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http://alwefaq.net

Alwefaq National Islamic Society

Liberties and Human Rights department

10th Nov 2012


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10th

Nov 2012


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Friday prayers religious event suppressed

by the regime in the kingdom of Bahrain)1(

The reports documents violations perpetrated by the authorities in Bahrainwhile preventing the Friday prayers on 9th November, 2012 which held by aprominent religious igure Sh.Isa Ahmed Qassim in Duraz area , the preventionwas imposed by setting check points and blockades in the areas surrounds Durazarea and all roads and alleys leading the same area which break all pledgesmade the government of Bahrain in front of the international community andalso violates the national law as well.

First: basic subject:international and national law supporters:

According to the article (18) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which has

been approved and released publicly according to a decision by the United Nations

General Assembly 217 A(D-3) issued on 10th December 1948 (2) and according to the

international covenant on the political rights and civil rights approved and presented for

signing , ratiication and afiliation according to a decision taken by the United Nations

General assembly 2200 A ( D-21) issued on 16th December,1966, specially on the two

articles 1 and 4

(3)

.and according to the article of the Universal Declaration of Elimination of all forms of

intolerance and discrimination based on religion and belief issued and released publically

according the United Nations General Assembly decision 3655/ dated on 25th November

1981 specially the articles (1) (2) and (6).

(1)Al-Wefaq Liberes and Human Rights Directorate has a number of witnesses and vicms who are ready to give their tesmonies

before the Human Rights bodies and the High Commission of Human Rights.

(2) ICCPR: Arcle 18 - Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include

freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in

public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, pracce and teaching.

(3) ICCPR: Arcle 1: 1 - All peoples have the right of self-determinaon. By virtue of that right they freely determine their polical

status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. 2- All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose

of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligaons arising out of internaonal economic co-operaon,

based upon the principle of mutual benet, and internaonal law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of

subsistence.

ICCPR: Arcle 4: 1 . In me of public emergency which threatens the life of the naon and the existence of which is ocially

proclaimed, the States Pares to the present Covenant may take measures derogang from their obligaons under the present

Covenant to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situaon, provided that such measures are not inconsistent

with their other obligaons under internaonal law and do not involve discriminaon solely on the ground of race, colour, sex,

language, religion or social origin.

2. No derogaon from arcles 6, 7, 8 (paragraphs I and 2), 11, 15, 16 and 18 may be made under this provision.3. Any State Party to the present Covenant availing itself of the right of derogaon shall immediately inform the other States

Pares to the present Covenant, through the intermediary of the Secretary-General of the United Naons, of the provisions from

which it has derogated and of the reasons by which it was actuated. A further communicaon shall be made, through the same

intermediary, on the date on which it terminates such derogaon.


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The penal code in Bahrain 311 states:

One-year penalty with a ine of 200 Bahraini Dinars:

1. Who deliberately disturbs religious events, any celebration or any religious gathering

by preventing it by force or threat.

2. Who damages or distorts a religious event equipment or any igure or things that

have a religious respect.

Objective circumstances:

After the issuing of the BICI report by the international lawyer Mr.Mahmood Sharif

Bassiouni, by which many human rights violations were reported to have been widely

committed in the Kingdom of Bahrain, many practices which were meant to have been

used against the prodemocracy popular demands of a democratic transition, those ill-

practices were committed by the kingdom of Bahrain were also reported to have been

condemned in the report. Nonetheless, the authorities in Bahrain continued to commit

more violations similar to those committed before the issuing of the BICI report (4). TheInterior Minister threatened to ban all forms of protests and all forms of gatherings (5).

A threatening rhetoric has been raised to suppress after an explosion , the authorities

allegedly claimed that it is made of local made explosives accusing some citizens that

belong to the opposition of making them (6).

While some politicians and some oficial journalists exploited the explosions to incite

against the prominent religious shi`t igure (7) , AyatoallhIsa Ahmed Qassim(8), and incite

some citizens against him . this comes at the time of revoking the nationality of some

Bahraini citizens and other religious igures who have Persian roots. these campaignswhich meant to be targeting the prominent religious igure sh.Isa Qassim by defaming

him in a very humiliating way and come at the time of threats of banning the Friday

prayer by the Justice Minister by using force(9).

(4) The BICI report includes that the Bahraini Authories have illegally demolished mosques. Paragraphs 1306 to 1336 BICI report.

hp://www.bici.org.bh/BICIreportEN.pdf

Al-Wefaq Liberes and Human Rights prepared reports which have been submied to BICI regarding depriving worshippers

from doing their Friday prayers and other religious acvies including the religious Shi>ite rallies (Azaa) during the Naonal Safety

Law.

(5) Interior minister statement:

hp://www.gulf-daily-news.com/ArchiveNewsDetails.aspx?date=102012/30/&storyid=340719

(6) Informaon Aairs minister accusing the opposion and religious sermons of the bombings even before the inial invesgaon

has been started.

hp://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/532047?date=20126-11-

(7) Samples of incitements against the religious gure Ayatollah Issa Qassim in the ocial-movated journals:

hp://www.alwatannews.net/(S(rz1qhxanlznbtzghz1g45n4n))/Mobile/MPrintedNews.aspx?ID=rD4Jk4KolKR2LK733337rBJL9Cg

933339933339

(8) A Bahraini, that considered the most prominent Shi>ite cleric in the GCC region. Has advanced degrees in the Hawza. Grately

respected among Bahrainis. Clearly cricises the repressive and revengeful policies the Bahraini authories adopt to crush popular

demands escaping the serious reform.

The authories accuse him of standing behind the pro-democracy movement. He is one of the biggest supporters of the

democrazaon process.

(9) Jusce and Islamic Aairs minister statement:

hp://www.gulf-daily-news.com/ArchiveNewsDetails.aspx?date=102012/09/&storyid=339285


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Realizing the importance of facing

such an attack against the prominent

religious cleric, AyotollahSh.Qassim,

the Grand Shia`a clerics decided to

transfer their Friday prayers to Al-

Duraz grand Mosque and ask the

people to attend the Friday prayers in

Duraz behind Ayatollah Sh.Qassim.

Secondly: describing the violation of preventing the people from reaching Friday

prayers and dispersing them by force:

Masses of citizens had their freedom of belief and their right of exercising their religious

beliefs violated by preventing them from reaching the Friday prayers mosque in Duraz

where the Ayatollah Qassim usually holds the Friday prayers .

The prevention of reaching the Friday prayers took the form of blocking all the roads

and alleys to the area by setting check points that do not give access to citizens to pass

through them, the prevention includes those who live inside the besieged areas.

A Bahraini prominent igure Ayatoallah Shaikh Isa Ahmed Qassim


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The map below shows the security check point showing at the same time the location of

Al-Duraz area. It shows how the security forces were deployed in all main and sub roads

rather than rough roads blocking every single way that the citizens might get an access

to Al-Duraz. Such sophisticated security deployment proves that there was a security

plan and co-ordination between the security points and the command headquarters that

guided the security point to block any road that leads to the Mosque of the Friday Prayers.Security forces were heavily present backed by armored vehicles and a helicopter,

armored vehicles were parked 300 meters away from the mosque where the Friday

prayers is usually held.

neighboring villages` outskirts- location of the central Friday prayers

Al-Durza Grand Mosque

Check points

Check points locations


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Ministry of Interior usually announces its prevention of any event through its account on

twitter but this time it did not announce that it had unauthorized the Friday prayers and

that is why the area will be besieged. Many citizens were surprised with the unannounced

ban of the prayers, the ministry of Interior did not mention any thing regarding the issue

of the ban despite the fact that the ban had continued for more than 5 hours. After 12

hours the Ministry stated that it had taken measures to prevent people from reaching

the Friday prayers by setting check points justifying its measures with weak unrealistic

reasons such as terrorism acts might happen during the Friday prayers (10), not a single

incident has happened since the errupiton of the popular demands movement on 14thFebruary, 2011.

Check points :

1. Karbabad check point near Seef Mall

2. Karbabad check point near Al-Salam Bank

3. Karbabad check point near Qiba factory

4. Karbabad check point near Jawad petrol station

5. Al-Qadam check point near Burgerland roundabout6. Al-Qadam check point near a football playground opposite Sh.Khalifa

highway

7. Al-Qadam entrance check point near Al-Qadam and Al-Muqsha`a entraces

8. Al-Qadam check point near the backyard entrance of the village on highway.

9. Sar entrance check point near the highway that leads to ambassadors villas.

10. Sar entrace checkpoint near the high way that leads to Saudi Arabia.

11. Sar Entrance check point near the road that leads to Saudi Arabia near Al-

Janabia villages.

12. Sar entrance check point near cinema.13. Sar entrance check point near Sar roundabout and Najeebi Centre

14. Al-Janabiah entrance near the highway that leads to Saudi Arabia and Al-

Ayam newspaper.

15. Al-Janabia entrance near the highway that leads to Bani Jamrah near the

Mechanics shops.

16. Al-Janabia entrance check points near Bani Jamra , near the mechanics

shops

17. Al-Buday`a entrance checkpoint near the roundabout

18. Bani Jamrah Entrance near the mechanics shops at Bani Jamrah entrance.

19. Bani Jamrah entrance check points near Al-Sater supermarkets

20. Al-Duraz Entrance near Al-Durza roundabout

21. Al-Duraz checkpoints near Al-Qabael supermarket

22. Al-Duraz entrance check point near Bani Jamrah trafic lights

23. Al-duraz entrance near Al-Durza seashore.

24. Al-Durz checkpoint near Abu Subh beach

25. Barbar internal checkpoint near the farms

26. Barbar internal checkpoint near Gassan Gym.

(10) A statement of Interior ministry:

hp://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/532494?date=201209-11-


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Checkpoints in the Face of Citizens:

According to information received by the

Liberties and Human Rights Department at

Al-Wefaq from its teams of observation, allcheckpoints were set since 8:30am to close

down the area

Eye-witness, H.S, said, Around 8:45am, I

tried to get in from several entrances and al-

Qadam roundabout was closed down, I tried to

get in from Al-Nakheel (the palm tree) street

but it was also blocked so we went towards

Karbabad village hoping we could take the

bystreet but again, that also was blocked.

The forces were ordering people to go back

without discussion, even about their address of residence. I parked my car in Karbabad

and went pedestrian through a farm until we reached a checkpoint in Barbar village that

had blocked the way ordering all cars and pedestrians to go back. We took a road through

trees but one of the mercenaries spotted us and chased us through the trees.

Another witness, S.H adds that, I went out at 9:30am with my wife and daughter, I

was prevented from crossing al-Qadam roundabout, I drove through a bumpy road to

avoid security roadblocks, until I reached a point between Barbar and Duraz where Iwas stopped at a checkpoint. There, one car tried to cross the roadblock and was hit by a

teargas canister breaking the cars window. I had to go back.

A.Z said, We were not allowed in Karbabad, we insisted and argued at every checkpoint

around the village, but the answer was no, leave, dont stop here. At the end, I was aimed

at with shotgun to the face, he was about to shoot, simply because he was suspicious that

I was taking photos of the forces with my phone.

A.H said, We tried to get in from the back entrance of Saarwhich overlooks the SheikhIssa bin Salman street, but were stopped at a checkpoint and prevented from entering.

S.N also adds, We were prevented from reaching Friday prayer today. At 10:30am we

were a group of 15, men and women, on the way of Al-Janabiya behind Al-Ayam media

centre. After 45 minutes of driving we were stopped at a checkpoint roadblock. We parked

the car on the street that heads to Saudi Arabia, attempting to walk it to Duraz but we were

surprised to ind that the forces at the nearby checkpoint refused. We argued and tried to

convince them but they replied that they have orders to stop people or else attack

In another location where a checkpoint was set, A.H who lives in Miqsha village whichis located inside the prohibited area, he said, I came back from work to reach al-Qadam

roundabout at around10:45am, but I was stopped at the checkpoint there and one

A military blockade near Al Qadam roundaboutto ban worshipers from reaching Friday prayers


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policeman was shouting at me Move Move. After that I headed to Karbabad, I showed my

driving license with the address on it to prove that I live in the area but they replied, we

have orders. The fourth checkpoint was at Karranah. The trafic jam was huge. I parked

my car to the right of the highway among other cars, a Yemeni policeman approached us

and told us to leave but we refused. I told him that I live in a nearby village but he said no.

I remained in my place for about an hour, until the road was opened at around 12:45pm

and the checkpoint was removed.Another citizen said, around 10:45am I came back from work and wanted to get in to

Al-Budaiya Street but I was stopped at checkpoint and a mercenary was shouting at me

Move Moveafter that I went to Karbabad and I showed my driving license but I was told

that no one is allowed in according to orders.

One person said, I made two attempts to get into Duraz, the irst was at 9:30am on the

way to Barbar, we parked our cars and walked through farms. We couldnt go any further

so we had to go back through al-Murkh village. I went onto al-Budaiya Street pavement so

.More checkpoints near Barbar and Saar entrance

The wide security deployment and trafic jam caused by the security checkpoints and blockades


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a security patrol came after me and made me go back, that was around 11am.

Al-Wasat newspaper has published online news conirming that complete prohibition

to reach al-Duraz was imposed.(11) A number of news agencied had also conirmed the

news.(12)

A.B said in his testimony, Around 10am, some people went to forces at Saar`s turn of

Sheikh Issa bin Salman highway, they argued with the forces showing their IDs to prove

their addresses but were faced with refusal. At around 11am my aunty who live in Duraz

called, and said that she saw a group of youth being arrested in the suburb of Duraz, and

when she tried to help one policeman verbally abused her and spat at her and she was

threatened to be shot in the head if she did not leave.

Use of excessive force to face worshippers heading to Friday religious ritual:

Beside the ban to reach the mosque, there was a use of excessive force as the securityforces faced the worshippers who insisted to cross these checkpoints by shooting canisters

of unknown gasses and stun grenades, as the map shows the checkpoints that witnessed

ire shootingsmore than once.

Lawyer Abdullah Shamlawi says in a tweet We had parked our cars north of al-Murkh

village to walk it to the Friday prayer behind Ayatollah Qassim but teargas was shot

towards us.

The security forces excessively use teargas

(11) Read: Police closing leading roads to Northern villages

hp://www.alwasatnews.com/3716/news/read/7146701/.html(12) Read: Internaonal Agencies coverage:

hp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20272517

hp://edion.cnn.com/201209/11//world/meast/bahrain-clashes/index.html

hp://rt.com/news/bahrain-police-opposion-prayers-347/


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A teargas canister was ired at a woman`s car, the canister broke the window and got

into the car, which made the passengers step out and leave the car in the middle of the

street.(13)

As a result of the excessive use of force against citizens heading to Friday prayers, a

number of injuries occurred, one of which was M.A`s from Barbar, one of the checkpoints

that excessive force was used, due to the direct shooting he suffers a deep wound and in

the head and a skull fracture.

A number of citizens,including women and

children, suffered

asphyxiation due to

random teargas shots.(14)

Citizens that attempted

to enter from Bani-Jamra

were subjected to brutaltreatment, one citizen

was dragged in the

village`sgraveyard.(15)

.Some of casualties caused by the excessive use of force

Many suffocating casses among protesters

(13) Watch a related video:

hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9WSK-Hmhgk

(14) Watch videos for teargases and stun grenades shot by the regime forces:

hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xHyvT6yvvQ

hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2VFy8U4Xsk

hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LMysb_ak

(15) Watch this video:

hp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toE66418w


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Death of a citizen after being pursued by the police:

As a result of the excessive use of force against citizens who were heading to Friday

prayers, a citizen (Ali Abbas Radhi-16 years old) from Samaheej area which is in the east

of the capital Manama died after a car ran over Ali as he was running away from the

police, who were intending to arrest him (16).

Temporary prevention at the time of the Friday prayers:

Many testimonies indicated that the prevention was pre-planned by the security .all

roads and alleys that lead to Duraz and other neighboring areas were blocked. That

blockade was not part of a routine measure, but was deliberately set simultaneously with

the time of the prayer. All check point were removed by the end of the Friday prayers.

A.A says we have tried to entre Duraz area for more than one time from more than

entrance, but they were all blocked , at that time I was trying to get out of Markh area I

was communicating with my brother who reached Duraz before 8:30a.m , after the Friday

prayers, people started to get out of Duraz, we noticed a heavy presence of security forces

near Duraz roundabout and the way was clear to Duraz, that was at exactly 12:40 p.m.

we entered Duraz and get out of it and then we passed by more places where security

had been there earlier, but we noticed that all security points had been removed and

roads had been re-opened again, one of these points is near Ghassan Gym An Al-Komed

company, it had been removed as well as the check points near Sar roundabout and

Al-Qadam Roundabout, my brother told me that there were not any check point at Al-

Nakheel road which was blocked as well, that road links all Al-Budaya areas and links

Barbar with Al-Duraz.

The martyr Ali Radhi

(16) For more: read Al-Wefaq statement about his martyrdom:

hp://alwefaq.org/index.php?show=news&acon=arcle&id=7167


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Conclusion:

Measures taken by the security forces to prevent the people from reaching the Fridayprayers are all proved by the statement that was released by the Ministry of Interior after12 hours of conducting their measures to block the raods.

Measures taken were meant to prevent the Friday prayers from being held, howeverall security presence faded out after holding the Friday prayers, the statement of the

Ministry of Interior stated that measures were taken at the time of Friday prayers toprevent those who want to use the prayers time to provoke riots and violence as statedin the MoI statement, bearing in mind that prayers time means the time of the Fridayprayer at Imam Al-SadiqGarnd Mosque speciically, because all neighboring mosques thathad Friday prayers were open and people were not prevented from reaching them.

The prevention had reached neighboring areas that are 5Km away from Duraz area,where Friday prayers is held, which means that all people wanted to reach Duraz wereprevented, not only people who want to go the Friday prayers but also residents , wholive in the area, violating the freedom of movement.

The Ministry of Interior is arbitrarily taking decision that are weak and unrealistic toviolate the right of the people to express their beliefs, to exercise their religious practicesand violates the people`s right of freedom of expression.

Liberties and Human Rights department at Al-Wefaq National Islamic societyrecommends the following for the international community:

1. Issuing a clear and direct condemnation of all human rights violations on the groundcommitted by the Bahraini authorities, specially violations committed against citizens,

rights to hold their religious practices.

2. Issuing a clear stance regarding the measures taken by the about violations committedagainst citizens, rights to hold their religious practices.

3. Urging the Bahraini authorities to fulill all their commitments to the internationalhuman rights law, international humanitarian law, and measures should be takenaccording to the international human rights law as well as the international humanitarianlaw to urge Bahraini authorities to fully implement the recommendations of the BICI andthe recommendations of the human rights council in May 2012 under the supervision of

the high commissioner for human rights.4. The United Nations and its bodies , specially the high commissioner for human rights

, should condemn the measures taken by the Bahraini authorities, which are usuallyfabricated in order to justify violating the human rights, to confront the popular demandsof the people of Bahrain.

5. High proile outstanding human rights organization should shed more light onviolations of freedom of religious practices committed by the Bahraini authorities againstthe Shia`as citizens especially during Ashora`a , and the way the aruthorities are dealingwith such religious practices as they are escalating the suppression.

6. The high commissioner for human rights should open an ofice that deals with thehuman rights situation in Bahrain, as soon as possible, and even outside Bahrain in casethe authorities prevent them from having it inside Bahrain, with enabling the people ofBahrain to communicate with it through the electronic media.


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