Bahrain agrees to vast majority of UN rights recommendations, rejects death penalty overhaul

The tiny oil-rich kingdom of Bahrain pledged on Wednesday to improve its treatment of political activists, crack down on torture and prevent violence against ethnic and religious communities while accepting the vast majority of the U.N.'s recommendations regarding human rights.

Bahrain is now the 1st country to be subjected to the 47-nation U.N. Human Rights Council's reviews of all nations' records in 2008 and this year. Each time Bahrain has been subjected to a bright, somewhat harsh spotlight.

This time around, the council had issued 176 recommendations for Bahrain. Some of these focused on the government's response to the unrest that has hit Bahrain since early 2011, calling for fair trials in the wake of arrests and prosecutions of demonstrators and guarantees against the use of torture.

Others called for stepped-up cooperation with the U.N. in its attempts to investigate alleged abuses in Bahrain, where the Shiite majority has been demanding a greater political voice in the Sunni-ruled country.

For 19 months, there has been unrest in Bahrain between Shiites seeking a greater political voice and police, leaving at least 50 people dead in the strategic kingdom, a key American ally that is the base for the U.S. Navy's 5th fleet. Charges have been filed against some police for allegedly extracting forced confessions from suspected anti-government protesters.

In Geneva on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa told the council, the U.N.'s top human rights body, that Bahrain would accept 158 recommendations, including calls for fair trials and improved religious protections. But he rejected the recommendations for abolishing the death penalty, saying that would violate his country's constitution.

He also offered to provide an interim report on the nation's progress.

"Our actions, more than our words, should dispel any doubts regarding my government's commitment to upholding human rights through the rule of law," he said. "Let us follow the path of dialogue, not propaganda."

Al Khalifa also promised his government would tolerate dissent - within what he called "the limits of orderly discourse in a democratic society." But, he added, "no one has the right to force factionalism upon a society against its will. We welcome peaceful expressions of disagreement, but not incitements to hatred and violence which damage the social fabric of a nation."

In November 2011, Bahrain released a 500-page report detailing widespread abuses in the Gulf kingdom's crackdowns on the Shiite-led uprising. Bahrain's rulers authorized a special commission to investigate the nation's turmoil in a bid to ease tensions and promised a broad range of reforms as a result.

The seriousness of the situation that Bahrain continues to face, however, was underscored by the presence of both the foreign minister and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner, who came to Geneva for the Bahrain session. A private meeting between the 2 was planned later Wednesday.

Posner said Bahrain's government showed "great courage" by sponsoring the commission. "10 months after the release of the report, however, we are concerned that the government is losing momentum on implementation," he said.

Source: Associated Press, Sept. 2012

Indonesian Task Force on Migrant Workers Wants Moratorium for Middle East

A presidentially-appointed task force on migrant workers on Tuesday called for a blanket moratorium on the sending of Indonesian household workers to the Middle East until their protection is legally guaranteed.

Humphrey Djemat, the spokesman for the task force, said in a press statement that the recommendation came following a recent trip to four Middle Eastern nations that are home to many Indonesian migrant workers — Egypt, Jordan, Oman and Bahrain. Indonesia currently has a prohibition on the sending of Indonesian migrants as domestic workers to Jordan and Saudi Arabia after many reported cases of violence and maltreatment of Indonesian workers there.

“On one hand, we are halting the legal entry of Indonesian workers there, but if the country or the agents still need Indonesian workers, then they will simply come in as illegal workers,” Humphrey said.

He estimated that there are some 30,000 Indonesian workers in Jordan despite of the moratorium. The Indonesian Embassy in Amman will conduct a census of Indonesian workers there next month, he said.

He said that in Oman there are about 29,000 Indonesians working in households. He added that the embassy in Muscat has already repatriated 162 workers, leaving 37 others still seeking shelter at the embassy because of various work-related problems they faced.

Humphrey said most of the workers from Indonesia entered Oman through the United Arab Emirates, and even though the embassy in Muscat had contacted the United Arab Emirates over the matter, it had only led to human trafficking at the border.

“So far there have been no Indonesian citizens who are threatened with the death penalty in Oman, even though like with other countries in the Middle East, there is no legal protection of domestic workers in Oman,” Humphrey said.

In Bahrain, the number of Indonesians has risen from 9,000 last year to 12,395 at present.

“This increase is, among other [reasons], because of the moratorium on the sending of Indonesian migrants to Saudi Arabia,” Humphrey said.

He said that another impact of the moratorium was that many Indonesian migrant workers were attempting to enter Saudi Arabia through Bahrain.

“The Bahraini immigration cannot prevent this as long as the sponsors of those Indonesian workers have met the requirements prevailing in Bahrain,” he said.

In Bahrain itself, some 3,000 Indonesians are officially employed in the country.

“At the present, there are 27 Indonesian migrant workers with problems who are now sheltering at the embassy in Manama,” he said. “The sources of most of their problems are unpaid wages or them being mentally unprepared to work for others and therefore fleeing their employee’s house.”

In Egypt, Humphrey said there was information that some 1,200 Indonesians worked there, although the country is not a major destination for foreign informal migrant workers.

“There are currently 20 Indonesian migrant workers at a shelter at the Cairo embassy and every year, the embassy returns not less than 80 workers home. But the number of those coming to the shelter continues to rise compared to those repatriated,” Humphrey said.

The government placed a moratorium on sending migrant workers to Saudi Arabia last year after an Indonesian maid was beheaded after being convicted of killing her Saudi employer.

Indonesia in December lifted a 2009 ban on sending maids to Malaysia, imposed after a rash of abuse cases were reported in the country, where around 300,000 Indonesian maids had worked.

Source: Jakarta Globe, July 3, 2012

Bahrain: Death penalty for blogger urged

Manama: A Salafist society in Bahrain is pushing for the death penalty against a blogger who has reportedly posted remarks deemed offensive to Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] and his wife Aysha.

“The death penalty will help preserve the status of the religion and will protect the society from sedition,” Al Asala Society said in a statement one day after Bahraini authorities said they arrested a man who repeatedly posted the “offensive remarks”, using several accounts.

“This man has a twisted and distorted mind and he should be put to death for his corrupt beliefs and postings.”

MP Abdul Halim Murad said that he wanted the government to endorse a draft law that stipulates the death penalty for religion offenders.

“Under this law, anyone found insulting the prophet [PBUH] or his wife Aisha will be sentenced to death or given a life sentence,” the lawmaker representing Al Asala in the lower chamber of the bicameral parliament, said.

“I have already spoken to the government on endorsing the draft because it has robust religious and legal premises, protects the society and upholds the respect that all Muslims have for their prophet,” he said.

The MP presented the draft after the Kuwaiti parliament endorsed a move to impose the death penalty for anyone caught insulting God or Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] or his wife Aisha or his companions.

The parliament, dominated by a strong alliance between tribal and Islamist members, pushed forward the amendment to the penal code after a Kuwaiti blogger was arrested for reportedly insulting the prophet and Aysha.

However, the draft, opposed by liberals, needed the endorsement of the country’s Emir and reports have suggested that it would be sent back to the parliament.

The move is likely to be applauded by the liberals, but will further strains relations between the parliament and the government.

At a forum on the status of Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] held on Tuesday evening, MP Mohammad Hayef, a staunch supporter of the proposed law, said that the prime minister could be grilled if the government did not endorse it.

MP Waleed Al Tabtabai said that the draft would be carried to the next parliament if the current one is dissolved as expected following the series of bitter stand-offs with the government.

Source: GulfNews, June 15, 2012

Hundreds sentenced in Bahrain’s military courts

In Bahrain, more than 100 demonstrators are behind bars due to lengthy government-run military courts, according to human rights groups in the country. The findings are released to coincide with a report submitted to Bahrain’s King Hamid bin Isa Al Halifa today on the ongoing crackdown on protesters who have been advocating for democratic reforms for more than a year.

The report, conducted by the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, says that total sentences handed down through the military tribunals to date are about 500, with more than 100 of those receiving harsh sentences, such as life in prison or the death penalty. More than twenty are either teachers or medical staff.

Also today, the UN’s Human Rights office expressed concern about the government’s excessive use of tear gas to suppress protests, which has led to an estimated 30 deaths.

Speaking today in Geneva, the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Rupert Colville, said the disproportionate use of force by Bahrain’s security forces was “worrying” and called on the government to investigate the incidents.

"Reliable sources indicate that the civilians who died from tear gas suffered complications from gas inhalation, and that security forces have been firing metal tear gas canisters from grenade launchers into crowds. We call on the Government of Bahrain to investigate the alleged use of such excessive force."

Colville also called on the government to protect the health of prisoners, such as Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who is on a 40 day hunger strike. Khawaja is protesting a life sentence he received last summer.

The U.N. human rights office said it is sending an expert team to Bahrain at the end of the month for talks with the government.

An investigation from the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, a group set by the royal government that officially called itself independent, found that government forces were responsible in some incidents of torture, detention and violating the rights of hospital patients. The commission released its findings last December and today’s report submitted to the King followsup on the recommendations, which include compensating the victims of torture and detention. It also said, quote: ““The State should never again resort to detention without prompt access to lawyers, and without access to the outside world for more than two or three days.”

According to Al Arabiya, the government pointed to reforms, such as the increased inspection of detention centers by the Red Cross. But activists cited continued violations of human rights.

Source: Free Speech Radio News, March 20, 2012

Bahrain court overturns 2 death sentences

Cassation court annulls protesters' death sentences, while civil court continues trials of 20 medics.

The court of cassation in Bahrain has overturned a ruling by the court of appeals that had sentenced 2 Bahraini anti-government protesters to execution.

Monday's decision will require the court of appeals to re-examine the case and issue a new verdict for the 2 protesters earlier sentenced to death, and 5 others who had been sentenced to life in prison.

The defendents, 2 of whom were tried in absentia, were accused of "deliberately killing" 2 policemen in March.

According to court documents, the accused hit Kashef Ahmad Manzoor and Mohammad Farouq Abdul Samad, both working for the interior ministry at the time, with large vans. The defendents are then said to have run over the officers in an open area near Manama's Pearl Roundabout.

"This is a positive verdict. We are optimistic," said Mohsen al-Alawi, a member of the team defending one of the men whose death sentence was annulled.

He said that a new witness, a policeman, had come forward after the appeal verdict was initially announced, claiming that the charges were "fabricated".

"His statement has been taken by the public prosecution and we shall use it", in the forthcoming retrial, he said.

Medics retrial resumes

Elsewhere in the Bahraini capital, a civil court has begun a new hearing for a group of 20 medical staff who were convicted of taking part in crimes against the state during anti-government protests that rocked the country last year.

The doctors, nurses and paramedics were handed sentences, ranging from 5 to 15 years in prison, on September 28, over a raft of charges, including incitement to overthrow the the ruling Al Khalifa family.

But a retrial was initiated on October 23 after prosecutors dropped confessions from the defendants, who had protested that the statements were extracted under torture.

The hearing for the new trial had been adjourned in November.

Most of the staff worked or volunteered at the Salmaniya Medical Centre in Manama, which was stormed by security forces in mid-March after they drove protesters out of nearby Pearl Roundabout.

The workers received the heavy jail terms from the military-run National Safety Court, but are now being tried in a civil court.

They are also being charged with occupying the medical centre and possessing weapons, while denying Sunni Muslims access to the hospital as mainly Shia demonstrators camped in the complex's car park.

The medical professionals also stand accused of spreading false news, particularly concerning the condition of wounded protesters, the illegal acquisition of medicines and medical facilities, and participating in demonstrations.

In November, independent investigators tasked by Bahrain's king to probe the unrest were highly critical of the special security court that had tried the medics, along with opposition leaders and activists behind closed doors.

A 500-page report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry said the court has issued harsh sentences -including life in prison and death penalties - and "denied most defendants elementary fair trial guarantees".

The document also spotlighted abuses at the Salmaniya Medical Centre.

Rights activist denied entry

A top official from Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) said on Sunday that he was barred from entering Bahrain to attend the trial.

Richard Sollom, deputy director of the US-based organisation, told Al Jazeera that the country's ministry of human rights and social development had rejected his entry after he arrived at Manama's airport.

Sollom who has a five-year multiple entry visa told the AFP news agency that security officials said representatives from non-governmental organisations required special permits to enter the country.

"As soon as I arrived at the airport, immigration officials learned that I was representing the PHR, they immediately pulled me aside," he said.

"They called the ministry of human rights and social development, who told those officials to turn me back and that I was not welcome."

Sollom said he was told by an immigration officer that "it doesn't matter if you have a visa. We are under orders to ensure that NGO representatives get special permission".

Speaking to the AFP, Sollom said he does not believe the situation at the airport to be a matter of miscommunication.

"Unfortunately, I believe the prime minister does not want human rights groups or international journalists to be covering these trials, and to bear witness to the human rights violations that are still occuring in Bahrain."

Source: Al Jazeera, January 9, 2012

Bahrain postpones protesters' death penalty appeal

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) – A civilian court in Bahrain on Monday postponed a highly anticipated ruling on the appeal of two protesters sentenced to death by a security court during a wave of anti-government protests earlier this year.

Meanwhile, another high-profile case resumed on Monday — the retrial of doctors and other medical professionals who treated protesters injured during the Shiite majority's campaign for greater rights in the Sunni-ruled Gulf kingdom.

The medics' trial has been closely watched by rights groups that have criticized Bahrain's prosecution of civilians by the special tribunal, which included military prosecutors and judges. The tribunal was set up under martial law-style rule that was lifted in June.

In the initial trial at the security court, more than a dozen health professionals were convicted and sentenced to prison terms of up to 15 years on charges of attempting to overthrow the monarchy.

Click here to read the full article

Source: USA Today, November 29, 2011

World Day against the Death Penalty: the President of the European Parliament

World Day against the Death Penalty

Brussels -

Monday 10/10/2011

World Day against the Death Penalty (Brussels ).

Marking today the World Day against the Death Penalty, the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek stated:

"The opposition to capital punishment underpins our European values.

Even the best justice system is subject to human errors, and these mistakes can only become evident with time and through judicial reviews.

But our opposition to capital punishment is even more fundamental: it is anchored in the belief that no justice is ever achieved when the state takes away the life of its own citizen. Whether we look at deterrence, punishment or redress, there is no justification for the death penalty. It is the ultimate cruel and inhumane punishment.

I remain extremely worried about the case of Yousef Nadarkhani in Iran who may still face the death penalty. Any punishment in his case would be unjustified.

I was greatly saddened by the case of Troy Davis in the US, which strongly symbolises all the reservations of the abolitionist movement worldwide. The EU and especially the European Parliament will always stay vigilant: from China to Iran, from Bahrain to Yemen, we will keep pressure on governments and raise awareness among civil society about the ills of capital punishment.

On this note, I would like to praise the government of Gabon, which abolished the death penalty in 2010. I reiterate our appeal to every country still applying the death penalty to abolish it or establish, pending its abolition, a moratorium on executions and death sentences."

Source: The President of the European Parliament, October 10, 2011

Bahrain jails medics, protester gets death penalty

DUBAI — A special court in Bahrain on Thursday sentenced a Shiite protester to death and another to life in jail after convicting them of killing a policeman, the BNA state news agency said.

The same court also sentenced 20 Shiite medics to between five and 15 years in prison for their roles in a month-long protest which the authorities quashed in mid-March.

The national safety court was set up under a three-month quasi-emergency law declared by King Hamad ahead of the mid-March crackdown on the protest led by the Shiite majority of the Sunni-ruled Gulf nation.

Ali Yusof al-Taweel was sentenced to death and Ali Mahdi to life in prison for running over policeman Ahmed al-Mreyssi in the Shiite area of Sitra south of Manama, during unrest that followed the quashing of the protest, BNA said, quoting military general prosecutor Yusof Flaifel.

Thirteen medics were sentenced to 15 years in jail, two others to 10 years and five to five years, including several women, he added.

The medics all worked at the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama, which was stormed by security forces after they drove protesters on March 16 out of the nearby Pearl Square -- the focal point of protests inspired by uprisings that have swept the Arab world.

The medics included 13 doctors, one dentist, nurses and paramedics.

BNA said the medics were tried for "forcefully occupying SMC... possessing unlicensed arms (one AK-47) and knives, incitement to overthrow the regime, seizing medical equipment, detaining policemen, and spreading false news."

They were also accused of "inciting hatred to the regime and insulting it, instigating hatred against another sect and obstructing the implementation of law, destroying public property and taking part in gatherings aimed at jeopardising the general security and committing crimes," BNA said.

"All these acts were done with a terrorist aim," it added.

A relative of one of the accused wrote in an emailed statement: "None of the accused medics attended today's hearing. Lawyers and some family members were present."

The 20 medics, many of whom had gone on hunger strike, were released on bail on September 8.

They were among a group of 47 medics rounded up in the wake of the heavy-handed crackdown on the protest, which also targeted Shiite villages across the Gulf archipelago.

Many medics claim to have been tortured in custody.

The national safety court has a mixed military and civil panel. But King Hamad last month promised that all Bahrainis in trials related to protests will see their verdicts issued by a civil court.

BNA said that those convicted on Thursday can appeal their verdicts in a civil court.

Authorities in the kingdom ruled by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty have said that 24 people were killed when the protests were put down, most of them demonstrators. The opposition puts the death toll at 30.

Source: AFP, Sept. 29, 2011

URGENT APPEAL for ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis and ‘Abdulaziz ‘Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain sentenced to death in Bahrain

Two men sentenced to death in Bahrain, ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis and ‘Abdulaziz ‘Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain, will now wait over three months before hearing whether they will be subjected to capital punishment.

If their death sentences are upheld and ratified, the two men will be executed.

The death sentences imposed on ‘Ali ‘Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis and ‘Abdulaziz ‘Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain were upheld by the National Safety Court of Appeal, a military court, on 22 May. The same court commuted the death sentences of Qassim Hassan Matar and Sa’eed ‘Abduljalil Sa’eed to life in prison, and upheld the life imprisonment sentence of the fifth defendant, ‘Issa ‘Abdullah Kadhem ‘Ali. The five men were sentenced on 28 April. They were accused of killing two policemen during anti-government protests in March in Bahrain.

The final decision from Bahrain’s Court of Cassation was scheduled for 13 June, but the Court has announced that that decision will now be made on 26 September 2011. If the sentences are upheld by the Court of Cassation, and then ratified by the King, the two men will be executed.

The two men were originally tried and sentenced by the National Safety Court of First Instance. Like the National Safety Court of Appeal, this is a military court comprising three judges - one military and two civilian. Amnesty International considers military courts inappropriate for trying civilians and that such trials directly infringe international standards of fair trial.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:

-- Acknowledging the Bahraini government’s responsibility to protect the public and bring to justice those

responsible for committing crimes, but insisting that this should always be done in accordance with

international law and Bahrain’s international human rights obligations;

-- Urging the King to immediately commute the death sentences imposed on the two men and order their re-trial before ordinary criminal courts.

APPEALS TO:

King

King Shaikh Hamad bin ‘Issa Al Khalifa

Office of His Majesty the King

P.O. Box 555

Rifa’a Palace, al-Manama,

BAHRAIN

Fax: 011 973 17664587

Salutation: Your Majesty

Prime Minister

Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa

Office of the Prime Minister

P.O. Box 1000, al-Manama,

BAHRAIN

Fax: 011 973 17533033

Salutation: Your Highness

Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs

Shaikh Khaled bin Ali al-Khalifa

Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs

P. O. Box 450, Manama

BAHRAIN

Fax: 011 973 17531284

Salutation: Your Excellency

COPIES TO:

Ambassador Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo

Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain

3502 International Drive. NW

Washington DC 20008

Phone: 202 342 1111

Fax: 1 202 362 2192

Email: ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.

Source: Amnesty International, June 16, 2011

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Bahrain court upholds death sentences

Special court upholds death sentences for 2 men convicted of killing policemen during anti-government demonstrations.

The death sentences are only the 3rd in more than 30 years issued against Bahraini citizens

A Bahrain emergency appeals court has upheld death sentences for 2 men found guilty of killing police officers during recent unrest in the island kingdom.

Human rights activists said that punishments given to Ali Abdullah Hassan al-Singace and Abdul Aziz Abdul Redha Ibrahim Hussein in Sunday's court rulings were designed to prevent more protests.

Qasim Hassan Mattar Ahmed and Saeed Abdul Jalil Saeed, 2 other men who were among the 4 initially sentenced to death on April 28, had their sentences reduced to life imprisonment, the Bahraini state news agency said.

The report did not say when the 2 executions would be carried out, but Mohammed Ahmed, a Manama-based legal expert, said they would first need to be approved by Bahrain's king.

The appeals, like the trial before it, were heard in a special security court presided over by civil and military judges. It was set up under emergency laws implemented in March during a government crackdown on the Shia-led protests.

Nabeel Rajab, head of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, questioned the ruling.

"This is a political case and it is aimed at stopping the protests," he said by telephone. "It is believed that they were targeted because of their (political) activities."

He said one of the two people sentenced to death had a full-length cast on his left leg when the killing took place.

"The man had a broken leg and was moving with crutches, how could he drive a car?" he added.

A hospital source said in March that at least two of four Bahraini policemen killed during the protests had been run over by cars.

The security court is separately trying 21 mostly Shia opposition leaders and political activists accused of plotting against the state. It last week sentenced a prominent Shia cleric and eight others to 20 years in prison for the alleged kidnapping of a police officer.

Charged with 'incitement'

One activist, who spoke to Al Jazeera's People & Power programme, has been charged by a military court with "incitement" to overthrow the government "using terrorist means".

The activist, who has asked not to be named, was informed of the charges at a military trial on May 17. He said he was informed via telephone a day earlier that he was to appear before the court, but had not been told why.

The activist was accused of participating in an illegal gathering at the GCC roundabout. He was told that 5 witnesses had testified against him.

He said that he was told to plead guilty to the 1st charge and not guilty to the 2nd. He refused, and pleaded not guilty to both. The process lasted about 5 minutes, he said.

The military court told him he would be called for sentencing on May 24, he told Al Jazeera. He added that he was having difficulty in finding a lawyer, as those he had spoken to were fearful of taking on such cases.

The activist had earlier been detained by Bahraini authorities on March 16, a week after he appeared on Al Jazeera's People & Power.

"Well, what will happen if this revolution doesn't work? I think we're going to be destroyed with all means. I think they're going to target, one-by-one ... whoever appeared on a camera.

"The thing is, we all, we stand brave enough to [tell] the whole world that we don't want this regime to be in power anymore," he had told Al Jazeera.

"So I think it's going to be really dangerous, and I believe it's all about win or die."

Bahrain, home of the US Fifth Fleet, faced a wave of Shia-led protests in February and March demanding democratic reform and an end to sectarian discrimination in the Sunni-ruled kingdom as some hardliners demanded a republic.

Bahrain's rulers imposed emergency law and called in troops from neighbouring Gulf countries in March to quash the protests.

At least 29 people, all but 6 of them Shia, have been killed since the protests started, inspired by Arab revolts that ousted the autocratic rulers of Egypt and Tunisia.

Hundreds of people, mainly Shia, have been arrested and dozens put on trial in Bahrain's crackdown on those who took part in protests. Others have been fired from government jobs. A state of emergency is due to be lifted on June 1.

Source: Al Jazeera, May 22, 2011

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Bahrain worshippers protest death sentences

Source: Al Jazeera

Thousands denounce death sentences for anti-government protesters, and solidarity protests in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

Thousands of Bahraini Shia Muslims have gathered before a revered cleric to denounce death sentences given to protesters over anti-government rallies crushed last month in the Gulf kingdom.

The verdict, handed down by a military court a day earlier to four men accused of killing two policemen in violent protests last month, could intensify sectarian tension in the Sunni Muslim-ruled state that hosts the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.

"It's not true that they killed them," a man who identified himself only as Moussa said, after praying at the mosque of Sheikh Issa Qassim, as a police helicopter circled overhead.

"The government made it up just like a movie."

He was referring to video footage that Bahraini authorities have circulated showing the two policemen smashed by a vehicle that sped through a crowd of protesters, some of whom appeared to then trample and kick the fallen men.

Police kept a tight grip on roads leading to the village where the mosque is located, turning back many vehicles.

The rulings were only the third time in over 30 years that a death sentence had been given to a Bahraini citizen.

The seven defendants were tried behind closed doors on charges of premeditated murder of government employees, charges which their lawyers denied.

They have further divided a country whose Shia majority says it faces systematic discrimination, but whose Sunni leaders claim Iran is trying to extend its regional influence by manipulating its co-religionists.

Opposition leaders argue the protests in February and March were about demanding more political freedoms and a constitutional monarchy, and that the government is trying to caste it in a sectarian light.

"The sentence was appropriate," Mohammad al-Ammadi, a Sunni lawmaker, citing what he saw as the extreme brutality of the killings. "This is the first time this happened in Bahrain."

In his sermon, the cleric Sheikh Issa Qassim alluded to the growing rift in the country.

"If you wish to be assailed with problems, to lose all comfort ... then allow the spirit of antagonism to take hold and spread in your country," he said.

"This is a fire which may seem manageable at first, but is ultimately beyond control ... and its consequences are always grave."

In the aftermath of the protests, hundreds of people have been detained, and at least three have died in custody. Human rights groups say hundreds of people have been sacked from public sector jobs and that Bahraini forces have seized patients and health workers from hospitals where protesters had been treated.

The latter assertion figured in a rare, mild rebuke of Bahrain from the United States on the heels of the court ruling, which included life sentences for three other men.

"Security measures will not resolve the challenges faced by Bahrain," Heide Bronke-Fulton, a spokesperson for the US state department, said via email.

"We are also extremely troubled by reports of ongoing human rights abuses and violations of medical neutrality in Bahrain. These actions only exacerbate frictions in Bahraini society."

Germany urged Bahrain on Friday to rescind the death sentences.

"This draconian punishment impedes the process of rapprochement and reconciliation in Bahrain," Andreas Peschke, a spokesperson for the German foreign ministers, said on Friday.

Solidarity protests

More than 200 Shia Muslims protested in Saudi Arabia's oil-producing east on Friday in solidarity with fellow believers in nearby Bahrain, who are facing a rolling crackdown, two activists said.

The gatherings in the towns of Awwamiyah and Qatif on Friday defied a call by leading Shia clerics last week for an end to rallies in the conservative Gulf kingdom's Eastern Province, in an apparent bow to government pressure.

Shia activists in the area have held weekly protests over the past two months without major clashes with police.

"There was a protest of over 200 people in Awwamiyah, with the same demands as previous weeks. Police were present but far from the protesters," one activist in Awwamiya told the Reuters news agency by telephone.

The Sunni Muslim monarchy of Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and a major US ally, does not tolerate any form of public dissent.

Saudi protesters have called for solidarity with Shia in the nearby Gulf island kingdom of Bahrain, where a fierce crackdown has continued since anti-government rallies, led mostly by Shia, were crushed there in March.

Bahrain's uprising unnerved Saudi Arabia, which is connected to the Gulf island kingdom by a causeway. Saudi authorities sent in troops after Bahrain's rulers called on Gulf neighbours to support its crackdown.

In the Pakistani city of Lahore, Shia Muslims held a protest on Friday against the death sentence ruling in Bahrain, carrying symbolic coffins in a show of support.

Bahrain’s prime minister ordered the head of the country's civil service and other senior officials to review procedures for firing state employees, the state news agency said a week ago.

Related article: "Four protesters sentenced to death in Bahrain", April 28, 2011

Source: Al Jazeera, April 29, 2011

URGENT APPEAL for Ali Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis, Qassim Hassan Matar, Saeed Abduljalil Saeed, Adbulaziz Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain at imminent risk of execution in Bahrein

Four men accused of killing two policemen during anti-government protests last month have been sentenced to death in Bahrain. They may be at imminent risk of execution.

Ali Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis, Qassim Hassan Matar, Saeed Abduljalil Saeed and Adbulaziz Abdulridha IbrahimHussain were sentenced to death on 28 April by a military court although they are believed to be civilians,their trial was conducted behind closed doors. The prosecution accused them of the premeditated murder of two police officers during anti-government protests in March by deliberately running them down with a vehicle. They and three other defendants tried with them - Issa Abdullah Kadhim Ali, Sadeq Ali Mahdi and Hussein Jaafar Abdulkarim – who were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, all reportedly deny the charge.

The seven defendants are believed to have been tried by a special court, the National Safety Court of First Instance, which was established under the State of National Safety (SNS), a national state of emergency declared by the King of Bahrain on 15 March. The provisions of the SNS are broadly drawn and vague, and it contains no explicit human rights guarantees. The SNS also established the National Safety Court of First Instance to try people accused of crimes committed under the state of emergency, and a National Safety Appeal Court to hear appeals from this special court. The SNS stipulates that Bahrain’s ordinary courts may not hear appeals from these special courts, whose verdicts are final.

It is expected but not yet confirmed that the seven defendants will lodge appeals. If this does occur, the appeals may be held very quickly and the four prisoners under sentence of death may be at imminent risk of execution. The seven are believed to have been held incommunicado for some time following their arrests which are believed to have taken place on or after 16 March, and they may have been subjected to torture or other ill-treatment.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
--Expressing grave concern at the imposition of death sentences on Ali Abdullah Hassan al-Sankis, Qassim Hassan Matar, Saeed Abduljalil Saeed and Adbulaziz Abdulridha Ibrahim Hussain after a military court trial behind closed doors.
--Acknowledging the Bahraini government’s responsibility to protect the public and bring to justice those responsible for committing crimes, but insisting that this should always be done in accordance with international law and Bahrain’s international human rights obligations;
--Urging His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa to commute the death sentences imposed today and those of all others facing possible execution in Bahrain if they are confirmed by appeal courts
--Urging His Majesty to establish a full, thorough and independent inquiry into all alleged abuses of human rights committed during the recent protests, including allegations of unlawful killings by the security forces, with a view to ensuring that those responsible for serious abuses are brought to justice through fair trials and without recourse to the death penalty.


APPEALS TO:

King
King Shaikh Hamad bin ‘Issa Al Khalifa
Office of His Majesty the King
P.O. Box 555
Rifa’a Palace, al-Manama,
BAHRAIN
Fax: 011 973 17664587
Salutation: Your Majesty

COPIES TO:

Prime Minister
Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
Office of the Prime Minister
P.O. Box 1000, al-Manama,
BAHRAIN
Fax: 011 973 17533033
Salutation: Your Highness

Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs
Shaikh Khaled bin Ali al-Khalifa
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs
P. O. Box 450, Manama
BAHRAIN
Fax: 011 973 17531284
Salutation: Your Excellency

Ambassador Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo
Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain
3502 International Drive. NW
Washington DC 20008
Phone: 202 342 1111
Fax: 1 202 362 2192
Email: ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.

Source: Amnesty International


May 2, 2011 Update

Set Aside Martial Law Death Sentences -- 4 Civilians Condemned to Death, 3 to Life in Prison in Unfair Military Trial

Bahraini authorities should set aside a military court ruling on April 28, 2011, sentencing 4 defendants to death and 3 others to life in prison for their alleged involvement in the murder of 2 police officers, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch understands that the 7 defendants, ages 19 to 24, whose trial and sentencing lasted less than 2 weeks, are the 1st civilians to be convicted in special military courts set up after King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa declared martial law on March 15.

Authorities accused them of running over 2 police officers on March 16, 2011, when security forces attacked protesters occupying the Pearl Roundabout in central Manama.

"By establishing these special courts, the government of Bahrain is making it near impossible for defendants to enjoy the rights to which they are entitled," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "The role of the military prosecutor, the makeup of the special court, and the meager access to legal representation undermine the most basic due process protections."

One defense lawyer who had initially acted in the case was arrested just before midnight on April 15 and lack of information about his whereabouts and well-being gives rise to concern that he may have been forcibly disappeared. Other defense lawyers were called in for questioning in recent days.

Authorities charged the defendants with premeditated murder under Bahrain's 1976 Penal Code and the 2006 counterterrorism law, which mandates the death penalty for certain crimes, including murder, when designated a terrorist crime. The trial began in the special military court, which the government calls the National Safety Lower Court, on April 17 after at least three pretrial sessions in early April. All the defendants pleaded not guilty to charges of premeditated murder. The rulings came four days after Bahrain's military public prosecutor, Col. Yusif Rashid Feleyfel, announced that the government was seeking the death penalty and defense lawyers presented their final pleadings.

Bahrain's Information Affairs Authority announced the death sentences on April 28 for Ali Abdullah Hassan al-Singace, 19; Qasim Hasan Matar Ahmad, 20; Saeed Abd al-Jalil Saeed, 19; and Abd al-Aziz Abd al-Ridha Ibrahim Husain, 24, "for their role in the deaths of policemen Kashef Ahmed Madhoor and Mohammed Farooq Abdulsamad."

The court sentenced Isa Abdullah Kadhim Ali, Sayyed Sadiq Ali Mahdi, and Husain Jafar Abd al-Karim, all age 19, to life in prison. A defense lawyer who represents one of the defendants told Human Rights Watch that during the trial lawyers were able to meet with their clients only twice - for 30 minutes before the trial began and once again before the final hearing. Unlike regular criminal court proceedings, the lawyer said, a military prosecutor presented the state's case, and a military judge, accompanied by two civilian judges, presided.

The official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said that family members and others were allowed to attend the trial, although it was not open to the public. Under an April 8 National Safety Court of Appeal decision, media may not publish information about cases pending before the national safety courts to "ensure safety of evidence and guarantee the right of witnesses for legal protection."

A lawyer representing one of the seven men told Human Rights Watch that the defendants may appeal their convictions and sentences to a National Safety Court of Appeals. Those decisions are final and not subject to further appeal. In civilian trials, defendants can appeal criminal sentences to the Higher Court of Appeals, and the Court of Cessation must review all death sentences. On April 28 the BNA acknowledged that Bahrain has observed a "de facto moratorium on capital punishment" but "retained the right to apply the punishment for the most serious of crimes."

Bahrain is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which includes guarantees for a fair trial. Although neither international law nor the covenant prohibit the establishment of special courts, the UN Human Rights Committee has explicitly confirmed that the trial of civilians by such courts can only be very exceptional and take place under conditions which genuinely afford the full guarantees of a fair trial. These include the right to presumption of innocence and against self-incrimination; the right to be tried before an independent tribunal; the right to a lawyer of the defendants own choice and to have adequate time and facilities for the preparation of a defense including the right to adequate communication with a lawyer and right to call and examine witnesses.

Human Rights Watch opposes the creation and use of special courts to try national security crimes, as it believes that ordinary courts are capable of effectively prosecuting serious crime including terrorist offences. Human Rights Watch also opposes capital punishment in all circumstances because of its irreversible, cruel, and inhumane nature.

"Even during a state of emergency, fundamental rights such as the right to life and the right to a fair trial must always be respected," Stork said. "And any restrictions during a genuine emergency must be strictly limited and justified by the exigencies of the actual situation. Bahrain's obligations as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights remain fully in force."

As of April 27, according to the head of the Information Affairs Authority, Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, authorities had referred 405 detainees to the special military court and released 312. Human Rights Watch is aware of at least 4 other defendants currently on trial for attempted murder and other crimes before the National Safety Lower Court. On April 20, authorities announced the arrest of a suspect identified as A.Y.A., a 21-year-old male, who allegedly ran down a third police officer, Ahmed al-Muraisi, with a car on March 15, killing him.

One defense lawyer initially involved in the April 28 case, Mohammed al-Tajer, was arrested shortly before midnight at his home on April 15 and has not been heard from since. His wife and colleague lawyers told Human Rights Watch that authorities have not provided any information as to his whereabouts or his well-being, giving rise to concern that he may have been forcibly disappeared. Human Rights Watch has also received reliable information that over the past week Interior Ministry officials summoned 4 defense lawyers, including at least three involved in this case, and that each was questioned by the military prosecutor for between 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 hours.

Human Rights Watch is concerned that al-Tajer's arrest and the questioning of the other lawyers is a tactic by the government to intimidate and silence defense lawyers. Under the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, states are required to guarantee that lawyers are able to perform all of their professional functions without intimidation, hindrance, harassment, or improper interference, and that their security is not threatened as a result of discharging their functions.

Despite the defendants' "not guilty" pleas, Bahrain TV aired a program on April 28, following the announcement of the sentences, in which several of the defendants appeared to describe in detail their plans to kill police officers. Human Rights Watch has reviewed the 24-minute program and believes that one of those shown on the broadcast was Ali Isa Ibrahim Saqer, 34, who died in custody under suspicious circumstances. He had gone to the police station after police officers came to his home looking for him in connection with the death of a police officer who had allegedly been run over by protesters.

Human Rights Watch viewed Saqer's remains during the ritual body washing before he was buried in his home village of Sehla on April 10. His body showed signs of severe physical abuse. Authorities maintained that Saqer had "created chaos" while in detention, "which led security forces to bring the situation under control," resulting in his death. Saqer's case was 1 of 4 documented by Human Rights Watch in April in which an individual died under suspicious circumstances while in police custody.

"By videotaping the alleged confessions of these defendants and shamelessly airing them on the day the sentences are handed down, Bahrain is taking a page right out of the propaganda playbook of notorious human rights abusers like Iran," Stork said. "It appears they included the televised confession of a detainee who to all appearances had been tortured to death."

Human Rights Watch called on the Bahraini authorities to immediately release information on the whereabouts and safety of Mohammed al-Tajer as well as hundreds of other detainees who have not been permitted contact with families or lawyers. The authorities should either release them or charge them now with a recognizable offense. In any event, they should have immediate access to lawyers, doctors, and families.

Source: Human Rights Watch, May 2, 2011
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Four Bahrain protesters sentenced to death

The now-bulldozed Pearl Roundabout

A court in Bahrain has convicted four demonstrators and sentenced them to death over the killing of two police officers during pro-democracy protests.

Three others were sentenced to life in prison by the military court.

Bahraini authorities have responded harshly to protests which began in February, following uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Hundreds of people have been detained for taking part in protests, many unable to communicate with family.

The seven defendants were tried behind closed doors on charges of premeditated murder of government employees - allegedly running two police officers over in a car.

Rights groups say they were denied communication with family or friends and had little access to legal counsel.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges, reports said.

Crackdown

The trial was the first publicly announced since the Gulf state was put under martial law in mid-March.

That followed more than a month of protests, during which demonstrators had occupied the now-bulldozed Pearl Roundabout in the capital Manama.

At least 30 people have been killed since the protests erupted, with four protesters believed to have died in police custody.

Bahrain blames Iran for fomenting the protests, but analysts point to long-simmering tensions between the ruling Sunni minority and Shia majority.

Source: BBC, April 28, 2011

Bahrain sentences protesters to death

A Bahraini military court has sentenced four Shia protesters to death and three to life jail terms for the killing of two policemen during demonstrations last month, state media has reported.

Thursday's verdicts are the first related to the uprising against the Gulf kingdom's ruling family, which begain in February.

The seven defendants were tried behind closed doors on charges of premeditated murder of government employees, which their lawyers have denied.

A Shia opposition official named those sentenced to death as Ali Abdullah Hasan, Qasim Hassan Mattar, Saeed Abdul Jalil Saeed, and Abdul Aziz Abdullah Ibrahim.

He told the AFP news agency that Issa Abdullah Kazem, Sadiq Ali Mahdi, and Hussein Jaafar Abdul Karim were sentenced to life in prison.

Sheikh Ali Salman, president of Bahrain's Al Wefaq, the largest Shia political group in the country, told Al Jazeera that the punishments did not fit the crime.

"I believe that these sentences should be revised and the international community must intervene to stop this," he said.

He added that the proceedings were "unprecedented" and that question marks remain over the conditions the detainees are living in.

Government officials have said that a total of four policemen were killed during the unrest that gripped the country in February and March, at least three of whom were run over by cars around March 16.

Hundreds of thousands of Bahrain's Shia-led opposition have called for greater rights and freedoms in the Sunni monarchy.

Authorities have detained hundreds since martial law was declared last month to quell dissent.

Source: Al Jazeera, April 28, 2011
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Bahrain seeks death sentence for protesters on trial

(Reuters) - Bahrain is seeking death penalty for a group of protesters accused of killing two policemen during anti-government demonstrations in the Gulf island kingdom, state media reported on Monday.

The government has stamped the demonstrations in a security crackdown since February when mainly Shi'ite protesters took to the streets demanding more say in the Sunni-ruled country's affairs.

Security forces have arrested hundreds of people since then and a number of them died while in official custody. Hundreds of mostly Shi'ite workers have been sacked from government jobs and state-linked companies, rights and opposition groups say.

On Sunday, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) said the military prosecutor would seek the death sentence for seven men accused of killing the policemen at the Lower National Safety Court.

It quoted the prosecutor as saying the men had "committed their crime for terrorist reasons." It gave no other details of the incident.

BNA added the defendants pleaded not guilty and that the case would be heard again on April 28.

At least 13 protesters and four police were killed during the clashes.

A hospital source told Reuters last month that at least two of the four policemen killed had been run over by cars on March 16. The government says it has only targeted those who committed crimes during the protests.

The state banned protests when it imposed martial law in March and invited troops from Sunni-led Gulf neighbors to help quash the unrest.

The state news agency said three more men also were charged with attempting to kill policemen in separate court cases.

Source: Reuters, April 25, 2011

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URGENT APPEAL for Russell Mezan, a Bangladeshi national sentenced to death for murdering a Kuwaiti man

On 24 October, the Supreme Appeal Court of Bahrain upheld the death sentence of Russell Mezan, a Bangladeshi man sentenced to death after being convicted of murdering a Kuwaiti man.

Russell Mezan was sentenced to death on 23 March 2010 by the High Criminal Court of Bahrain. He was convicted of the premeditated murder of a Kuwaiti man in a hotel in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, on 7 March 2009. Russell Mezan’s lawyer lodged an appeal against the sentence on the same day it was issued, as Russell Mezan said that he and the Kuwaiti man were drunk on the night of the murder and that he did not intend to kill him.

The case was heard before the Supreme Appeal Court of Bahrain on 24 October and the death sentence was upheld. Amnesty International delegates visiting Bahrain met Russell Mezan’s lawyer on 25 October, who confirmed that he will appeal to the Court of Cassation within 45 days. If the appeal fails, the death sentence will then pass to the King for final ratification within two or three months. If the death sentence is ratified by the King, Russell Mezan will face execution, probably by firing squad. In July 2010 another Bangladeshi national, Jassim Abdulmanan, was executed after his death sentence was upheld in April 2009.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:

- Calling for His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa not to ratify the death sentence of Russell Mezan;

- Acknowledging that the government has the right and responsibility to bring to justice those responsible for criminal offences, but expressing unconditional opposition to the death penalty as it is the ultimate cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment.

- Urging the King to commute the sentences of all those facing possible execution in Bahrain.

APPEALS TO:

The King

His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa

King of Bahrain

Office of His Majesty the King

P. O. Box 555

Rifa’a Palace,

KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Fax: 011 973 176 64 587

Salutation: Your Majesty

COPIES TO:

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the Kingdom of Bahrain

His Excellency Md. Ali Akbar

House 674; Road 3213; Area 332;

Al Mahooz, Manama,

KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Tel: 011 973 17741976

Fax: 011 973 177 41 927 OR 011 973 178 22 532

Salutation: His Excellency

Minister of Justice

His Excellency

Shaikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdullah Al Khalifa

Ministry of Justice and Social Affairs

P.O. Box 13

Al-Manama

KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Salutation: His Excellency

Ambassador Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo

Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain

3502 International Dr. NW

Washington DC 20008

Fax: 1 202 362 2192

Email: ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.

Source: Amnesty International, October 26, 2010

Death penalty is not the norm in the Middle East

Executions in the US, Iran and China were the main focus of demonstrations on Sunday to mark the World Day Against the Death Penalty.

While today 139 countries have abolished capital punishment in law or practice, a handful of countries account for a majority of the world's executions.

Many of the countries that still retain the death penalty are in the Middle East. Besides Iran, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen and the Palestinian territories have all executed people this year – and not always for murder. Several of them, but most notably Iran and Saudi Arabia, apply the death penalty for a range of offences such as drug trafficking and sexual misconduct plus, sometimes, religious "crimes" such as apostasy and witchcraft.

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Source: The Guardian, October 12, 2010

Bahrain: Bangladeshi national Jassim Abdulmanan executed on 8 July 2010

Jassim Abdulmanan, a Bangladeshi national sentenced to death in Bahrain in 2007 for murder, was executed on 8 July 2010.

Jassim Abdulmanan was sentenced to death by the High Criminal Court on 17 January 2007, after he had been found guilty of the premeditated murder on 23 October 2005 of Ridar Mian, another Bangladeshi man. Two other Bangladeshi nationals were sentenced to life imprisonment in the same case. The three men lodged an appeal and on 6 April 2009, the Supreme Appeal Court reduced the two life sentences to 15 years' imprisonment, but upheld the death sentence for Jassim Abdulmanan.

On 18 November 2009, Amnesty International launched an Urgent Action calling for Shaikh Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain, not to ratify the death sentence of Jassim Abdulmanan.

The Gulf Daily News has today reported the execution on 8 July 2010 of Jassim Abdulmanan.

Source: Amnesty International, July 9, 2010

Bahrain Has Resumed Using Death Penalty After Decades Without It

"In law and practice, a growing majority of countries have rejected capital punishment, even for the most serious offenses...For a long time, Bahrain appeared to be part of this consensus, but this sentence, following the executions in 2006, calls that into question."

Bahrain's king, Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa al-Khalifa, should halt plans to execute a man for a 2005 killing, Human Rights Watch said today. For many years, Bahrain observed a de facto moratorium on the death penalty. However, with three executions in 2006 and the pending sentence for Jassim Abdulmanan, Bahrain appears to be moving against the international trend away from capital punishment.

In January 2007, Bahrain's High Criminal Court sentenced Abdulmanan, a citizen of Bangladesh, to death by firing squad for the 2005 murder. The sentence was upheld on 3 appeals, including a final ruling on November by the Court of Cassation. The only hope of overturning the sentence lies with Shaikh Hamad, who must ratify all execution orders. Should Shaikh Hamad approve Abdulmanan's sentence, he could face execution within a week, according to Bahraini human rights activists.

"In law and practice, a growing majority of countries have rejected capital punishment, even for the most serious offenses," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "For a long time, Bahrain appeared to be part of this consensus, but this sentence, following the executions in 2006, calls that into question."

Two other Bangladeshi men were convicted of taking part in the same murder but received life sentences that the Supreme Appeals Court later reduced to 15-year prison terms.

From 1977 to 2006, Bahrain had not executed anyone, except for a single execution in 1996, a time of great political turmoil. But in December 2006, the government executed 3 other foreign citizens -- a Bangladeshi man and woman, and a Pakistani man convicted in 2 separate murder cases. According to the Rome based organization Hands Off Cain, which monitors death penalty cases globally, three inmates are on death row in Bahrain.

Internationally, 94 countries have abolished the death penalty in law and only a small number of countries - 25 in 2008 - continue to carry out executions.

Human Rights Watch opposes the death penalty in all cases as a violation of the right to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment.

"With his authority to reject this death sentence, Shaikh Hamad has an opportunity to show the Arab region and the world that Bahrain respects fundamental rights and human dignity," Stork said. "If Bahrain executes Abdulmanan, it will be a setback to efforts to bring Arab countries and Iran into the ranks of the many states that no longer tolerate capital punishment."

Source: Human Rights Watch, December 10, 2009

BAHRAIN. BANGLADESHI EXECUTED FOR MURDER

June 4, 2008: a Bangladeshi murderer was executed by firing squad in Bahrain early in the morning, the Public Prosecution announced in a statement. Mizan Noor Al Rahman Ayoub Mia was convicted of the brutal slaying of Bahraini fashion designer Sana Al Jalahma in August 2006. He was shot at 5am in the presence of the judge who sentenced him to death, Chief Public Prosecutor Ahmed Bucheeri and a prison doctor in the Safra area.

Source: Gulf Daily News, 05/06/2008