Peaceful Assembly
On 22nd December 2023, Human Rights Watch reported that Bahraini authorities had arrested and harassed scores of participants in pro-Palestine protests across the country since October 2023. Those targeted include children and people who engaged in online pro-Palestine advocacy and protested against the grave human rights violations perpetrated by Israel in Gaza.
Bahraini authorities were reported by Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) to have arrested at least 57 people, including at least 25 children, in relation to the protests.
On 6th December 2023, Human Rights Watch reported that a Bahraini court had sentenced 13 people to prison after an unfair mass trial marred with due process violations and torture allegations. The appellate court was scheduled to hear an appeal on 10th December 2023, during which it was urged to investigate the defendants’ allegations of torture, which the lower court did not properly investigate.
In the mass trial of 65 defendants, Bahrain’s First Criminal Court found 13 defendants guilty on 26th September 2023, on charges of using force against prison guards and vandalising prison property, following a peaceful demonstration organised by inmates in Jau prison in April 2021. The other 52 defendants were acquitted. In addition to significant due process violations, including the denial of the prisoners’ rights to attend their own hearing, the court did not properly investigate the defendants’ claims of torture and excessive use of force by prison guards.
Association
Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, the prominent Danish-Bahraini human rights defender who is serving a life sentence in retaliation against his peaceful human rights activities, was recently denied the right to attend his brother’s funeral and grieve with his family. According to his daughter, Maryam Al-Khawaja, he was not informed by prison officials of his brother’s death and discovered the sad news from another prison.