On Bahrain and The Hague

I’ve only spent the last 24 hours with this group of 5 Bahrainis but it already feels like I’ve known them for weeks.

I decided to join this trip to The Hague because I, like many others, have been outraged at the treatment of the Bahraini people by the ruling Al Khalifa family. My anger also extended to the media outlets that refused to extensively cover the recent Bahrain protests, whilst championing other Arab revolutions. So I believed I could offer a small amount of assistance in organising media coverage of this attempt to bring the Al Khalifas to justice for war crimes.

So I knew the situation in Bahrain was a bad one. But nothing could prepare me for the experience of actually spending time with those who have suffered most.

This morning at breakfast one Bahraini was complaining his back was aching. “Did you sleep funny?” I asked. His response was chilling. “No I always get this pain since August when I was tortured for 40 days”.

What can be said to such a statement? But of course the scars of such brutality are not just physical but mental as well. And it is those scars that out last any marks on the body, in many cases they never go away.

Yesterday one Bahraini told me about how we was sexually abused by Bahraini police for simply organising a demonstration in support of the unemployed. Again, how do you respond to that? You can’t say anything. You just look away and say nothing.

And this is a repeated crime. It is why we have come to The Hague, to try to use international law to prosecute Bahrain for it’s crimes. The messages of support from people all over the world have meant so much to the Bahrainis. Everytime I read another message from twitter or facebook it receives huge cheers. And the few negative attacks I have received from the same 2 or 3 people would be laughable if they weren’t so offensive. So thanks to everyone who has supported us and please keep the messages coming in.

But this is not enough, alone. We need people taking to the streets, raising the issue anywhere and everywhere. Everyone knows there are powerful countries acting behind Bahrain and we need to mobilise everything we possibly can to counteract this wealthy and powerful elite.

It’s been an honour and humbling to be here with this group who have experienced so much. I have nothing but admiration and respect for their bravery and courage. They all know the punishment they will receive if they ever return to their homeland. Many of them have family in Bahrain that will be persecuted on behalf of their representatives here. It would be enough to make even the hardest campaigner stop.

But these guys refuse to give in. Because they aren’t just fighting for themselves. They campaign for the whole of Bahrain and the whole of humanity.

If it were possible to have an online round of applause I would request that now. Instead honour our comrades by campaigning on their behalf and doing whatever you can.

Dominic

Breaking News: The ICC to look at the case IMMEDIATELY

Around one hour ago (2.30pm GMT) our lawyers left the International Court with very good news.

The ICC have agreed to look into the case, immediately, so as to avoid any further bloodshed in Bahrain.

In addition they agreed with our premise that Bahrain is indeed breaking international law and were very positive about our campaign.

Lead lawyer May Khansa said, “I’m very pleased, this is definitely the start we needed.”

The evidence was presented after a loud and lively demonstration outside the court with protesters demanding, ‘Out, out, Al Khalifa!’.

We know there is still a long way to go in bringing the Al Khalifa family to justice for their war crimes, but this is the first step and a very positive step.

In the next few hours we will be uploading photos and videos from the day.

Latest Photos from Day 1 at The Hague

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Bahraini regime and army to face War Crime Charges – Press Release 1

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, May 3rd 2011

BAHRAINIS TO LODGE INDICTMENT AT THE HAGUE – REGIME AND ARMY WILL FACE WAR CRIME CHARGES

A group of Bahrainis living in Britain will travel to the Hague on Thursday to lodge an indictment for war crimes against the Al Khalifa family at the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

A dossier of evidence charts the use of army tanks, snipers, and Apache helicopters to fire on peaceful unarmed        protestors killing at least 31. Hundreds were severely injured, and then denied basic medical treatment and access to the country’s main medical centre “Al Salmaniya Hospital”. Some of those who made it to the hospital were picked up by the police, brutally attacked and taken away while still receiving treatment. Medical staff were impeded and grievously assaulted while doing their duty trying to help the wounded. The whereabouts of most of those detained are unknown and their families are in serious fear for their lives as many corpses of known detainees are surfacing.

‘Many professionals striving to serve their country and their people, from all sects and levels of society-  including senior doctors, nurses, teachers, heads of university faculties, engineers, accountants, lawyers, journalists, students, sportsmen, and businessmen – have been detained. Hundreds of others have been dismissed from their jobs, and trade unions have been dissolved,’ explained one of the Bahrainis who has helped draw up the charges of war crimes. ‘Bringing these charges against the King is a big step, we fear for our families in Bahrain, but we have to stop these brutal attacks on the whole Bahraini nation.’

The ‘crackdown’ followed a demonstration of hundreds of thousands of women, youth, children, and elderly, from across Bahraini society, from every occupation and sect. On February 14th, they united and took to the streets of Bahrain calling for the introduction of a constitutional monarchy and constitutional reform to promotes basic human rights, civil liberties, power sharing, equal access to employment, and the right to choose a new prime minister. Some estimates say half the population were involved in these protests.

The brutal suppression was assisted by foreign forces from neighboring Saudi Arabia. Reports from human rights organisations and journalists have been used to compile a dossier which provides the basis of the charge of war crimes. These organisations include Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Doctors Without Borders, Physicians for Human Rights, US Solidarity for Labor and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Journalists’ reports from the BBC, CNN, AP, AFP, New York Times and Post, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, and The Independent were also used in the dossier.

Lawyers will lodge charges of War Crimes against King Hamad Al Khalifa at the International Court at the Hague. Bahrainis in Britain who joined peaceful, legal protests in London and Manchester in support of human rights and democracy have faced repression at home. Some students who have returned at the behest of the King have ‘disappeared’ after being met by security forces at the airport.

‘Those of you who still have some human sense, and moral bindings to human respect and universal principles and integrity, now is the time to stand up for your Bahraini brothers and save them from further detainment, disappearance, torture, killing. They are being harassed, abused, silenced, and executed by their government just because they call for freedom, basic democratic rights, and a life with integrity like any other nation in the 21st century.’

 Yassar Al Sayer 07868 663 746/ 07909 981 873
Dominic Kavakeb Press Officer at the Hague 07545 965 302
Kath Grant Press Officer in the UK: 07810 548 449