Bahrain: Campaign of media harassment of human rights defenders
A media harassment campaign has recently been launched against human rights defenders Mr Nabeel Rajab, Mr Mohamed Al-Maskati, Dr Abduljalil Al Singace and Mr Abdul Ghani Al-Khanjar. Nabeel Rajab is the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Mohamed Al-Maskati is the president of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, Dr Abduljalil Al Singace is head of the human rights unit of the Haq Movement of Liberties and Democracy and Abdul Ghani Al-Khanjar is the spokesperson for the National Committee for Martyrs and Victims of Torture.
Further Information
Front Line previously issued appeals concerning Nabeel Rajab on 25 November 2009, 30 October 2008, 22 September 2006, 20 July 2005, 14 June 2005 and 29 September 2004, and concerning Mohamed Al-Maskati on 5 February 2009, 3 November 2008, 19 December 2007 and 1 February 2007.
Recently, local online newspapers The Gulf News (http://www.akhbar-alkhaleej.com) and Al Watan News (http://www.alwatannews.net) as well as the Bahrain Radio Station have issued false statements concerning the aforementioned human rights defenders. The three defenders have repeatedly been accused by these media outlets of committing violent acts, using Molotov bombs, and of betraying their country.
This campaign began following the publication of the Human Rights Watch report “Torture Redux” on the use of torture in Bahrain, on 8 February 2010. In the report, Human Rights Watch expressed its thanks to the human rights activists who assisted in the preparation of the report including Nabeel Rajab, Mohamed Al-Maskati and Abdul Ghani Al-Khanjar.
Front Line believes that Nabeel Rajab, Mohamed Al-Maskati and Abdul Ghani Al-Khanjar have been targeted as a result of their human rights activities, in particular their involvement in the preparation of the recent Human Rights Watch report on the use of torture in Bahrain. Front Line fears for the physical and psychological integrity of the aforementioned defenders.
This Urgent Appeal has now ended. No further action is requested at this point. Thank you for taking action on this case.
Front Line issues Urgent Appeals on behalf of human rights defenders at risk on a daily basis. These Appeals normally remain active on our web site for a period of up to six weeks, depending on the situation. After this time they will be archived. Front Line maintains a watching brief on all these cases but no further action is requested after the six weeks, unless there is a significant development in the case.
