BCHR | Bahrain: Solidarity Protests for HRD Nabeel Rajab around the Wo
 

26-03-13 12:46 AM


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Photo: Said Yousif Al-Muhafdha while being arrested

23rd March 2013
Human rights defender Said Yousif Al-Muhafdha, was arrested in Bahrain on Sat 23 Mar 2013, after he participated in a solidarity stand for detained human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. He was released on a bail of 100 BHD.
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) express it’s grave concern over the continued attacks on human rights defenders with arrest and intimidation, as well as attacks on freedom assembly and expression.

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Photo : Solidarity Protest for Nabeel Rajab in France – 23rd March 2013

A global solidarity campaign for Nabeel Rajab entitled Don’t Forget Nabeel started on March 21st, and protests of solidarity took place in several countries including Egypt, the US, the UK and France. However, the solidarity protest scheduled in Bahrain was declined by the Bahraini authorities without cause. In an act of civil disobedience, people peacefully gathered up in Saar village where it was scheduled, aiming to march to Nabeel Rajab’s House in Bani Jamra Village.

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Solidarity Protest with HRD Nabeel Rajab infront of Bahrain Embassy - USA

As per the usual practice by the Ministry of Interior, the riot police surrounded the Saar village area armed with teargas canisters, sound bombs and rubber bullets to attack any gathering. Said Yousif Al-Muhafdha, the Acting Vice President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, and the Head of Documentation was standing peacefully along with the members of Rajab's family holding a banner calling for Rajab’s release. They were not were not causing any kind of disruption to the road traffic as they were standing to the side of the road. Al-Muhafdha was arrested after a short discussion with the police. The police fired on the small group and hit the head and ankle of Nabeel Rajab’s wife Sumaya Rajab with 2 rubber bullets.

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Photo: Teargasing Saar Area, Near Nabeel Solidarity Protest

Al-Muhafdha was taken to the Budiya police station where he was interrogated about participating in the protest and an order was made to hold him overnight and take him to the public prosecution on Sunday on charges of illegal gathering. He was released on bail, but the charges have not been dropped.
This is not the first time Said Yousif was arrested for peacefully exercising his right to of freedom of expression and assembly, or for simply doing his job as a human rights defender. He has spent several weeks in detention, and he was prosecuted on other occasions, most recently for a tweet.

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Photo : Family of HRD Nabeel Rajab, Said Yousif and Activists in Solidarity with Nabeel

The BCHR believes that Said Yousif Al-Muhafdha has been targeted mainly due to his human rights activities in reporting and documenting human rights violations. His arbitrary detention is intended to suspend these legitimate activities, at a time that other leading human rights defenders are also imprisoned, including the co-founder of the BCHR and GCHR Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and the President of the BCHR and Director of GCHR Nabeel Rajab.
The BCHR reiterates its call on the United States, the United Kingdom, the UN and all other close allies and international institutions to put pressure on the Bahraini authorities to:

1. Immediately drop all charges against human rights defender Sayed Yousif Al-Muhafdhah. The BCHR believes that these measures have been taken against him solely due to his legitimate and peaceful work in defense of human rights, and freedom of expression in accordance to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

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