directly or adjusted as necessary to include further details. If you receive a reply to the letter you send, we request you to send a copy of the letter you sent and the reply you received to IHRC. This is very important as it helps IHRC to monitor the situation with regards to our campaigns and to improve upon the current model letters. It is preferable that letters be sent via post, or otherwise by fax and/or email.
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a) Minister of foreign affairs in your country. (UK campaigners can write using the address supplied below, fax: +44 (0)20 7839 2417 or email: private.office@fco.gov.uk)
[Your name]
[Your address]
Rt Hon. William Hague MP,
Foreign & Commonwealth Office,
King Charles Street,
London,
SW1A 2AH,
United Kingdom.
[Date]
Dear Mr. Hague,
Re: Inhumane treatment of Nabeel Rajab by Bahrain security
I would like to bring to your attention the campaign of intimidation and maltreatment of Nabeel Rajab by the Bahraini prison authorities.
Mr. Nabeel Rajab, President of the BCHR, Director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR), and Deputy Director for the International Federation for Human Rights, was sentenced to three years in prison on 16 August 2012 for advocating peaceful demonstrations to defend the human rights of all Bahraini citizens and exercising his right to freedom of expression.
Since being detained by Bahraini security forces, Nabeel has been denied the basic treatment that he requires to prevent an aggravation of his already severe medical condition relating to his gallbladder stones and herniated disc in his back. He has been reportedly been subject to inhumane treatment, including excessive torture, housing with dead animals, arbitrary solitary confinement, being forced to stand despite a herniated disc in his back and a restriction to six litres of water per week despite his deteriorating health.
As the foreign minister, I demand that you do all that is in your power to put an end to the Bahraini regime’s repression of its people. The oppressive nature of the regime grows is clear. It is an embarrassment that the government stands by as it brutalises human rights activists whose crimes are solely related to their peaceful practice. I urge you to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Nabeel Rajab and all political prisoners held in Bahraini prisons.
Please respond in order to address these concerns.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
b) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay
[Your name]
[Your address]
Navanethem Pillay
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR),
Palais des Nations,
CH-1211 Geneva 10,
Switzerland
[Date]
Dear Ms. Navanethem Pillay,
Re: Inhumane treatment of Nabeel Rajab by Bahrain security
I would like to bring to your attention the campaign of intimidation and maltreatment of Nabeel Rajab by the Bahraini prison authorities.
Mr. Nabeel Rajab, President of the BCHR, Director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR), and Deputy Director for the International Federation for Human Rights, was sentenced to three years in prison on 16 August 2012 for advocating peaceful demonstrations to defend the human rights of all Bahraini citizens and exercising his right to freedom of expression.
Since being detained by Bahraini security forces, Nabeel has been denied the basic treatment that he requires to prevent an aggravation of his already severe medical condition relating to his gallbladder stones and herniated disc in his back. He has reportedly been subject to inhumane treatment, including excessive torture, housing with dead animals, arbitrary solitary confinement, being forced to stand despite a herniated disc in his back and a restriction to six litres of water per week despite his deteriorating health.
As the UN High Commissioner, I demand that you do all that is in your power to put an end to the Bahraini regime’s repression of its people. The oppressive nature of the regime is clear. I urge you to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Nabeel Rajab and all prisoners of conscience held in Bahraini prisons.
I await eagerly for your response.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
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“And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! Cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.”
Holy Qur’an: Chapter 4, Verse 75
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