Human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja faces reprisals in detention after protesting poor prison conditions

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One of Bahrain’smost prominent human rights defenders, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, who isserving a life sentence for his human rights work, has protested unfair prisonregulations. We, the undersigned, call for his release from prison, and barringthat, for improved standards in Jau prison.

Al-Khawaja is theFounder and Former President of both the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), as well as the former MENA Protection Coordinator for Front LineDefenders. He has been held in Jau prison, since his sentencing in 2011, alongwith other human rights defenders and activists including blogger Dr AbduljalilAl-Singace who collectively make up the Bahrain 13.

In the pastyear, Al-Khawaja and other prisoners of conscience have protested repeatedly aboutthe deteriorating conditions in prison, which mimic the general deteriorationof conditions in Bahrain for human rights defenders and civil society.

Since 16 October, all of the prisoners’ belongings have beenconfiscated, reportedly for the purposes of being searched. When Al-Khawaja andothers asked for the confiscated items to be returned, they were told “they arestill under investigation." On 10 November, the prison authorities restrictedall access to television, radio, books, and there are no independent newspapersavailable. Now, the only newspapers prisoners infrequently receive aregovernment-backed. In addition, family visits have been further restricted so thatprisoners are barely able to have a meaningful conversation. At the same time,all phone calls are closely monitored. Meanwhile, prisoners have also lost accessto pens or paper, and all daily activities have been cancelled.

This complete restriction from allindependent outside information, and increased restrictions on limited familycontact leaves the prisoners feeling completely cut off from the world whilefacing further constraint in their daily lives. These steps have reportedlycome at the direction of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior.

The undersigned are gravely concerned aboutAl-Khawaja’s claims that the main purpose of these restrictions is “primarilyan act of retribution and secondarily for the of isolation - what the authorities are doingis tantamount to psychological warfare.”

After he sent a letter tothe Ministry of Interior in November about the conditions in prison, Al-Khawajawas also denied the right to make any phone calls until 17 December, which the undersigned groups believe appears to be a reprisalagainst him for raising his complaint.

In Al-Khawaja’s letter tothe Ministry of Interior, he expressed that:

1. Even in oppressivecountries that arrest, torture and try people, the authorities do not come backafter six or seven years to retaliate against the prisoners who are essentiallybeing held hostage because of things happening outside the prison and evenoutside the country.

2. What is happening is nota sign of strength and courage, but rather evidence of weakness and fear. It isproof that the person in power is feeling unstable, and because he cannot facethe world he retaliates against people he's already holding hostage.

3. If you think that youractions will affect our determination and spirit, then you are committing a bigmistake. On the contrary, it only strengthens our will and makes us more intenton continuing down the path we've chosen because it reaffirms the righteousnessof our cause.

Al-Khawaja and the otherhigh profile activists and human rights defenders have sent many letters ofprotest about these and previous prison restrictions, including the denial ofmedication and proper access to healthcare. We the undersigned arealarmed at reports that restrictions to proper medical care are ongoing despitenumerous complaints by prisoners as well as international NGOs, the UnitedNations and other governments.

Yet every letter thedetainees send receives a response dismissing their complaints by contendingthat the prison authorities are acting "according to the regulations."

According to Bahrain’sprison rules, male prisoners have the right to two hours of family visits amonth (one hour bi-weekly) and a three-hour monthly visit for their spouses. Inaddition to violating their own prison rules, the government of Bahrain’streatment of Al-Khawaja is in violation of a number of international legalprinciples.

In particular,the prison authorities have failed to meet the standards set forth by theUnited Nations in the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners(known also as the Nelson Mandela Rules). Rule 43 states that collectivepunishment is prohibited as torture or cruel treatment, and that therestriction of family contact cannot be used as punishment and can only belimited as strictly necessary for maintenance and order of the prison.

Theinterference with family visits, the confiscation of paper and writinginstruments, and the revocation of phone use is in violation of Rule 58, whichprovides that prisoners are entitled to contact with their family, in writing,telecommunications, and in-person visits.

The removal ofthe television, radio, and newspapers is in violation of Rule 63, whichrequires that prisoners be informed regularly of important news items. Theconfiscation of books is also in violation of Rule 64, which states that everyprison should keep a library for the use of prisoners. Bahrain has failed tomeet each of these minimum standards.

The currentsituation in Bahrain is dire. Human rights defenders are in jail, banned fromtravel, are in exile or are being intimidated to prevent them from working.Many human rights defenders have been called for interrogation and some havebeen abused and tortured, leading to some even announcing their intention toquit their human rights work.

We theundersigned call on the authorities in Bahrain to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally free Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and other human rights defenders from prison;
2. Provide proper access to medical care and sanitary conditions in prison;
3. Allow Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and all prisoners proper access to families; and
4. Guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Bahrain are able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

Signed by:

Americans forDemocracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB)

Arabic Networkfor Human Rights Information (ANHRI)

Bahrain Centerfor Human Rights (BCHR)

BahrainInstitute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD)

Cairo Institutefor Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)

CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation

FIDH, under theObservatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders

Front LineDefenders

Gulf Centre forHuman Rights (GCHR)

InternationalService for Human Rights (ISHR)

PENInternational

WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT), under the Observatory for the Protection of HumanRights Defenders