Dear @Statedept, Please Protest Unfair Trial Of #Bahrain Activists

Bahrain has turned into a country in which an activist can be thrown into jail for reading a poem that criticizes the country’s King, and in which doctors and nurses are put on trial for doing their job. I can hardly imagine what sentence opposition figures are facing for leading and participating in the demonstrations that took place in February and March. It is outrageous to see Bahraini authorities putting protesters, activists and medics before military courts, which Human Rights Watch appropriately called a Travesty of Justice.

Bahrain is also an important strategic partner to the United States, and home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet. It’s therefore legitimate to ask if that’s the reason why there is so much silence from the US administration on the crackdown of the pro-reform movement. As a Washington Post Editorial last month formulated it: “The administration clearly is trying to protect the strategic relationship with Bahrain.”

We are now mobilizing the public to call on the US government to speak out more strongly about unfair trials in Bahrain, one week before the trial of opposition figures continues. It is especially crucial that the Unites States administration guarantees that a high level representative from the US embassy in Bahrain will attend the trial.

Join The Global Bahrain Twitter Action on June 15

Taking a cue from Arab Spring activists using social media, we will conduct a Twitter action tomorrow, June 15. We are calling on all social media activists to urge the US Department of State to end their double standard and protest more forcefully against unfair trials in Bahrain. Messages to the State Department will include:

Dear @statedept, pls ensure you observe trial of #bahrain opposition http://bit.ly/lXEzpH #feb14
Dear @statedept, pls protest unfair trial of #bahrain activists http://bit.ly/lXEzpH #feb14

The @statedept should observes trial of #bahrain opposition http://bit.ly/lXEzpH #feb14
The @statedept should protest unfair trial of #bahrain activists http://bit.ly/lXEzpH #feb14

You can just re-tweet our messages coming from @amnesty tomorrow. Feel free to adapt the tweets, but please stay on message and be polite. I will be collecting the most compelling tweets and plan to publish some of them on this blog (which we will also share with our contacts in the State Department), together with an update on our recent Bahrain actions.

No More Double Standards

Previously, we raised the issue of the increasing use of military courts to try civilians with the US government. Now, we are using more public tactics to communicate our concerns to the State Department. As a strong ally of Bahrain, it is the United States’ duty and responsibility to raise concerns about abuses and to secure meaningful commitments for improvements. The world should know whether the United States is taking the human rights situation in Bahrain seriously. There should not be one standard for Bahrain and another for other countries in the region.

A total of 21 opposition figures, including seven in absentia, who led and participated in the demonstrations, are being tried in military court without proper access to lawyers, their families, or foreign media coverage. Several of these individuals are likely prisoners of conscience, detained solely for the peaceful expression of their opinion.

Furthermore, nearly 50 doctors and nurses who treated protesters during the months of bitter and bloody street violence are being called into court this week.

AIUSA welcomes a lively and courteous discussion that follow our Community Guidelines. Comments are not pre-screened before they post but AIUSA reserves the right to remove any comments violating our guidelines.

36 thoughts on “Dear @Statedept, Please Protest Unfair Trial Of #Bahrain Activists

  1. I'm sorry but they were violent so they deserved to be sentenced to jail and they didn't put them all in jail, they captured the leaders that were inciting protestors to kill and be violent, and the men who killed the police men are the ones that were executed due to God's law. You should have been in Bahrain and seen what they have done and how violent they are; then you can speak. And I'm a Bahraini and I'm Proud of it.
    Ps. I did not read that silly article, just looking at it's title discusses me.

  2. I believe you should be looking into each and every case before judging whether or not they were unfair. Public defamation of the country's leadership- or anyone for that matter- is punishable by law whether in a poem or otherwise. Insisting hatred is not only a crime punishable by law but it is a crime against humanity. With regards to torture, there have been conflicting stories many of them lies especially the one about Abdulhadi Al Khawaja's alleged facial reconstruction which pictures later showed no evidence of any kind of abuse.
    While I do not presume to tell you what to do I urge you to look through the publicity gimmicks adopted by our protesters and seek the truth for yourself…

  3. There is a difference between crimals and doctors or nurses, regardless of the qualification, no one is above the law, these criminals don't deserve to be called doctors or angles of mercy, they have killed and tortured patients just to seve there so called revolution to attract sympathy from world by the media, they are caught red handed, nobody is innocently jailed that is totally untrue, Bahrain has always respected human rights and our prisons are free from political activists,if so how come people like Nabeel Rajab and others are still is still free….No one is above the law…. A Bahraini citizen

  4. They really criminal by all aspects. They always just change their FACES but the agenda is the same, which is Change Bahraini rullers. In early 80;s they demonstrated against bahraini rullers by with direct sapports of iranian regime and their main slogan was KHOMAINI. Then in early 90;s same traitor groups demonstrated by burning, breaking, boycotting, sunnies and expariots for several years. Now they appeard again by showing their nice face but in actual fac, they are criminals an dall controlled by the their god father iranian leader KHAMENIE. Obviously we are the ones that know exactly what these traitor willing to do and what they admire. hence, they never can cheat us. But you didnt share your living witht hem and of course you dont know what their aim are. Therefore I urge u to be very careful dealing with these traitors and not to be mislead and feel sympathy for them.

  5. mr__smilly-bahrain
    Are u serios about bahrainies geeting arrested becuse of that reason <>

    keep in your mind that not only your goverment and u know the human rights our goverment do too;

    they are arrested becuse they are killing sunni and indian as well as the poilce they tooke poilce men as a hostagges and they close Salmania hospital <>and keep it for their ppl and which prevented so many sunni ppl to get there and some of them died;

    they shout with the hole bahrinies citizen and they are less then 30% which less than half of bahrinies in total; but they are well arranged and they are fightinig from thier home through the internet mailing and sending thier lies ;
    you butter ask bahrinies ppl not from one side to get the clear pictuer ;after that u can write about us

    best regardes

  6. Human Right Watch does not hold court over the issues, they defend humanity. No matter what side the accused are aligned with. So even killers and kidnappers deserve a fair trial and humane treatment all the way up to and including their execution. Understand that justice is a bold and brave idea. And sympathy is is due for every human, even in the worst conditions. Be a good example and defend human rights because your enemies are listening.

    From the website: Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights…(more)

    Mission Statement:
    Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

    ( from http://www.hrw.org/en/about retrieved 6.15.11)

  7. Human Right Watch does not hold court over the issues, they defend humanity. No matter what side the accused are aligned with. So even killers and kidnappers deserve a fair trial and humane treatment all the way up to and including their execution. Understand that justice is a bold and brave idea. And sympathy is is due for every human, even in the worst conditions. Be a good example and defend human rights because your enemies are listening.

    From the website: Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights…(more)

    Mission Statement:
    Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

    ( from http://www.hrw.org/en/about retrieved 6.15.11)

  8. Human Right Watch does not hold court over the issues, they defend humanity. No matter what side the accused are aligned with. So even killers and kidnappers deserve a fair trial and humane treatment all the way up to and including their execution. Understand that justice is a bold and brave idea. And sympathy is is due for every human, even in the worst conditions. Be a good example and defend human rights because your enemies are listening.

    From the website: Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights…(more)

    Mission Statement:
    Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

    ( from http://www.hrw.org/en/about retrieved 6.15.11)

  9. True human rights come first but should allegations of such violations not be investigated first? Human rights organizations always jump at the first opportunity to condemn and then ask questions later and I have yet to seen a single retraction or correction of allegations despite numerous efforts to correct them. Our only point is not to ignore human rights issues but to make sure these allegations are accurate before making accusations

  10. These trials are a joke! Those doctors and nurses were trying to save the lives of protesters who have been unfairly targeted by extreme violence! End this now!!

  11. I’m sorry but they were violent so they deserved to be sentenced to jail and they didn’t put them all in jail, they captured the leaders that were inciting protestors to kill and be violent, and the men who killed the police men are the ones that were executed due to God’s law. You should have been in Bahrain and seen what they have done and how violent they are; then you can speak. And I’m a Bahraini and I’m Proud of it.
    Ps. I did not read that silly article, just looking at it’s title discusses me.

  12. I would prefer to quote your wordings with remarks to make a short reply giving you a better clear view:

    “doctors and nurses are put on trial for doing their job” Excuse me this is a FALSE statement and we can’t buy it either. Bahrain is a country of well known history in preserving human rights and be sure no one puts in trial for doing nothing.

    “detained solely for the peaceful expression of their opinion” This is another FALSE statement that we can’t accept. Have you ever seen the presumed peaceful expression yourself? If not, please don’t write things you are not sure of or based on “They told me”!! Do you know that Salmaniya Hospital with all its premises was occupied by the protestors and became a restricted place to them? Have you ever thought OR someone told you of its parking when turned out to an open theater and dining place!! Have you seen the corrupted places that were damaged by what’s so called peaceful expression gangs!! It is not the right place here to list them.

    However, I wish you were there to see for yourself and ask the lucky survivals of the affected/tortured citizens and expatriates who lived the horrible moments on the streets and inside the occupied hospital!! Be honest to your career in getting correct information before you start throwing acquisitions’!!

    I guess my colleagues have included pretty clear remarks where I don’t have to repeat what they have mentioned.

    At the end, I would ask you a question about your quoted statements “It is especially crucial that the Unites States administration guarantees that a high level representative from the US embassy in Bahrain will attend the trial” This is another bias statement!! Do these doctors and nurses belong to the US nationals? What is it for US Embassy in Bahrain to get into this? What are the bases you set for yourself to ask that demand? We neither can buy this nor accept your article that is full of FALSE information whereby you violate your career to trace the truth before passing it to the media!!

  13. I understand the mission of HRW, it is directed towards defending humanity from repressing governments. But HRW does not take the mission of defending humanity from abuses by other human. It is very disappointing to see the negligence by HRW in condemning HR abuses by other humans. HRW is expected to condemn all the killing, torture, kidnapping and terrifying the public by the violent and sectarian protesters and failure to do so will just impair my trust, and the trust of many others in your values and mission.

  14. I believe you should be looking into each and every case before judging whether or not they were unfair. Public defamation of the country’s leadership- or anyone for that matter- is punishable by law whether in a poem or otherwise. Insisting hatred is not only a crime punishable by law but it is a crime against humanity. With regards to torture, there have been conflicting stories many of them lies especially the one about Abdulhadi Al Khawaja’s alleged facial reconstruction which pictures later showed no evidence of any kind of abuse.
    While I do not presume to tell you what to do I urge you to look through the publicity gimmicks adopted by our protesters and seek the truth for yourself…

  15. There is a difference between crimals and doctors or nurses, regardless of the qualification, no one is above the law, these criminals don’t deserve to be called doctors or angles of mercy, they have killed and tortured patients just to seve there so called revolution to attract sympathy from world by the media, they are caught red handed, nobody is innocently jailed that is totally untrue, Bahrain has always respected human rights and our prisons are free from political activists,if so how come people like Nabeel Rajab and others are still is still free….No one is above the law…. A Bahraini citizen

  16. They really criminal by all aspects. They always just change their FACES but the agenda is the same, which is Change Bahraini rullers. In early 80;s they demonstrated against bahraini rullers by with direct sapports of iranian regime and their main slogan was KHOMAINI. Then in early 90;s same traitor groups demonstrated by burning, breaking, boycotting, sunnies and expariots for several years. Now they appeard again by showing their nice face but in actual fac, they are criminals an dall controlled by the their god father iranian leader KHAMENIE. Obviously we are the ones that know exactly what these traitor willing to do and what they admire. hence, they never can cheat us. But you didnt share your living witht hem and of course you dont know what their aim are. Therefore I urge u to be very careful dealing with these traitors and not to be mislead and feel sympathy for them.

  17. mr__smilly-bahrain
    Are u serios about bahrainies geeting arrested becuse of that reason <>

    keep in your mind that not only your goverment and u know the human rights our goverment do too;

    they are arrested becuse they are killing sunni and indian as well as the poilce they tooke poilce men as a hostagges and they close Salmania hospital <>and keep it for their ppl and which prevented so many sunni ppl to get there and some of them died;

    they shout with the hole bahrinies citizen and they are less then 30% which less than half of bahrinies in total; but they are well arranged and they are fightinig from thier home through the internet mailing and sending thier lies ;
    you butter ask bahrinies ppl not from one side to get the clear pictuer ;after that u can write about us

    best regardes

  18. These trials are a joke! Those doctors and nurses were trying to save the lives of protesters who have been unfairly targeted by extreme violence! End this now!!

  19. Human Right Watch does not hold court over the issues, they defend humanity. No matter what side the accused are aligned with. So even killers and kidnappers deserve a fair trial and humane treatment all the way up to and including their execution. Understand that justice is a bold and brave idea. And sympathy is is due for every human, even in the worst conditions. Be a good example and defend human rights because your enemies are listening.

    From the website: Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights…(more)

    Mission Statement:
    Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

    ( from http://www.hrw.org/en/about retrieved 6.15.11)

  20. Ayat al – Gormezi.

    A girl in Bahrain.

    A poet.

    Age ?

    Twenty !

    She's only 20 years old, for pity's sake !!

    She reads a poem, calling for democracy, for freedom, for the rights of all, & criticizes the King.

    For this simplest, most basic human expression, she is arrested & put on trial in Bahrain !

    No legal arguments are allowed at her trial !

    Her lawyer is not allowed to speak for her !

    She is sentenced to one year in prison !

    Is this even a "trial" ?

    Or is it a complete farce ?

    Ayat !

    You are the voice of Bahrain today !

    You are the symbol of your nation's struggle to be free !

    You are Bahrain's Prisoner of Conscience !

    Free Ayat al – Gormezi !

    Today !

  21. True human rights come first but should allegations of such violations not be investigated first? Human rights organizations always jump at the first opportunity to condemn and then ask questions later and I have yet to seen a single retraction or correction of allegations despite numerous efforts to correct them. Our only point is not to ignore human rights issues but to make sure these allegations are accurate before making accusations

  22. These trials are a joke! Those doctors and nurses were trying to save the lives of protesters who have been unfairly targeted by extreme violence! End this now!!

  23. I would prefer to quote your wordings with remarks to make a short reply giving you a better clear view:

    “doctors and nurses are put on trial for doing their job” Excuse me this is a FALSE statement and we can’t buy it either. Bahrain is a country of well known history in preserving human rights and be sure no one puts in trial for doing nothing.

    “detained solely for the peaceful expression of their opinion” This is another FALSE statement that we can’t accept. Have you ever seen the presumed peaceful expression yourself? If not, please don’t write things you are not sure of or based on “They told me”!! Do you know that Salmaniya Hospital with all its premises was occupied by the protestors and became a restricted place to them? Have you ever thought OR someone told you of its parking when turned out to an open theater and dining place!! Have you seen the corrupted places that were damaged by what’s so called peaceful expression gangs!! It is not the right place here to list them.

    However, I wish you were there to see for yourself and ask the lucky survivals of the affected/tortured citizens and expatriates who lived the horrible moments on the streets and inside the occupied hospital!! Be honest to your career in getting correct information before you start throwing acquisitions’!!

    I guess my colleagues have included pretty clear remarks where I don’t have to repeat what they have mentioned.

    At the end, I would ask you a question about your quoted statements “It is especially crucial that the Unites States administration guarantees that a high level representative from the US embassy in Bahrain will attend the trial” This is another bias statement!! Do these doctors and nurses belong to the US nationals? What is it for US Embassy in Bahrain to get into this? What are the bases you set for yourself to ask that demand? We neither can buy this nor accept your article that is full of FALSE information whereby you violate your career to trace the truth before passing it to the media!!

  24. I understand the mission of HRW, it is directed towards defending humanity from repressing governments. But HRW does not take the mission of defending humanity from abuses by other human. It is very disappointing to see the negligence by HRW in condemning HR abuses by other humans. HRW is expected to condemn all the killing, torture, kidnapping and terrifying the public by the violent and sectarian protesters and failure to do so will just impair my trust, and the trust of many others in your values and mission.

  25. These trials are a joke! Those doctors and nurses were trying to save the lives of protesters who have been unfairly targeted by extreme violence! End this now!!

  26. Ayat al – Gormezi.

    A girl in Bahrain.

    A poet.

    Age ?

    Twenty !

    She’s only 20 years old, for pity’s sake !!

    She reads a poem, calling for democracy, for freedom, for the rights of all, & criticizes the King.

    For this simplest, most basic human expression, she is arrested & put on trial in Bahrain !

    No legal arguments are allowed at her trial !

    Her lawyer is not allowed to speak for her !

    She is sentenced to one year in prison !

    Is this even a “trial” ?

    Or is it a complete farce ?

    Ayat !

    You are the voice of Bahrain today !

    You are the symbol of your nation’s struggle to be free !

    You are Bahrain’s Prisoner of Conscience !

    Free Ayat al – Gormezi !

    Today !

  27. To every on with the bahraini goverment stop lieing pls you are all hipocrets and are in line with the regim. All shiea in bahrain (the majority the native bahrainis) are calling and screaming down down al khalifas lets they return to the desert they came from 230 years ago and if u all like them so much that u dont have any humanity lift in u pls go with them .

  28. Im with what u are saying 100% Freebahrain Says:
    June 17th, 2011 at 12:30 am
    To every on with the bahraini goverment stop lieing pls you are all hipocrets and are in line with the regim. All shiea in bahrain (the majority the native bahrainis) are calling and screaming down down al khalifas let they return to the desert they came from 230 years ago and if u all like them so much that u dont have any humanity lift in u pls go with them .

  29. All those who commented on the situation in Bahrain are pro government supporters. They will not say anything against thise brutal barbaric government. I would like to ask for proof that Shiite protesters killed or murdered Suni people and indians. Pro dermocracy protestors have been so extremely peaceful that the arbitrary regime miliarized armed and civilian police and ex soldiers as mercenary thugs to abduct, torture, humiliate and murder at check points shiite people supported by Sunni Salafi wahabism of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan. Shiite people are not coward or naïve. They have chosen to be peaceful to demand equal rights similar to those obtained and granted to sunni citizens .. They are calling for democracy, abolition of rascial and sectarian discrimination, elected fair goverment, fair electoral sytem and just distribution of constituencies, comabtting corruption and many other legitimate rights and demands. So why prerviliged sunnis in Bahrain are not in favour of this? Because if there were a real reform movement in the country everyone will be equal regardless of sect and if in the past high ranking positions in the mininstries especially Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence etc are exclusive reserved for sunni citizens, they would be after a real reform divided equally and granted justly to shiite and sunni Bahrainis … Of course the majority of sunnis do not aspire to this as they are mean and want everything for themselves … Is this one of the true principles and teaching of Islam you to which you claim to follow? I do not think so. I am certain sunnis are ready to do anything by what ever means to prevent any goodness to Shiite and I am sorry this is the reality

  30. To every on with the bahraini goverment stop lieing pls you are all hipocrets and are in line with the regim. All shiea in bahrain (the majority the native bahrainis) are calling and screaming down down al khalifas lets they return to the desert they came from 230 years ago and if u all like them so much that u dont have any humanity lift in u pls go with them .

  31. Im with what u are saying 100% Freebahrain Says:
    June 17th, 2011 at 12:30 am
    To every on with the bahraini goverment stop lieing pls you are all hipocrets and are in line with the regim. All shiea in bahrain (the majority the native bahrainis) are calling and screaming down down al khalifas let they return to the desert they came from 230 years ago and if u all like them so much that u dont have any humanity lift in u pls go with them .

  32. All those who commented on the situation in Bahrain are pro government supporters. They will not say anything against thise brutal barbaric government. I would like to ask for proof that Shiite protesters killed or murdered Suni people and indians. Pro dermocracy protestors have been so extremely peaceful that the arbitrary regime miliarized armed and civilian police and ex soldiers as mercenary thugs to abduct, torture, humiliate and murder at check points shiite people supported by Sunni Salafi wahabism of Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan. Shiite people are not coward or naïve. They have chosen to be peaceful to demand equal rights similar to those obtained and granted to sunni citizens .. They are calling for democracy, abolition of rascial and sectarian discrimination, elected fair goverment, fair electoral sytem and just distribution of constituencies, comabtting corruption and many other legitimate rights and demands. So why prerviliged sunnis in Bahrain are not in favour of this? Because if there were a real reform movement in the country everyone will be equal regardless of sect and if in the past high ranking positions in the mininstries especially Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defence etc are exclusive reserved for sunni citizens, they would be after a real reform divided equally and granted justly to shiite and sunni Bahrainis … Of course the majority of sunnis do not aspire to this as they are mean and want everything for themselves … Is this one of the true principles and teaching of Islam you to which you claim to follow? I do not think so. I am certain sunnis are ready to do anything by what ever means to prevent any goodness to Shiite and I am sorry this is the reality

  33. we just ask for our rights,and we has been faced with armies
    a pullets Vs rose

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