Non-Stop Violations of the Convention of the Right of the Child in Bahrain

Bahraini government has arrested and ill-treated many children since the start of Arab Spring. Shia Rights Watch included detailed report about the situation of children in this country in its 2012 Bahrain Report. Now after months the violations continue and no human rights or child’s rights organizations could help the arrested children. The media has stopped covering the situation and the Bahraini authorities are taking advantage of the world’s silence.

Many minors and children are spending their valuable time in jails instead of schools. Hussain Ali Al Saqqai, a 13 years old boy, Mohammed Abdulghani Al Shawaikh a 13 years old boy and Hussain Abduljalil Alhawaj a15 years old boy are children who have been arrested from Manama following clashes between protesters and police on December 7^th/2012. Al Saqqai and Al Shawaikh are in Juvenile prison in Isa Town while Alhawaj was detained for fifteen days at the Dry Dock prison with adults.

Other examples are Ebrahim Al Muqdad, a 15 years old boy, and Jehad Sadeq, a 16 years old boy. They were arrested on 23 July, 2012. The two young boys were subjected to ill treatment. They have been in detention for more than four months to this day. Their last court hearing was yet again postponed to December 25 because of the absence of the Ministry of Interior’s witnesses. The two boys are detained in an adult prison while being tried under Bahrain’s terrorism law.

Qasim Juma Al Kuwait, a 15 years old boy is another example of child’s rights violation. He was arrested on 12 December 2012, during a house raid. He is currently held in Dry Dock prison

S.R.W believes Bahraini government has gone too far in violating rights of human and specially children and minors. S.R.W urges U.S government and all human rights organizations to take action and ask Bahraini authorities to free all children and stop violating their rights. It is any human’s right to participate in peaceful protest and express their opinion. Bahraini government will only increase the un-satisfaction among its citizen by arresting innocent children.

Discrimination to the Right to Education for Shia Students in Pakistan

As anti- Shi’ism spreads across the globe, discrimination against Shia have reached the educational setting. The Karakoram International University has expelled 16 Shia students for a period of three years and dismissed one Shia student for life. The students are accused of participating in “illegal activities” which in this case is organizing Youm-e-Hussain Shia gathering program. The expulsion of the Shia Students resulted in sit-in outside the Gilgit-Baltistan assembly.

Rival wahabi sect tried to create disturbance all day long, turned the demonstration into fight which resulted in the death of two people, as JNN reports.

KIU announced its closure for two days. “The decision has been taken in the wake of violence in the city a day earlier,” said a statement issued from the university.

Gilgit has a bloody history of sectarianism. Shia have always been victims of violence and human rights violations in this area. Government forces have failed to protect Shia and spread peace.

S.R.W condemns the escalated violations toward Shia and believes education is one of the basic human rights. No one should be able to take away this right from any minority group.

Violations Continue in the “Bahrain’s Martyrs Day”

December 17th has been marked, by the Bahraini people, as “Bahrain’s Martyrs Day” following the extra-judicial killing of two Bahrainis during the 1990’s uprising. Bahrainis use this day to show their support for freedom and democracy.

Authorities increased checkpoints and expanded patrols across Manama before demonstrations to mark an annual commemoration of “Bahrain’s Martyrs Day” on December 17^th. They also sealed off most of the main streets leading to the capital Manama to prevent the Shia Muslim from protesting. Despite the opposition of the government, hundreds of people joined the protest.

Authorities fired tear gas, used stun grenades and arrested protestors in attempt to break up the protest. The Interior Ministry said it made a “number” of arrests. Among the arrests was Shia Muslim rights activist Yousef al-Muhafedha and the arbitrary arrest of Haji Majeed.

According to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights as many as 27 peaceful protestors were arrested, three of which were women.

The complete lists of their names are:

Women:
1. Khadija Al-Ghanami – Dair
2. Fatima Al-Ghanami – Dair
3. Mona Abduljalil – Sanabis

Men:

1. Hassan Ali Abd-Ethnashari – Duraz
2. Mohammed Jawad Abdulkarim – Duraz
3. Yasser Abdulhussain Al-Haddad – Duraz
4. Ahmed Al-Omran – Al-Hoora
5. Yaser Al-Haddad – Al-Hoora
6. Adel Salem – Al-Hoora (released)
7. Jabir Al-Haddad – Al-Hoora (released)
8. Said Yousif Al-Muhafdha – Manama
9. Hussain Al-Kkhoor – Manama
10. Reyadh – Manama
11. Haj Majeed – Dimistan/Ras Ruman
12. Abu Jameel – Al-Qadam
13. Hassan Jaber – Dimistan

14. Hussain Abbas – Al-Musallah
15. Abdulzahra Mohammad – Aali
16. Elyas Hussain – Manama

17. Fayadh Mohammed Jaffar – Barbar
18. Hussain Ahmed – Barbar
19. Mohammed Redha Juma – Muhazza
20. Ali Redha Juma – Muhazza
21. Ali Abdulemam Fakhar – Daih
22. Sayd Haidar Ali Al-Ghuraifi – Nuaim
23. Yaser Al-Shuaikh
24. Khalid Sultan Al-Mutawa – 28 years –

Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa gave a speech on December 16th stating that: “Bahrain is a country of Law and Freedom,” yet violence and human rights violations continue in this country and the government is the only violator, as protestors carry no weapon and have been protesting peacefully. S.R.W condemns the anti-Shia act of Bahraini authorities and asks them to immediately free all innocent prisoners and stop fighting pro-democracy protestors. The government must start a dialogue with its people and put an end to human rights violations immedietely.

Targeted Shia killings Take More Lives

Extremists open fire on the car of the custodian of a Shia Mosque in Karachi.

In another Shia targeted killing, Syed Bahawal Shah and his nephew Syed Baqar Shah were gunned down while seated in their car in Pakistan.

Shia targeted killings in Pakistan have increased: may Shia have lost their lives, and the rest are concerned about the security of their family members in society. However authorities have failed to protect the security of Shia Muslims in this country.

S.R.W condemns the violence against Shia Muslims and asks the Pakistani authorities to take immediate action and protect all Shia from targeted killings.

Burning of Shia Mosque by Anti Shia errorist in Syria

Shia Rights Watch condemns the diminishing and burning of a Shia Mosque in Zarzor village in Syria.

Zarzor is a Shia populated village in Syria and the mosque seems to be the only place of worship for the residents of the area. The mosque was surrounded and harnessed by anti-Shia forces and destroyed.

Unfortunately Shia rights violations elevated in Syria and extremists are taking advantage of the conflict in this country to kill Shia and destroy their holy places such as mosques and Islamic centers. Recently anti-Shia groups also threatened that they would destroy the Lady Zainab’s holy Shrine is Zeinabia village near Damascus.

S.R.W asks all human rights organizations and activist to step up and defend the Shia and their places of worship in Syria. No member of any religion should face discrimination and all should be free to practice their rights.

The following Video shows how anti-Shia groups proudly surround the mosque in Zarzor.

Note: the video is in Arabic

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Shia Rights Watch Condemns Kuwaiti Court Crimination of Al Shatti

Shia Rights Watch expresses deep regret for the one-year prison verdict against Kuwaiti Lawyer Khalid al Shatti for allegedly insulting Sunni clerics, although he had been previously found innocent.

The verdict, which was contradictory to two earlier rulings and came as Al Shatti was up for election to parliament, is extremely suspicious. The verdict does not take into accountç local laws or the constitution both of which grant broad freedom of expression.

This sentence, handed down in contradiction to two earlier rulings and inconsistent with Kuwaiti law, is possibly a result of pressure from extremist Salafi groups. These groups are trying to block freedom of expression in contravention of local laws and destroy national unity through divisive religious politics.

SRW also stresses that the message being sent by Kuwait, through imprisoning an extremely prominent human rights lawyer and activist in Khalid al Shatti, is a move toward ending freedom of expression and democracy in Kuwait. Moreover it is an obvious defect in the country’s juridical regime. Most importantly, it a erodes confidence in the judiciary by demonstrating that the justice meted out by the state is different depending on whether you are Shia or Sunni.

Another Case of Shia Rights Violations in Bahrain

Aqeel Abdulmuhsen, a 19 years old was shot in the face and arm by Bahraini forces on December 4th, 2012.

The Ministry of Interior admitted that the shooting was part of the arrest attempt. Aqeel and his friend were sitting in his car when security forces opened fire upon them from a very close distance. Aqeel Abdulmuhsen was immediately arrested as he was bleeding and was taken to the Salmaniya hospital. Aqeel’s jaw was broken from the force of the direct shotgun wound he received to his mouth. His left arm was also broken from the force of another direct shot. There were two other penetrating wounds, one on his neck and the other on his abdomen which could be caused either by live ammunition or birdshot fired from very close range.

So far no one is allowed to visit Aqeel, and security forces also asked representatives of BCHR to get visitor pass from police station to visit him in the hospital.

SRW condemns the use of violence by Bahraini government in order to stop the protests in this country. As SRW has always advocated, violence has never been a right tool to stop unrests, but observation of human rights is the key to peace.

SRW asks Bahraini authorities to learn from the past and change their attitude toward peaceful protestors immediately.

Shia Activist Zeinab Alkhawaja Detained

Zainab Alkhawaja, member of the BCHR was arrested and sentenced to one month in prison on December 10th, 2012 for entering into the Pearl Square. The BCHR emphasizes that there was no official law stating the prohibition.

The arrest followed Zainab’s protest in front of the hospital in which Aqeel Abdulmuhsen, a 19 years old, was detained. Ageel was shot in the jaw and arm on December 4^th and no one was allowed to visit him. She was subsequently arrested from the hospital. Aqeel’s family members were allowed to see him briefly after the protest of Zainab Alkhawaja.

SRW blames the authorities for all the human rights violations in the Bahrain and appreciates the humanitarian acts of the Zainab and BCHR.

Iraqi Shia Muslim Major Victims of Terrorism in the World

An international study showed that Iraqi Shia represent more than a third of the victims of terrorism in the world between 2002 and 2011.

The study on global terrorism issued by the Institude for Economic and Peace, showed that Iraq has seen the bulk of the terrorist attacks between 2002 and 2011, pointing out that the pace of terrorist attacks declined after a steady rise in the rates between 2002 and 2007 .

The index also pointed out that the greatest increase in the frequency of attacks occured between 2005 and 2007 because of events in Iraq.

The index, which compared 158 countries over the past ten years, highlights the outcome of terrorist operations in the world.

The rate of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan of terrorist attacks between 2002 and 2009 accounted for 12, 11 and 10 percent respectively, according to the study.

Shia Rights Watch Condemns the Killings and Torturing Against Shia Muslims in Indonesia

Shia Rights Watch condemns the terrorist crimes of killings and torturing against Shia Muslim citizens in Indonesia and calls the authorities to bear complete responsibilities in protecting their citizens.

Sources from the field in Eastern Jawa area in Indonesia have reported that some armed terrorist groups attacked Shia villages, killed citizens and burned their houses to impose displacement according to agenda set by an Arabian embassy operating in the country.

While the displaced and fugitive families were taking shelter in sport clubs, the armed groups besieged them. The sources add.

Moreover, more than 60 Shia Muslim families are still in danger.

Shia Rights Watch calls to provide immediate relief for the injured people and lift the siege. The organization also calls the local authority to end its role as passive observer and to punish those extremist groups and suit legal cases against those involved the crimes.

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