Contents
1. Summary
2. Background
3. Action required
4. Sample letter
1. Summary
Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah is the son of the king of Bahrain, Hamad al-Khalifah. He has been appointed by the regime to head Bahrain’s Olympic committee, and will be representing the country at the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London.
Write letters to the British Home Secretary Rt Hon. Theresa May; and the Minister for Culture, Media & Sport Jeremy Hunt MP. Demand that they prevent Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah from attending the games this summer.
2. Background
Having already used sport in an effort to conceal their massive human rights violations by hosting the Grand Prix this year, the al-Khalifah regime has now set its sights on making an appearance at the 2012 Olympic Games.
Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah, one of the sons of Bahraini king Hamad al-Khalifah, is the head of Bahrain’s Olympic committee. He has been appointed by the regime to head Bahrain’s Olympic committee, and will be representing the country at the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London.
Since February 2011, Bahraini sportspeople have been tortured, sacked, intimidated and imprisoned for opposing the regime. Nasser has been identified by several witnesses as having personally taken part in the abuse of people accused of taking part in anti-government protests.
As a member of the ruling family, Nasser is also complicit in the imprisonment, torture, intimidation and sacking of Bahrain’s professional sportspeople. Just some of those affected by the regime’s crackdown on its sports professionals include:
1) Mohammed al-Khunaizi, a motorsport drag racing champion sentenced to two years imprisonment for attending a funeral.
2) Saleh Mahdi, a basketball player representing Muharraq Sports Club, sentenced to two years imprisonment for attending an “illegal gathering”.
3) Sayed Hadi Nasser Alawi, a twenty-one year old racing marshal for F1 events sentenced to life imprisonment.
4) Mohamed Ali Jawad al-Fardan, a handball player sentenced to fifteen years by a military court.
It must be made explicitly clear to the al-Khalifah regime that those who take part in its vicious and oppressive regime are unwelcome at an event which claims to uphold peace and unity through the medium of sport.
The British government have already taken action to ensure that the head of Syria’s National Olympic Committee Mowaffak Joumaa is banned from attending the games. They must now do the same to prevent Bahrain’s dictators from entering the UK.
3. Action Required
IHRC requests its campaigners and supporters to write letters and emails to the British Home Secretary Rt Hon. Theresa May; and the Minister for Culture, Media & Sport Jeremy Hunt MP. Demand that they act ensure that Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah is barred from entering the United Kingdom.
4. Sample letters
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Sample letters are 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.
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a) Rt Hon. Theresa May, British Home Secretary.
Rt Hon. Theresa May,
House of Commons,
London,
SW1A 0AA,
UNITED KINGDOM.
E-mail: mayt@parliament.uk
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]
Dear Ms Theresa May,
Re: Preventing Bahrain’s oppressive regime from attending Olympic Games.
Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah, one of the sons of Bahraini king Hamad al-Khalifah, is the head of Bahrain’s Olympic committee. He has been appointed by the regime to head Bahrain’s Olympic committee, and will be representing the country at the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London.
Nasser has been identified by several witnesses as having personally taken part in the abuse of people accused of taking part in anti-government protests since February 2011.
As a member of the ruling family, Nasser is also complicit in the imprisonment, torture, intimidation and sacking of Bahrain’s professional sportspeople. Just some of those affected by the regime’s crackdown on its sports professionals include:
1) Mohammed al-Khunaizi, a motorsport drag racing champion sentenced to two years imprisonment for attending a funeral.
2) Saleh Mahdi, a basketball player representing Muharraq Sports Club, sentenced to two years imprisonment for attending an “illegal gathering”.
3) Sayed Hadi Nasser Alawi, a twenty-one year old racing marshal for F1 events sentenced to life imprisonment.
4) Mohamed Ali Jawad al-Fardan, a handball player sentenced to fifteen years by a military court.
As you have already taken steps to bar the head of Syria’s National Olympic Committee Mowaffak Joumaa from attending the games, I feel that it is incumbent on you to also ban Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah from entering the country.
The British government needs to send a firm message to Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah that, as a member of a vicious and oppressive regime, he is not welcome at an event which declares a commitment to peace and unity through the medium of sport. If the Home Office fails to do so, Britain will be complicit in the continued terrorisation of Bahrain’s sportspeople, and make a mockery of the values of the Olympics.
You must provide guarantees that Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah will not be allowed to enter the country.
I look forward to you reply.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
b) Minister for Culture, Media & Sport, Jeremy Hunt MP.
Rt Hon. Jeremy Hunt MP,
2 Royal Parade,
Tilford Road,
Hindhead,
Surrey,
GU26 6TD.
Email: huntj@parliament.uk
[Your name]
[Your address]
[Date]
Dear Mr Jeremy Hunt,
Re: Preventing Bahrain’s oppressive regime from attending Olympic Games.
Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah, one of the sons of Bahraini king Hamad al-Khalifah, is the head of Bahrain’s Olympic committee. He has been appointed by the regime to head Bahrain’s Olympic committee, and will be representing the country at the 2012 Olympic Games to be held in London.
Since February 2011, Bahraini sportspeople have been tortured, sacked, intimidated and imprisoned for opposing the regime. Nasser has been identified by several witnesses as having personally taken part in the abuse of people accused of taking part in anti-government protests.
As a member of the ruling family, Nasser is also complicit in the imprisonment, torture, intimidation and sacking of Bahrain’s professional sportspeople. Just some of those affected by the regime’s crackdown on its sports professionals include:
1) Mohammed al-Khunaizi, a motorsport drag racing champion sentenced to two years imprisonment for attending a funeral.
2) Saleh Mahdi, a basketball player representing Muharraq Sports Club, sentenced to two years imprisonment for attending an “illegal gathering”.
3) Sayed Hadi Nasser Alawi, a twenty-one year old racing marshal for F1 events sentenced to life imprisonment.
4) Mohamed Ali Jawad al-Fardan, a handball player sentenced to fifteen years by a military court.
As you have already taken steps to bar the head of Syria’s National Olympic Committee Mowaffak Joumaa from attending the games, it is likewise incumbent on you to ban Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah from entering the country.
Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah must be made aware that, as a member of a vicious and oppressive regime, he is not welcome at an event which claims to uphold peace and unity through the medium of sport. By accommodating him, Britain will be complicit in the continued terrorisation of Bahrain’s sportspeople, and make a mockery of the values of the Olympics.
You must provide guarantees that Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifah will not be allowed to enter the country.
I anticipate your reply with great interest.
Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]
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