2-1-2012

By Brian Dooley
Director, Human Rights Defenders

Twenty Bahraini medics tortured into making false confessions faced court on Monday to find out that the charges against them still haven’t been dropped.

The Bahrain government continues to pursue this baseless prosecution and others against people who are being targeted for exercising their freedom of expression. It’s time to stop.

Tell King Hamad of Bahrain: end the sham trials and drop baseless charges against the medics and other Bahrainis!

The Bahraini dictatorship targeted medics last year for treating wounded protestors and for telling the international media the truth about the regime’s violent crackdown. They joined other Bahrainis who were detained, tortured into false confessions, and subjected to sham trials for practicing their right to free expression and calling for democratic reforms. Military courts have sentenced many of them to between five and fifteen years in prison each.

Months after the Commission appointed by King Hamad issued its recommendations for reform, the monarchy continues its violent crackdown and sham trials. The anniversary of the start of Bahrain’s Arab Spring falls on February 14. If the Bahrain monarchy is truly serious about human rights reforms, it must stop the baseless prosecutions and drop charges against medics and peaceful protestors!

Tell King Al Khalifa to end the sham trials and show that his government is serious about human rights reforms.

Tags: Bahrain, brian dooley, defenders in Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Human Rights Defenders, Marc Climaco, Torture in Bahrain
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