17th March - Master script

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BAHRAIN: BREAKING THE SILENCE

 

البحرين: كسر الصمت

 

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TIME CODE

PIC REF

 

 

 

SOUND/SCRIPT 

 

 

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NEW PRE-TITLE

 

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Contemporary GVs Bahrain

COMM

 

Bahrain is one of the most secretive countries in the Middle East.[1]

البحرين هي واحدة من أكثر دول الشرق الأوسط سرية. 1

 And also one of the most repressive.[2]

ومن بين أكثرها قمعاً. 2

 

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EBTISAM SYNC RE TORTURE

 

He kicked me really hard in my stomach

so that I wet my pants

 في بادئ الأمر ركلني في بطني حتى أني لا شعورياً تبولت.

 

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 2020 Protests

COMM

 

 But protestors continue to defy the government…

and have once again taken to the streets.

 لكن المحتجين يواصلون تحدي الحكومة.. وقد خرجوا إلى الشوارع مرةً أخرى.

 

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EBTISAM ON STREET PROTEST ACTUALITY

We demand democracy…

نطالب بالديمقراطية...

 

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2020 Protests

 

COMM

 

The regime does not want these pictures to be seen…

Or these stories of abuse – never broadcast before - to be heard…

لا يريد النظام أن يرى العالم هذه الصور..

أو يسمع بقصص الانتهاكات هذه...

 

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NAJAH SYNC

 

I thought about jumping out of the window.

Would people know that I’d killed myself

because I was being sexually abused?

فكرت في القفز من الشباك. هل سيعرف الناس بأن نجاح انتحرت لأنها تعرضت للتحرش الجنسي والاعتداء؟

 

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BILL LAW SYNC

 

These women are enormously brave particularly … given that in these very conservative societies to talk about it.

هؤلاء النسوة يتمتعن بشجاعة هائلة.. خاصة وأنهن يتحدثن عن الاعتداء الجنسي في مجتمع محافظ جداً.

 

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COMM

The Kingdom says it ‘maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards human rights violations’.

 

In this film we investigate Bahrain’s human rights record - and ask whether the West’s support for the regime makes it complicit in the alleged abuses.

في هذا الفيلم، سنتقصى سجل انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان في البحرين -  ونتساءل ما إذا كان دعم الغرب للنظام يجعله متواطئاً في الانتهاكات المزعومة.

 

 

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SAYED AHMED SYNC

 

It’s been going on for 9 years…

And all this time the international community has remained silent

نحن نتحدث عن تسع سنوات مرت.

وسط صمت دولي.

 

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Title

 

BAHRAIN: BREAKING THE SILENCE

البحرين

كسر الصمت

 

 

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COMM

 

Millions of tourists visit the Kingdom of Bahrain each year.

يزور ملايين السياح مملكة البحرين كل عام.

 

They’re attracted by its shopping malls, its night life...and its passion for fast cars…[3]

تجذبهم مراكز التسوق.. حياة الليل.. والشغف بالسيارات السريعة.. 3

 

But we were not welcome.

لكن لم يكن مرحباً بنا.

 

We had to film these pictures secretly.

توجب علينا تصوير هذه اللقطات سراً.

 

We asked repeatedly for access and were denied it.

 رُفض طلبنا المتكرر للوصول.

Secret filming sync:

it’s ok man, we don’t have to seem suspicious

Even if they are coming, we tell them we are tourists.

 

 لا تقلق, ليس من الضروري ان نثير الشكوك حولنا

حتى وهم قادمون. نقول لهم اننا سياح

 

 

Nor are we alone.

 ولسنا الوحيدين.

 

Since the uprising of 2011, scores of other journalists have failed to get into the country, along with NGOs such as Amnesty and Human Rights Watch.[4]

 فمنذ انتفاضة 2011 ، أخفق مئات الصحفيين في دخول البلاد، إلى جانب المنظمات غير الحكومية ومنظمة العفو الدولية ومنظمة هيومان رايتس ووتش.4

 

UN Experts have made repeated requests, but they too have been shut out.[5]

تقدم خبراء الأمم المتحدة بعشرات الطلبات بشكل متكرر، ولكنها رُفضت أيضاً. 5

 

 

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ASTON:

BILL LAW, Gulf Analyst

NEW SYNC BILL LAW

 

 

The Bahrainis don’t particularly like critical examinations of what they’re doing

البحرينيون لا يحبون بشكل خاص التحقيقات التي تنتقد ما يقومون به.

as far as I any journalists who are deemed to be critical of the regime

وحس علمي فإن أي صحفيين ممن يُعتبرون منتقدين للنظام بأي شكل، لا يحصلون على إذن بدخول البلاد.

in any way whatsoever are not getting access

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TURKEY

 

COMM

 

Which helps explain why we’re in Turkey.

 وهذا ما يفسر لماذا نحن في تركيا.

We’ve come to meet the two women at the centre of our story – a pair of unlikely revolutionaries.

 جئنا للقاء امرأتين في صُلب موضوعنا ثائرتان غير متوقعتان، هما

Ebtisam al Saegh and Najah Yusuf.

إبتسام الصايغ ونجاح اليوسف.

 

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ACTUALITY

 

Oh yes…

 

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COMM:

 

They’re on holiday in Turkey – partly for the sights, but also to get away from the long arm of the Bahraini law.

 جاءتا لقضاء إجازة في تركيا للاستمتاع بمناظرها ولكن أيضاً هرباً من يد العدالة البحرينية الطويلة.

 

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ASTON:

 

Ebtisam al-Saegh, Human Rights Activist

SYNC EBTISAM

 

In my country, I don’t feel safe sleeping because of the raids

which happen in the middle of the night

I become traumatised at night

even now freedom of expression is banned

ad I hear painful stories of people inside prisons

لم أعد أستطيع الشعور بالراحة خلال النوم. دائماً ما تحدث الاقتحامات عند منتصف الليل. ذكرياتي تنشط مع الليل. حتى الآن هناك حجر على حرية التعبير أسمع أصواتاً من داخل السجن. قصص مؤلمة جداً .

 

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COMM

 

Before the Arab Uprising of 2011 both women enjoyed normal lives as housewives and mothers

قبل انتفاضة الربيع العربي في 2011 كانت المرأتان تعيشان حياةً عاديةً كربتي بيت وأمّين.

 

Since then both have spent time in jail and say they have suffered abuse…

ومنذ ذلك الحين، أمضت كلاهما فترات في السجن وتعرضتا لانتهاكات..

 

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Aston:

 

Najah Yusuf, Human Rights Activist

 

SYNC NAJAH YUSUF

 

I know Ebtisam because of her work on human rights

our suffering was the same .. this made us bond

I get strength from her.

 أعرف ابتسام بحكم عملها في الجانب الحقوقي. كانت معاناتنا واحدة مما جعلنا نكون سوية، فقد كنت أستمد القوة منها.

 

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SYNC EBTISAM

 

She told me about her story.

I told her this can’t remain untold.

My goal is that the torture rape and sexual harassment must stop

حدثتني بقصة ما تعرضت له

فأجبتها بأنه لا يمكن السكوت على ذلك.

لأن هدفي هو ضرورة أن يتوقف التعذيب ويتوقف الاغتصاب ويتوقف التحرش الجنسي.

 

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SYNC EBTISAM

 

When I go to any country in the world I feel at rest.

Going around without someone following you.

There is time to contemplate, to see that life is beautiful.

بالنسبة لي عندما أسافر إلى أي دولة في العالم، أشعر بالراحة قليلاً دون أن يلاحقني أحد.

وأرى الحياة جميلة.

 

 

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COMM

Our story begins in February 2011.

تبدأ قصتنا في فبراير/ شباط 2011.

 

Pro-democracy protestors were gathering at the capital’s Pearl Roundabout and Ebtisam went to see what was happening.

تجمع متظاهرون مؤيدون للديمقراطية في ساحة اللؤلؤة في العاصمة، فذهبت ابتسام لترى ما يحدث..

 

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SYNC EBTISAM:

 

There was anger from the people, they felt that someone had betrayed them.

كان هناك غضب شديد من المجتمع. شعروا بأن هناك من خدعهم.

 

And hearing stories about unemployment. There were many sad stories of Bahrainis who were suffering and no one knew about them.

 

كنت أسمع قصص العاطلين عن العمل. كانت هناك قصص مؤلمة كثيرة لبحرينيين يعانون الكثير ولا أحد يعرف عنهم.

 

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COMM

Najah Yusuf was also attracted to the pro-democracy protests.

إنجذبت نجاح يوسف هي الأخرى للاحتجاجات المؤيدة للديمقراطية.

 

Up till then, like Ebtisam, she’d never been in trouble with the Government.

 حتى ذلك الحين، لم تكن، كابتسام، لديها مشاكل مع الحكومة.

 

 

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NAJAH SYNC

 

There was a stage

The people were all gathered there

with  very simple demands

demanding reform

Bahrainis citizens seek a simple life

but because of poverty they couldn’t find a job easily. Wages are very low.

I felt that it was my duty to do whatever I could do for them.

If someone says, ''I want my rights.''

I say "I'm with you."

كانت هناك مرحلة، كان الناس متجمعين كلهم. رأيت أن مطالبهم بسيطة جداً. مطلبهم هو الإصلاح. حياة المواطن البحريني بسيطة جداً. بسبب الفقر الموجود، لا يستطيع الحصول على وظيفة بسهولة. الرواتب متدنية جداً. شعرت بأن من واجبي أن أقدم لهم أي شئ أستطيع تقديمه. أنا مع هذا الإنسان الذي يطالب بحقوقه.

 

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COMM

 

According to the Bahrain’s government’s own figures as many as a third of the country’s total population of just over a million took to the streets over the coming weeks.

Most were Shia, many of whom felt they were treated as second class citizens.[7]

And while Shia Muslims make up the majority of Bahrain’s population, the royal family, the Al-Khalifa, are Sunni.[8]

 وفقاً لارقام الحكومة البحرينية نفسها، فإن ما يصل إلى ثلث سكان البحرين البالغ عددهم أكثر من مليون بقليل،  خرجوا الى الشوارع في الأسابيع التالية.

كان معظمهم من الشيعة الذين شعر العديد منهم بأنهم يعاملون كمواطنين من الدرجة الثانية.7

وبينما يشكل الشيعة أغلبية سكان البحرين، إلا أن الأسرة المالكة، آل خليفة، سنية المذهب.

 

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SYNC BILL LAW

 

They were there asking for reform and of course the Shia has been discriminated against and many of the demonstrators in the beginning yes were Shia but by no means all. There were Sunnis engaged as well.

لقد خرجوا للمطالبة بالإصلاح، وطبعاً تعرض الشيعة للتمييز ضدهم وكان العديد من المتظاهرين في البداية من الشيعة ولكنهم لم يكونوا جميعاً كذلك فقد شارك سُنة أيضاً.

 

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COMM

 

In response, the regime tried to split the Shia and Sunni protestors.

 ورداً على ذلك، حاول النظام دق إسفين بين المتظاهرين الشيعة والسنة.

 

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BILL LAW SYNC

 

The way to break that up was to play the sectarian card was to say that this popular peaceful protests .. the Iranians were behind it.

طريقة كسر ذلك هو اللعب بورقة الطائفية والإدعاء بأن هذه الاحتجاجات الشعبية السلمية.. يقف وراءها الإيرانيون.

 

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Sayed was granted asylum in 2012

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COMM

CAPTION: LONDON, 2020 

لندن،2020

 

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei lives here as a political refugee.

He considers the revolution in Bahrain to be unfinished.

سيد أحمد الوداعي يعيش هنا كلاجئ سياسي.

وهو يعتبر الثورة في البحرين غير مكتملة.

 

 

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 ASTON:

 

 

 

 

Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei,

Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAYED SYNC

 They own and control all of the resources of the country.

When I was 18 I was allowed by the ministry of education to leave the country to study because I was one of Bahrain’s best students and I started my educational journey in the Univ of Brighton and graduated in a degree in electronic engineering.

تملك وتحكم وكل المقدرات بيدها.

في سن الثامنة عشرة تقريباً حصلت على بعثة من وزارة التربية والتعليم لكوني كنت من أفضل طلبة البحرين. بدأت مشوار الدراسة في جامعة برايتن. وتخرجت متخصصاً في هندسة الإتصالات والإلكترونيات. عملت بعدها لعام تقريباً في بريطانيا وبعدها في نهاية أو منتصف 2010 عدت إلى البحرين.

 

I worked in Britain for a year and then in 2010 I returned to Bahrain.

 

 

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COMM

 

The following year, when the Arab Spring reached Bahrain, Sayed was ready to join in.

 في العام التالي، عندما وصل الربيع العربي إلى البحرين، كان سيد مستعداً للانضمام إليه.

 

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SYNC SAYED

 

I spent months trying to find a job. And it was difficult for me to find one.  I was facing challenges Because without a connection it’s rare to find one.

أمضيت أشهراً أبحث عن وظيفة. واجهت تحديات واضحة، الجزء الرئيسي منها هو عند عدم وجود واسطة تكون الأمور صعبة.

 

I was one of those who was really excited for change in Bahrain so I participated in the protests.

وقد كنت واحداً من الشباب المتحمسين جداً للتغيير في البحرين فشاركت في التظاهر.

 

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COMM

 

But the protestors’ euphoria didn’t last long.

لكن نشوة المتظاهرين لم تدم طويلاً.

 

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COMM

 

The Bahrain government’s powerful Sunni neighbour, Saudi Arabia, helped put down the largely Shia uprising.[9]

 ساعدت السعودية، جارة البحرين السنية القوية،  الحكومة البحرينية في إخماد الانتفاضة ذات الغالبية الشيعية.

 

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SAYED SYNC

 

They started shooting teargas. At the time I was sleeping in one of the tents at the roundabout. I was stopped by the riot forces and beaten up.

بدأت بإطلاق الغاز المسيل للدموع. كنت آنذاك نائماً في إحدى الخيام في الساحة. هجمت علي قوات الشغب وتم ضربي بوحشية، وحتى الآن هناك أثر على جبيني هو نتيجة الضرب الذي تعرضت له.

 

 

This scar on my head is from the beating I received. I ran home and blood was all over my face and it was shocking

بعدها عندما عدت الى البيت كان الدم يغطي وجهي. كان الأمر مرعباً بصراحة.

 

 

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EBTISAM SYNC

 

A state of emergency was ordered in Bahrain[10]

الناس في حالة رعب. أعلنت حالة الطوارئ في البحرين. 10

 

 

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COMM

 

On the 18th March, the focal point of the rebellion, Pearl Roundabout, was destroyed.[11]

في 18 مارس/ اذار ، تم هدم ميدان اللؤلؤة الذي كان يشكل النقطة المحورية للتمرد. 11

And the prisons were quickly filling up with activists.[13]

وسرعان ما امتلأت السجون بالنشطاء. 13

 

 

 

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COMM:

Syed Ahmed, however, had continued to defy the regime.

لكن سيد أحمد واصل تحديه للنظام.

 

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ACTUALITY SAYED ON STAGE…

 

So we have Sayed Ahmed Al-Wadaei

who was here on the 17th and witnessed the attack first hand

You have some photos to show

 

Sayed Ahmed: I kept them on my mobile phone

 

 

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SAYED SYNC

 

I was one of the first persons  to be arrested

I was kept in the detention centre for 28 days

where I faced some nasty torture

أنا من أوائل الأشخاص الذين تم اعتقالهم.

أمضيت في مركز الاحتجاز 28 يوماً.

تعرضت فيه الى تعذيب بشع جداً.

 

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BBC NEWS HEADLINES

 

The opening grand prix of the Formula 1 session which was due to be held in Bahrain next month has been cancelled

تم إلغاء افتتاح سباق الجائزة الكبرى للفورميلوا واحد والذي كان مقرراً أن يجرى في البحرين الشهر المقبل.

 

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COMM

 

Instead of holding the Grand Prix, Bahrain’s international circuit was turned into a practice track.[14]This was the moment when the world sat up and took notice.

Internationally, it was an embarrassment.

بدلاً من إقامة سباق الجائزة الكبرى، تم تحويل حلبة البحرين الدولية إلى ميدان للتدريب. 14

كانت تلك اللحظة التي انتبه فيها العالم.

كان ذلك محرجاً على الصعيد الدولي.

 

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BILL LAW SYNC

 

The Formula 1 has been there for several years .. they loved it. it was a big big platform and people just had a very good time.

كان سباق الفورميولا واحد يجري هناك منذ سنوات عدة.. لقد أحبوه .. كان حدثاً كبيراً استمتع الناس به. واستطاع النظام تقديم صورة عن الحياة الطبيعية وكان الفورميولا واحد مفيداً جداً في ذلك بأن كل شئ على ما يرام.

 

The regime was able to project this image of normality and therefore Formula 1 was very useful for that because things are OK.

 

 

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BICI report was Nov 2011

http://www.bici.org.bh/BICIreportEN.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

After the uprising,[15] the Bahraini government launched an Independent Commission of Inquiry.[16] It was made up of international experts.[17] 

بعد الانتفاضة15، شكلت الحكومة البحرينية لجنة مستقلة للتحقيق16 تألفت من خبراء دوليين

 

 

 

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BILL LAW SYNC

 

There was international pressure brought to bear on Bahrain. Principally from the Americans, partly from the UK.

Really a first in the Middle East.

 تعرضت البحرين إلى ضغوط دولية، بالدرجة الأساسية من الأمريكان، وبشكل جزئي من المملكة المتحدة، كان الأول من نوعه في الشرق الأوسط.

 

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BICI NEWS CONFERENCE

NOV 2011

COMM

 

 

In November 2011 the Commission issued a damning report:[19]

في نوفمبر / تشرين الثاني 2011 أصدرت اللجنة تقرير إدانة:19

 

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 Prof. Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni

 

Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI)

ACTUALITY

 

Our investigation revealed that many detainees were tortured and abused – whether physically or psychologically – inside detention centres.

 

And threatened with rape.

أثبتت تحقيقات اللجنة تعرض الكثير من الموقوفين للتعذيب ولأشكال أخرى من الانتهاكات البدنية والنفسية داخل محبسهم والتهديد بالاغتصاب ..

 

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COMM

 

The Commission said the Iranians had played no discernible role in the uprising.[20]

ذكرت اللجنة أن الإيرانيين لم يلعبوا دوراً واضحاً في الانتفاضة.20

 

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BILL LAW SYNC

 

They made 26 recommendations.[21] The key ones were about reforming the police and the security services.

قدموا 26 توصية. 21 تعلقت الأهم منها بإصلاح الشرطة وخدمات الأمن.

 

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COMM

 

The Bahrain government accepted the report and promised to address its concerns. They said they’d set up an ombudsman to investigate future human rights complaints.[22]

 قبلت الحكومة الحكومة البحرينية بما جاء في تقرير تحقيق اللجنة المستقلة ووعدت باتخاذ اجراءات تجاه المخاوف التي وردت فيه بما في ذلك إنشاء أمانة مستقلة للمظالم للتحقيق في الشكاوى المتعلقة بحقوق الإنسان في المستقبل.22 

 

But some close observers remained skeptical.[23]

لكن الشكوك بقيت تساور بعض المراقبين.23

 

 

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BILL LAW SYNC CONTINUED

 

What the report served to do was simply to enable the government to create a facade behind which they carried out their repressive regime.

ما فعله التقرير ببساطة هو تمكين الحكومة من خلق واجهة تمارس خلفها نظامها القمعي.

 

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COMM

 

Over the following years, the protests were largely driven underground – or abroad.

 في السنوات التالية، دُفعت معظم الاحتجاجات إلى أن تجري سراً أو خارج البلاد.

 

In 2012,[1] Britain granted political asylum to Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei.

في 2015 منحت بريطانيا سيد أحمد الوداعي اللجوء السياسي وأسس معهد البحرين للحقوق والديمقراطية، لفضح سجل النظام لحقوق الإنسان. 25

 

Sayed had spent six months in prison in Bahrain, charged with attending an illegal gathering.

The charges were later overturned, and he moved to London and set up the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, BIRD, to expose the regime’s human rights record.[25]

 

When the Bahrain royal family came to events like this horse show at Windsor, he put on disruptive stunts.

وعندما جاءت العائلة المالكة البحرينية لحضور مناسبات كسباق الخيل هذا في ويندزور، فإنه قام بأعمال للتشويش.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SYNC SAYED AHMED:

 

Even now I am in Britain, my continued activism is disturbing to the regime.

حتى تواجدي في بريطانيا واستمرار نشاطي كان مزعجاً بالنسبة للنظام.

 

ACTUALITY CROWDS AT DOWNING STREET

 

So when the procession came to 10 Downing street to meet with the Prime Minister I was one of these who took part in the protest[26]

فعندما كان موكب الملك يدخل إلى 10 داوننغ ستريت لمقابلة رئيسة الوزراء كنت من بين الأشخاص الذين شاركوا في الاحتجاج 26

 

I threw myself on his car and was stopped by the police

رميت نفسي على سيارته وتم إيقافي من قبل الشرطة.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM:

 

Sayed Ahmed may have been physically safe in the UK, but he couldn’t escape the reach of the regime.

ربما كان سيد أحمد كان آمناً بدنياً في بريطانيا، لكنه لم يسلم من ملاحقة النظام.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

This happened in 2015

 

 

SYNC SAYED AHMED

 

I found out suddenly through a statement that appeared for the Bahrain news agency that 72 people had their citizenship revoked and when I looked I saw my name there.[30]

علمت فجأة من خلال بيان صدر في موقع وكالة أنباء البحرين ، الموقع الرسمي للدولة بسحب الجنسية من 72 شخصاً.

 

The accusations were not clear - implying that I had acted against the interest of the state. It meant I had no other nationality from that day till today.

عند قراءتي للأسماء، وجدت اسمي. التهم كانت فضفاضة جداً وليس فيها شيئاً واضحاً. تهم بأن أفراداً قاموا بأشياء مخالفة لمصالح الدولة. لم تكن لي جنسية أخرى وهذا معناه أنني منذ ذلك اليوم وحتى الآن أنا شخص عديم الجنسية.

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMM –

 

After the 2011 uprising, Bahrain had changed its citizenship laws.

في أعقاب انتفاضة 2011، غيرت البحرين القوانين الخاصة بمنح الجنسية.

As a result…[31]nearly a thousand Bahrainis were stripped of their citizenship.

 ونتيجة لذلك... 31 تم سحب الجنسية من نحو ألف بحريني.

 

They were said to have been serving “a hostile state” or damaging the “interests of the Kingdom.”[32]

وقيل بأنهم كانوا يخدمون "دولة معادية" أو إلحاق أضرار"بمصالح المملكة".32

 

  1.  

 

 

SYNC BILL LAW

 

It means that you don’t have access to health care, you are not going to get a scholarship for your children. you are not going to get a job, you are basically thrown on the resources you have and your bank account might be frozen. it is all kinds of things ...all kinds of ways which as a stateless person.. your life will be very miserable and very very difficult.

هذا يعني أنك لا تستيطع التمتع بالرعاية الصحية ولن تحصل على زمالة دراسية لأطفالك، ولن تحصل على وظيفة وعليك الاعتماد على ما لديك من موارد وقد يتم تجميد حسابك المصرفي. كل هذه الأشياء.. كل هذه الطرق التي تجعل حياتك كشخص عديم الجنسية بائسة جداً وصعبة للغاية.

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

The Government of Bahrain told the BBC:

 

“All those individuals whose citizenship was previously revoked and who are physically in Bahrain have had their citizenship restored.”

 

COMM

Britain has remained a loyal ally of Bahrain.

طوال كل ذلك بقيت بريطانيا حليفاً  مخلصاً للبحرين.

 

It’s a relationship that goes back decades. Bahrain was a British colonial protectorate until 1971.[33]

إنها علاقة تعود إلى عشرات السنين، حيث كانت البحرين محمية بريطانية حتى العام 1971. 33

 

The two Royal Families have long been close.

وتربط بين العائلتين المالكتين أواصر قوية منذ أمد طويل.

 

Since the uprising of 2011 the British taxpayer has supported the Bahrain authorities by funding a range of projects, among them police training programmes in Northern Ireland.[34]

منذ انتفاضة 2011، دعم دافعو الضرائب البريطانيون السلطات البحرينية من خلال تمويل مجموعة من المشاريع، من بينها برامج لتدريب الشرطة في إيرلندا الشمالية. 34

 

  1.  

 

 ASTON: Lord Scriven, Member of the House of Lords

 

 

SYNC LORD SCRIVEN

 

Why is it that over the past 6 years Bahrain has had about 6.5 million pounds of taxpayers’ money?

لماذا في السنوات الست الماضية تلقت البحرين 6.5 مليون جنيه استرليني من أموال دافعي الضرائب؟

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

 

Paul Scriven sits as a Liberal Democrat in the House of Lords. He’s long felt that Britain’s relations with Bahrain are too close.

اللورد سكريفن عضو في مجلس اللوردات عن حزب الديمقراطيين الأحرار، ولوقت طويل شعر بأن علاقات بريطانيا مع البحرين أقوى مما يجب.

 

  1.  

 

 

SCRIVEN SYNC

 

It gives Bahrain a fig leaf of respectability and a shield that is hiding human rights abuses.

يوفر هذا للبحرين ورقة توت من الاحترام ودرعاً يخفي وراءه انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان.

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

.

COMM

 

In 2017, Donald Trump’s arrival as US president came as good news for Bahrain.

في 2017، كان وصول دونالد ترامب لرئاسة الولايات المتحدة خبراً جيداً للبحرين.

 

ACTUALITY Trump:

“Together we will determine the course of America, and the world, for many, many years to come.” 

 

COMM

Trump was hostile towards Iran,[35] which was covertly supporting elements of the opposition in Bahrain.[36]

كان ترامب عدوانياً تجاه إيران35 ، التي كانت بحلول ذلك الوقت تدعم المعارضة في البحرين سراً. 36

 

ACTUALITY Trump

 

  “So it’s a great honour to have you and your representatives here. Crown Prince, thank you very much.”

كما دعم الرئيس الأمريكي خصم إيران اللدود، السعودية، وهي مدافع قوي عن النظام البحريني. 37

 

 

And the US president supported Iran’s great rival, Saudi Arabia, itself a staunch defender of the Bahrain regime.[37]

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

BILL LAW SYNC

 

the signal was very clear … get on… do what you want.. behave with impunity.. we are not watching you anymore. It doesn’t matter.

وكانت الإشارة واضحة جداً.. إستمروا... إفعلوا ما تريدون.. تصرفوا بدون رادع.. فنحن لن نراقبكم بعد الآن. لا يهم. 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

Soon protests in Bahrain were gaining fresh momentum.

 سرعان ما بدأت الاحتجاجات في البحرين تكتسب زخماً جديداً.

 

That January, three protestors had been put to death by firing squad, the first such state executions since before the uprising.[38]

ففي يناير/كانون الثاني، تم إعدام ثلاثة محتجين رمياً بالرصاص، وهي أول إعدامات تقوم بها الدولة منذ ما قبل الانتفاضة. 38

 

They had been found guilty in what the government of Bahrain describe as “fair trials”.

أدينوا بقتل ثلاثة رجال شرطة في هجوم بالقنابل. 39

 

of killing 3 police officers in a bomb attack.[39]

 

Their supporters claimed the confessions were extracted under torture.[40]

وادعى مؤيدوهم بأن الاعترافات انتزعت منهم تحت التعذيب. 40

 

Now, with the Grand Prix once again coming to town, activists like Najah Yusuf expressed their protests by using social media to post against Formula 1.

الآن، ومع عودة سباق الجائزة الكبرى إلى المدينة مرةً أخرى، يستخدم نشطاء مثل نجاح يوسف،  هاشتاغ الفورميولا واحد على تويتر كمنبر للتعبير عن احتجاجاتهم.

عبر نشطاء مثل نجاح يوسف عن احجاجاتهم باستخدام وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي لنشر كتابات ضد فورميولا 1.

 

  1.  

 

 

SYNC NAJAH:

 

There was a hashtag being used for the F1 race.

 

“No No to formula one and Formula blood”.

 

There was an excessive crack down.

There were arrests.

There were death sentences.

 

My cousin Mohammed Radhi was sentenced to death

during the run-up to the Formula One.[41]

كلا لقيام سباق الفورميولا واحد. كان هناك هاشتاغ كلا كلا للفورميولا وفورميولا الدم.

هناك قمع مفرط، هناك اعتقالات، هناك أحكام بالإعدام.

إبن خالتي محمد رضي محكوم بالإعدام وكان ذلك في فترة إجراء سباق الفورميولا واحد على أرض البحرين.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM:

 

A week after the Grand Prix, the Bahraini authorities spotted Najah’s social media activities.[42]

بعد أسبوع من سباق الجائزة الكبرى، رصدت السلطات البحرينية نشاطات نجاح على وسائط التواصل الاجتماعي.42

 

  1.  

 

 

SYNC NAJAH:

 

I received a call from the police station in Muharraq

جاءني اتصال من المجمع الأمني في المحرق.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

Najah thought the authorities were after her activist son. In fact, she was their target.

ظنت نجاح أن السلطات كانت تبحث عن ابنها الناشط ولكنها في الحقيقة كانت هي هدفهم الرئيسي.

 

She was summoned[43] to the Muharraq security complex and questioned by men she believes were from the National Security Agency.[44]

أُخذت 43 إلى المجمع الامني في المحرق حيث استجوبها رجال تعتقد بأنهم كانوا من جهاز الأمن الوطني. 44

 

  1.  

 

OPTIONAL CUT BOX 82

NAJAH SYNC

 

He told me to unlock my phone willingly or he will force me to do it..

I was scared.

Because my son was here with me in the same complex

and I have another son who had been arrested.

So I opened the phone with him looking over my shoulders and took it

 

then he suggested to me that I work with them.

I knew they want me to spy for them

I went home

I was mentally tired  

and now what

Do I work as a spy?

On my family?

My people?

My friends?

No

Impossible

 

the next day I went to the security complex[45]

he asked me what my decision was?

إفتحي هاتفك وإلا سنجبرك على ذلك.

شعرت بالخوف لأن ابني كان معي في نفس المجمع ولدي إبن آخر كان معتقلاً.

فتحت الهاتف وكان واقفاً يراقبني، وأخذه.

الذي حدث بعدها أنه عرض علي  أن أعمل معهم.

هذا معناه أنهم يريدونني أن أعمل معهم كمخبرة سرية.

عدت الى البيت. كنت مرهقة نفسياً. فكيف أعمل معهم كمخبرة سرية؟ على من؟ على أهلي وشعبي؟ كلا. مستحيل.

في اليوم التالي ذهبت إلى المجمع. سألني الرائد عن رأيي في الموضوع فأجبته بأنني لن أعمل معهم. قال لي: هل تعرفين ماذا سنفعل لك؟ هددني بأني سيفتعل أي حادث لكي يقتل أبنائي.

 

I said I won’t work with you

He said do you know what we are going to do with you

He was threatening to fake an accident that will kill my children

 

  1.  

 

 Need to be translated

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

This is the first time that Najah has told her story on TV.

 هذه هي المرة الأولى التي تروي فيها نجاح قصتها لمحطة تلفزيونية.

 

We can’t independently verify her allegations.

لا يمكننا التحقق بشكل مستقل من ادعاءات نجاح.

 

But they’re consistent with testimony given by others to the Bahrain Independent Commission and subsequently to international human rights charities and the United Nations.[46]

ولكنها تتطابق مع شهادات أدلى بها آخرون إلى الجنة البحرينية المستقلة  ثم إلى جمعيات حوق الإنسان العالمية الخيرية والأمم المتحدة

 

 

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NAJAH SYNC continues

 

so the first thing he did was hitting me on the head

I started seeing darkness

He was hitting as hard as he could

I was screaming

and then he sat me down on a chair

and he started to harrass me

to sexually harass me[47]

I thought this can’t be true what is happening to me

I told them I want to go to the washroom

as I went to the washroom, i was screaming

I am in the hands of those who don’t have mercy

أول شئ فعله هو أنه ضربني على رأسي.

بدأت أرى ما حولي مظلماً

واصل الضرب بكل قوته

كنت أصرخ

بعدها أجلسني على كرسي

وبدأ يتحرش.. إعتدى علي جنسياً

لم أصدق هذا الواقع وأن هذا ما يحدث لي

طلبت منهم الذهاب إلى الحمام

كنت أصرخ في الحمام، أنا في يد من لا يرحم

 

[NAJAH STARTS CRYING]

 

I felt like I was a weak person

I feel weakness, insulted, humiliated

instead of a woman in an islamic society

I thought of jumping out of the window

but no

It would be replacing one type of hell with another

would people know that she killed herself

because she was sexually harassed, abused and insulted

شعرت بأنني إنسانة ضعيفة

شعرت بالضعف والإهانة والإذلال

أنا إمرأة في مجتمع إسلامي

فكرت في أن ألقي بنفسي من النافذة

ولكن كلا. هذا هروب من الجحيم إلى الجحيم.

هل سيعلمون بأن نجاح ماتت لأنها تعرضت للتحرش الجنسي والاعتداء الجنسي والاهانة والاذلال؟

 

[NAJAH CRIES AGAIN]

 

The interrogator was there with others

 threatening me with rape and he brought someone wokring in the reception

he threatened me saying this person will assault you

in front of all of us here

all these people are witnessing my situation

and they are watching calmly, laughing and smiling

enjoying watching me suffer

it was something that gave them pleasure

المحقق كان موجوداً مع بضعة أشخاص

هددني بالاغتصاب وأحضر رجلاً كان يعمل في الاستقبال

وهددني بأن يعتدي هذا الرجل علي

ونحن جميعا موجودون وأمامنا جميعاً

كان الجالسون ينظرون بشكل عادي ويبتسمون

كانوا يتلذذون عندما يرونني أتعذب

كان شيئاً يمنحهم لذة

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

check date

COMM

 

Najah was to serve a further two years in jail[48]

for “inciting terrorism”,  a charge she denies.

أمضت نجاح عامين آخرين في السجن.

 

Each week, she was allowed to use the phone for 30 minutes.[49]

كان يُسمح لها كل أسبوع باستخدام الهاتف لثلاثين دقيقة.

 

On 8 July 2017, within weeks of the alleged abuse, she called Sayed Ahmed in London.

في 8 يوليو/تموز 2017، في غضون أسابيع من الانتهاكات المزعومة، اتصلت بسيد أحمد في لندن.

 

  1.  

 

 

 

SYNC SAYED

 

The hardest moment that I had as a man was when Najah talked to me about what she went through.

من أصعب اللحظات التي مرت علي كرجل كانت عندما بدأت نجاح تتكلم معي عن بشاعة ما تعرضت له.

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACTUALITY FROM PHONE CALL

 

Najah: I am nervous to speak about it.

أخجل من الكلام عن هذا الموضوع.

 

Sayed: You need to speak out because if you don’t I can’t help you

يجب أن تتكلمي وإذا لم تخبريني الآن فلن نستطيع مساعدتك

 

Najah: He put his hands in…

أدخل يده..

 

  1.  

 

 

SYNC SAYED

It was one of the most difficult phone calls that I’d received

أنا كشخص، كانت من أصعب الاتصالات التي تلقيتها.

 

  1.  

 

 

ACTUALITY

 

Najah: He was saying, “how many times have men ridden you?”…and he would put the interrogator on speaker phone and would say to me “I want to ride you”.

كان يقول كم رجلاً ركبك؟. . وكان يتصل بالمحقق ويضع الهاتف على الحاكي وكان يقول سآتي وأركبك.

 

Sayed: While he was saying this did he already have his hand?

وبعد أن كان يقول ذلك كان يضع يده عليك؟

 

 

Najah: Yes he was already touching me.

I kept trying to pull my clothes down to cover me

 نعم، كان يضع يده كثيراً

كنت أحاول المسك بثيابي لكي لا يزيحها عني.

 

  1.  

 

 

SYNC SAYED

The nature of the attack was so violent that it destroys the dignity of the person

كانت الوحشية مؤلمة جداً لأنها تمس كرامة وعفة الإنسان.

 

  1.  

 

 

ACTUALITY

 

Sayed: Did you scream? Tell him to stop?

هل صرخت وطلبت منه التوقف؟

 

Najah: Yes.

نعم

 

  1.  

 

 

 

COMM

 

By now, Ebtisam Al Saegh had also emerged as a vocal critic of the regime. She had a large following on social media.

 بحلول ذلك الوقت، أصبحت إبتسام منتقدة بارزة للنظام وتحظى بمتابعة كبيرة على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي.

 

In May 2017 she was called in for questioning – at the same Muharraq Security Complex where her friend Najah had been held.[50]

في مايو/أيار 2017 إستُدعيت للاستجواب في نفس المجمع الامني في المحرق الذي كانت صديقتها نجاح محتجزة محتجزة.

 

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SYNC EBTISAM:

 

This was scary and frightening for me.

The interrogation rooms were very scary.

 

Imagine yourself in a dark room

unable to recognise people because it was so dark

They were 5 to 6 men

 

with questions coming from many people;

 

Two of them close to me... I could feel the heat from their breath by my ear

 

and the other was standing behind me.

كان أمراً متعباً ومخيفاً بالنسبة لي. غرفة التحقيق كانت مرعبة جداً. مرعب أن تكون في غرفة مظلمة ولا ترى الأشخاص الموجودين ولا ترى ملامحهم.

كانوا خمسة أو ستة أشخاص وتأتي الأسئلة من عدة أشخاص ، أصواتهم بعيدة ومتتالية.ثم يقترب منك اثنان، احدهما بالقرب من أذنك لدرجة أنني كنت أشعر بحرارة نفسه، كان قريباً جداً مني  والآخر كان قريباً، واقفاً خلف ظهري.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

  

We can’t independently verify her testimony either.

 لا يمكننا التحقق بشكل مستقل من شهادة ابتسام أيضاً.

 

But it is consistent with what has been reported to international bodies.[51]

 ولكنها تتوافق مع ما تم إبلاغه للهيئات العالمية.

 

  1.  

 

 

SYNC EBTISAM:

 

It was a scary situation for a woman.

 

Any woman around the world would feel degraded when their personal space was invaded

 

It is even harder for Muslim hijabi woman

 

men are supposed to respect us in Muslim society.

كانت الضروف بالنسبة لنا كنساء، مرعبة ومخيفة.

المرأة اليوم تشعر بأن كرامتها تُسحق عندما يتم التلاعب بخصوصياتها فما بالك بامرأة مسلمة ومحجبة تتوقع مراعاة طبيعة مجتمعاتنا الإسلامية.

 

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 CUT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SYNC EBTISAM:

 

I was taken to a dark room

 تم أخذي الى غرفة مظلمة

 

someone was beating me on my head.

 تم ضربي على رأسي

 

They sat me down and one of them took a black blindfold and put it on me

 بعدها أجلسوني وبعدها أخذ أحدهم عصابة خاصة للعين سوداء اللون وأغلق عيني

 

Then he started yelling questions and punching and beating me.

بدأ يسألني أسئلة وهو يصرخ ويضرب

 

He kicked me

 ويلكم

he kicked me really hard in my stomach

so that I wet my pants

 في إحدى المرات ركلني في بادئ الأمر ركلني في بطني حتى أنن لا شعورياً تبولت من قوة الضرب على بطني.

 I asked him” Does the king of Bahrain know what is happening in this room?
فكنت أخبره هل يدرك ملك البحرين ما يحدث في هذه الغرفة؟

 

 

He punched me again in my face

 بمزيد من اللكمات ضربني في وجهي

 

he ordered me to stand and open my legs

طلب مني الوقوف وفتح رجلي

 

someone held my hands from behind my back

أمسك يدي من الخلف ورفعها الى الأعلى

 

He started touching me while I was clothed and that was the first stage

بدأ يلمسني وأنا بملابسي في بادئ الأمر

 

I said stop.. you are assaulting me sexually and this is not allowed

فكنت أقول له: توقف، أنت تتحرش بي جنسياً وهذا غير مقبول قانونياً

it is illegal and inhumane

ولا إنسانياً ولا حتى في أعرافنا ولا في ديننا.. توفف.

 

it is not part of our religion.. stop!

 لم يتوقف. كان يحاول أكثر وأكثر

 

but he didn’t stop and carried on more and more

طلب مني أن أذكر له أسماء من كانوا يعملون في حقوق الإنسان

 

he asked me to reveal the names of the human rights activists

وهدد بأنه يستطيع أن يفعل بهم ما يشاء

 

he said he could do whatever he wanted

وقال: نحن حتى الله وضعناه في درج وأقفلنا عليه الباب

 

even allah we put him in the drawer and lock him inside ???

قلت له أنا لا أعرف شيئاً

 

i said I don’t know anything

بدأ بإنزال سروالي وبدأ يتحرش بي جنسياً بإصبعه

 

he took my pants down and started assaulting me with his finger

ويطلب من الذي خلفه أن يتحرش بي من الخلف

 

and telling the guy from behind me to assault me from the back

فانهرت وسقطت على الأرض

 

I fainted and collapsed to the ground

كانت أطول ساعات حياتي

 

they were the longest hours of my life

وكنت في حالة انهيار.

 

I was broken down.

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

Inside Muharraq Security Complex, Ebtisam was allegedly being tortured and raped.

 داخل المجمع الامني في المحرق، كانت إبتسام تُعذب وتُغتصب كما ادعت.

 

Outside, her husband was waiting for her.

 في الخارج، كان زوجها ينتظرها.

 

It was the first night of the holy month of Ramadan and he wanted to take her home to break the fast.[52]

 كان ذلك في اليوم الأول من شهر رمضان، وأراد أخذها إلى المنزل لتناول الإفطار.52

 

  1.  

 

 

SYNC EBTISAM:

 

They told me, your stupid husband

 

he is standing there with a sandwich for you

 

We can see him waiting on CCTV

 

he continued to sexually assault me.

 

I wished to die.

قالوا لي: الغبي زوجك أحضر لك سندويجاً وهو يظهر في كاميرا مراقبتنا أنه يقف عند الباب.

واستمر في التحرش بي جنسياً

في لحظات، تمنيت الموت

 

 

  1.  

 

 

It was a 7 hour interrogation. See OCHR and ADHRB

 

COMM

 

After seven hours Ebtisam was released.

بعد سبع ساعات، أطلق سراح ابتسام.

 

  1.  

 

 

SYNC EBTISAM:

 

When my husband touched me I fell to the ground - unable to walk and I was screaming with hysteria

لمسني زوجي حتى سقطت على الأرض ولم أتمكن من المشي وكنت أصرخ في حالة هستيرية.

 

  1.  

 

 

BILL LAW SYNC

 

These women are being enormously brave in these very conservative societies to talk about sexual assault.

هاتان المرأتان شجاعتان بشكل هائل عندما تتحدثان في التعرض لاعتداء جنسي... مع الأخذ بنظر الاعتبار طبيعة المجتمع المحافظة جداً.

It’s hugely difficult.

They have enormous courage to speak out and publicly tell what happened to them when they were held in prisons in Bahrain.

 لديهما شجاعة هائلة للتحدث علانية وإبلاغ الناس عما حدث لهما عندما تم اعتقالهما في سجون البحرين.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

This is Muharraq security complex ,[53] where the alleged torture of both women had taken place.

 

 

هذا هو المجمع الامني في المحرق، 53 الذي جرى فيه التعذيب المزعوم للمرأتين. وكان يدار من قبل العميد طارق الحسن. 54

 

It was under the authority of Bahrain’s Chief of Public Security – Major General Tariq al-Hassan.[2]

وكان قد أرسل الى ايرلندا الشمالية للتدريب قبلها بعامين كعضو في وفد الشرطة البحرينية.55

 

In a written statement to the BBC, the Major General said:

 

“No evidence was found that proved any wrongdoing had occurred...I entirely condemn all forms of mistreatment and abuse of authority…”

 

Three years earlier, at British taxpayers’ expense, General al-Hassan had visited Northern Ireland ‘to observe and discuss the range of reforms to policing’ being undertaken there.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

COM

 

Then in 2017 Tariq al-Hassan accompanied the Bahraini Crown Prince as part of a delegation to the United States.[57]

 في 2017 رافق طارق الحسن ولي عهد البحرين ضمن وفد الى الولايات المتحدة.57

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACTUALITY:

 

Trump:

 لدينا تبادل تبادل تجاري كبير. لقد اشتروا اشياء كثيرة. سمعت بأن الرقم هو تسعة مليارات دولار . هذه زيارة رائعة جداً ونحن نقدرها.

لقد ربطتنا علاقة طويلة الأمد وعلاقة رائعة وستمضي نحو الأفضل فقط.

 

We’re doing a lot of business. I heard nine billion dollars is thrown about. That’s a very nice trip and we appreciate it. We’ve had a long relationship and a great relationship and it will only get better.

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

While Ebtisam and Najah were in prison, Sayed Ahmed wrote to the British Foreign Office to report their allegations of abuse.[58]

بينما كانت ابتسام ونجاح في السجن، كتب سيد أحمد الى وزارة الخارجية البريطانية لإبلاغها بالانتهاكات المزعومة التي تعرضتا لها.

 

In response, the FCO said:

 ردت وزارة الخارجية  بما يلي:

 

The British Embassy in Bahrain is seeking further information from the authorities concerning the details of these cases. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments.”

"السفارة البريطانية في البحرين تسعى للحصول على المزيد من المعلومات من السلطات في ما يتعلق بتفاصيل هاتين الحالتين. تواصل المملكة المتحدة تشجيعها لحكومة البحرين للوفاء بالتزاماتها الدولية والداخلية المتعلقة بحقوق الإنسان".

 

No further action was taken.[59]

لم يتم اتخاذ اي إجراء آخر.

 

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NEW COMM

 

The UN was campaigning on behalf of the women too.

كانت الأمم المتحدة أيضاً تقوم بحملات لصالح المرأتين.

 

وكتبت إلى الحكومة بشأن مزاعم التعذيب. وناشدت البحرينيين من أجل:

 

They wrote to the government about the allegations of torture. They appealed to the Bahrainis to:

 

"إتخاذ كافة الإجراءات لوضع نهاية فورية للانتهاكات المزعومة، لضمان سلامة السيدة الصائغ بدنياً ونفسياً والحيلولة دون تكرارها".

 

 

“take all necessary measures to put an immediate halt to the alleged violations, to ensure the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Alsaegh and to prevent their re-occurrence.”

 

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

Pause

 

Ebtisam Al Saegh was charged with ‘using human rights work as a cover to … provide... information and fake news about...Bahrain to undermine its status abroad…’

أطلق سراح ابتسام الصائغ في النهاية بعد اعتقالها لثلاثة أشهر.

 

 After three months she was finally released from captivity.[60]

 

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COMM

 

The Bahraini government declined the BBC’s repeated requests for an interview.

In a written statement they said:

“The Kingdom maintains a zero tolerance policy towards human rights violations…

It neither practises nor tolerates the torture or mistreatment of prisoners.”

They said the Kingdom’s independent oversight institutions had investigated the allegations made by Ebtisam and Najah but concluded “there was no evidence to support [their claims]”.

 

Despite the allegations of torture and rape, the British Foreign Office continued to seek out partnerships between the Bahrainis and the British police.

 رغم مزاعم التعذيب والاغتصاب هذه، واصلت وزارة الخارجية البريطانية سعيها لشراكات بين البحرينيين والشرطة البريطانية.

 

This time at Durham, in the northeast of England.

 هذه المرة، في درام بشمال شرق إنكلترة.

 

In July 2018, at the Foreign Office’s request, Durham Constabulary announced a training programme for the Bahraini police.[61]

 في يوليو/تموز 2018 وبطلب من وزارة الخارجية البريطانية، أعلنت شرطة مدينة درام برنامجاً لتدريب الشرطة البحرينية.61

 

They sent a team to Bahrain to meet senior security officials, including Major General Tariq al_Hassan..[62]

وأرسلت فريقاً إلى البحرين للقاء كبار المسؤولين في أجهزة الأمن، بمن فيهم  طارق. الحسن.

 

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

explain “secure military base”?

 

SCRIVEN SYNC

We should be making decisions based on our relationship not just on trade not just because Bahrain is a secure military base and strategic base for the UK but also on human rights abuses and it doesn’t seem that’s happening.

 علينا اتخاذ قرارات مبنية على علاقاتنا ليس التجارية فقط وليس لأن البحرين قاعدة عسكرية آمنة وقاعدة استراتيجية للمملكة المتحدة، ولكن أيضاً إستناداً الى انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان، ولا يبدو أن هذا هو ما يحدث.

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

 

Durham Police said the training was to enable Bahraini officers to make better use of forensics in their investigations.

In a statement, they added that

  1.  

 

Durham Right to Reply

 

 

 

 

V/O

 

‘Officers...have made a number of visits to Bahrain and met officials to ensure that the training programme is being delivered in line with agreed standards.’

 

‘We believe that our engagement with Bahrain provides an opportunity to influence positive change and promote human rights by improving the quality of objective evidence used by the police.’

 

رفضت شرطة درام دعوتنا للمشاركة في هذا الفيلم، ولكنها قدمت لنا هذا البيان:

قام ضباطنا بعدد من الزيارات إلى البحرين والتقوا مسؤولين لضمان إجراء برنامج التدريب وفقاً للمعايير المتفق عليها.

نحن نؤمن بأن مشاركتنا مع البحرين توفر فرصة للتأثير نحو تغير إيجابي وتشجيع حقوق الإنسان من خلال تحسين نوعية الأدلة الموضوعية التي تستخدمها الشرطة.

 

 

 

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COMM

 

The British Establishment’s links to Bahrain go all the way to the top.

 تبلغ علاقات المؤسسة البريطانية الحاكمة بالحكومة البحرينية الى أعلى مستوياتها

 

Since 2011, Prince Andrew has undertaken 35 separate engagements with the Bahrainis, including three visits to the country.[63]

فمنذ 2011، شارك الأمير أندرو ب35 مناسبة مع البحرينيين بما فيها ثلاث زيارات قام بها الى هذا البلد. 63

 

While he was Chancellor of Huddersfield University, a role he’s recently had to give up, a degree programme was created for Bahrain’s Royal Academy of Police.[64]

عندما كان الأمير أندرو رئيساً لجامعة هدرزفيلد، وهو دور تخلى عنه مؤخراً، تم إعداد برنامج أكاديمي لأكاديمية الملكية للشرطة في البحرين. 64

 

The course included lectures on “security science, crime scene science and...investigative forensic psychology.”[65]

وتضمن المنهاج محاضرات في "علم الجريمة وعلم مشهد الجريم و... علم النفس الشرعي الاستقصائي. " 65

 

  1.  

 

MoI: “HRH Prince Andrew and the minister also met the students attending the master programme.”

https://www.bna.bh/en/ArchiveDetails.aspx?archiveId=58351

 

SYNC SAYED

 

Prince Andrew is a personal friend of the King of Bahrain[66]

 

In April 2018 Prince Andrew visited Bahrain.[67]

الأمير أندرو هو صديق شخصي لملك البحرين.

في أبريل/ نيسان 2018 ذهب الأمير أندرو ي زيارة إلى البحرين

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

See 10 testimonies of torture at the academy in 2017/18 gathered by BIRD; The Times, Feb 2020;

 

COMM

While in Bahrain, Prince Andrew met students of the police academy.[68]

أثناء تواجده في البحرين، إلتقى الأمير أندرو طلاباً في أكاديمية الشرطة. 68

 

Where the regime is said to have carried out torture against its opponents since 2015. [69]

التي يقال إن النظام ارتكب فيها التعذيب ضد معارضيه منذ 2015. 69

 

  1.  

 

 

 

See footnote.

SAYED SYNC

 

In the same month Prince Andrew visited the academy and went to this college the torture took place.[70]

في الشهر الذي زار فيه الأمير أندرو البحرين وزار هذه الكلية، في نفس هذا الشهر، حدثت جريمة. لا أعرف حتى الآن هل تزامنت مع نفس التواريخ أم لا.

 

I don’t know if it was on exactly the same dates or not.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

We wanted to know what due diligence had been done on the Police Academy and whether it was appropriate for Prince Andrew to visit it.

His office told us:

‘Any questions around courses run by the University and the role that a Chancellor plays would be a matter for the University of Huddersfield.’

وجهت بي بي سي بعض الأسئلة إلى الأمير أندرو بشأن علاقات الجامعة مع البحرين. ورد مكتبه بما يلي:

"أي أسئلة تتعلق بالدورات التي تديرها الجامعة والدور الذي يلعبه رئيسها هو شأن يعود إلى جامعة هدرزفيلد".

 

 

Huddersfield told us a Chancellor takes:

 

“No part in developing courses or choosing partnerships for the University, as such, we can confirm that HRH had no involvement whatsoever in facilitating nor developing this course.”

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

SYNC SCRIVEN

 

What does worry me...is that institutions, whether universities FCO or police… they talk about due diligence but when you start to drill down .. due diligence around some of those people you have mentioned who are seriously implicated by the UN for human rights abuses .. if they had a robust systematic and effective  due diligence about human rights they would never contract with an organisation like the Royal Academy of Policing.

ما يثير قلقي.. هو أن مؤسسات، سواء كانت جامعات أم وزارة الخارجية أم الشرطة.. تتحدث عن إجراءات لتلبية المتطلبات، ولكن عندما تبدأ بالتعمق... تتعلق إجراءات تلبية المتطلبات بأشخاص تتهمهم الأمم المتحدة بالتورط بشكل خطير في انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان.. لو كانت لديهم إجراءت قوية ومنهجية وفعالة لتلبية المتطلبات المتعلقة بحقوق الإنسان، لما كانوا تعاقدوا أبداً مع هيئة مثل أكاديمية الشرطة الملكية.

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

 

Sayed Ahmed has collected 10 testimonies of individuals who say they were tortured at the Bahrain police academy since 2017.[71]

جمع سيد أحمد 10 إفادات من أفراد قالوا إنهم عُذبوا في أكاديمية الشرطة البحرينية منذ 2017. 71

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

 

In the light of these allegations, we asked Huddersfield University to justify their course.

في ضوء هذه المزاعم، طلبنا من جامعة هدرزفيلد تبرير برنامجها الدراسي.

 

They said:

قالت:

 

 

  1.  

 

Right of Reply Huddersfield University

 

 

“The course is part of a programme the Academy has introduced to expose its officers to international police experiences, improve their leadership skills and solve security issues effectively.”

"إقامة هذه البرنامج تتماشى مع المهمة التي دعت إليها حكومة المملكة المتحدة..

 

In a statement to the BBC the Bahraini government said:

“The allegations regarding the Royal Academy of Police are simply false.”

The government also said it urged the prisoners to raise

“any complaint or grievance with the relevant oversight institutions.”

لإكساب ضباطها خبرات شرطة دولية ورفع مهاراتهم القيادية وحل القضايا الأمنية بكفاءة".

 

 

 

 

  1.  

 

ARCHIVE

 

 Her correct name is Najah Yusuf

 

See WGAD doc point 31 p.5

 

 

 

COMM

 

Najah Yusuf, meanwhile, was still in jail.

في هذه الأثناء، كانت نجاح يوسف لاتزال في السجن.

 

By 2019, the international calls for her release were growing louder.

 بحلول 2019، ازدادت حدة المطالبات الدولية بإطلاق سراحها.

 

The UN “called upon the Government to ensure Ms. Yusuf’s physical and mental integrity.”

الأمم المتحدة "تناشد الحكومة ضمان سلامة السيدة يوسف بدنياً وعقلياً."

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

NAJAH was finally released from prison on the 10th of August 2019 – Her old friend Ebtisam was waiting outside the gate.

خيراً، أطلق سراح نجاح في 10 أغسطس/آب 2019 – وكانت صديقتها القديمة ابتسام تنتظرها خارج البوابة..

 

 

  1.  

 

 

NAJAH SYNC

 

When I saw Ebtisam I felt hope.

عندما رأيت ابتسام شعرت بالأمل.

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

 

Lord Scriven believes Formula One could have acted more effectively on Najah’s behalf

يرى اللورد سكريفين بأن الفورميولا واحد كان بإمكانها التحرك بشكل أكثر فاعلية نيابة عن نجاح.

 

  1.  

 

 

SCRIVEN SYNC

 My view is ... you have been in this game longer than me...

من وجهة نظري .. انت تتمتع بخبرة اكثر مني في هذا المجال

 

 

Unfortunately after the lights went off, once the Grand Prix had been held, F1’s priorities were the glam and the money and not human rights abuses.

لسوء الحظ، بعد انطفاء الأضواء، وانتهاء سباق الفورميلوا واحد، فإن أولوليات الفورميولا واحد هي الشهرة والمال وليس انتهاكات حقوق الإنسان.

.. هناك مسؤوليات أخلاقية على عاتق الفورميولا واحد.

 

… F1 have a moral responsibility.

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

In a statement to the BBC, a spokesman for Formula One said:

“We take violence, abuse of human rights and repression very seriously.”

 

ذكر ناطق باسم الفورميولا واحد في بيان أرسل إلى بي بي سي:

 

“At all times throughout this case we have engaged with relevant parties and made proactive enquiries into Ms Yusuf’s situation.” 

 

طوال هذه القضية، تواصلنا طوال الوقت مع الأطراف المعنية وأجرينا استفسارات استباقية بشأن حالة السيد يوسف. وقد قمنا بذلك ضمن القيود التي يفرضها كوننا عملاً تجارياً خاصاً لا يملك سلطات التحقيق (من حيث الصلاحية والموارد والقنوات الرسمية) لكشف كل الحقائق بشكل تام."

 

 

 

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

 

Ebtisam and Najah are now free citizens.

But back in Bahrain they have friends who are still in jail.

 إبتسام ونجاح مواطنتان حرتان الآن.

ولكن في البحرين، لديهما صديقات مايزلن في السجن.

 

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COMM

One of those is Hajer Mansoor,

مثل هاجر منصور.

 

She’s the mother-in-law of Sayed Ahmed, seen here speaking on the phone to her in prison.
هي أيضاً والدة زوجة سيد أحمد، يظهر هنا وهو يتحدث إليها هاتفياً في سجنها.

 

  1.  

 

 ASTON: Voice of Hajer Mansoor Hassan, Human Rights Activist

 

ACTUALITY

 

Hajer phone call:

I am suffocating since the beginning of the month

أشعر بالاختناق منذ بداية شهر محرم.

 

  1.  

 

 

COMM

 

She was detained for three years on terrorism charges which she denies.[73].

 إعتقلت لثلاث سنوات بتهم إرهاب تنكرها..73

 

Hajer says that during this time, she’d discovered a lump in her breast – but that the medical treatment provided was inadequate.

تقول هاجر بأنها هذه المرة، إكتشفت ورماً في صدرها - ولكن تم إهمال احتياجاتها الطبية.

 

 

 

  1.  

 

ACTUALITY

 

 

ACTUALITY Hajer AND SAYED Ahmed

 

N. In the last visit the doctor said my lump had increased in size.

في زيارتي الأخيرة أخبرني الطبيب بزيادة الورم.

 

S. But there was no follow-up?

N. No, they didn’t take me to a follow up. While before they said it was a problem and they should follow up.

اتذكر ذلك. هل حدثت بعهدها متابعة؟

كلا. لم يوفروا لي متابعة. قبلها قالوا لي إن هناك مشكلة وأنا بحاجة إلى متابعة.

 

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COMM

 

In a written statement, the Bahraini government told the BBC:

 

“The claim that she has been denied access to medical treatment is groundless...Ms Mansoor has at all times had access to all appropriate health care.”

 

Amnesty International and the UN have both campaigned for Hajer’s release.

 

But neither has been allowed to enter Bahrain.

 

 

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COMM

 

 According to the UN, the Bahrain government did not address the legal basis for Hajer’s continuing detention.[74]

 وفقاً للأمم المتحدة: "لم تُلبِ الحكومة البحرينية الأسس القانونية لاستمرار اعتقال هاجر ".

 

 

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 Need translation

CAPTION

FEBRUARY 2020

 

Bahrain

 

 

 

https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=24768

COMM

 

For now the demands of the protestors remain unmet.

 حتى الآن، لم تتم تلبية مطالب المتظاهرين.

 

On the street, there are echoes of 2011.

وتشهد الشوارع تكراراً لما جرى في 2011.

 

In February 2020, crowds gather after the death of an activist, Sayed Kadhem Abbas, eighteen months after his release from jail where he’d been sentenced on terrorism charges.[75]

 في فبراير/ شباط 2020 تجمعت حشود  بعد وفاة ناشط آخر هو سيد كاظم عباس، بعد فترة من اطلاق سراحه.

 

Like Hajer, he said he’d been denied adequate medical treatment. The UN Commissioner for Human Rights took up his case with the Bahrain regime – to no avail.
وكما الحال مع هاجر، قال إنه تم حرمانه من العلاج الطبي الكافي.

وقد تولت مفوضية الأمم المتحدة لحقوق الإنسان قضيته مع النظام البحريني ولكن دون جدوى.

 

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COMM

RTR

 

The Bahrain government told the BBC that Mr Abbas had received

“the proper medical care, including regular appointments with a specialist’.

And it added:

“Bahrain continues to go to great lengths to provide all those in custody with full healthcare and medical treatment.”

  1.  

 

 

 

Street protests

 

 

COMM

 

As the anniversary of the 14th February uprising approached,

protestors were on the march.

 

 فيما تقترب الذكرى السنوية لانتفاضة 14 فبراير/ شباط، يخرج المحتجون للتظاهر.

 

 

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COMM

 

Once again, Ebtisam is at the heart of the action.

مرة أخرى، إبتسام في قلب الحدث.

 

  1.  

 

 

EBTISAM ACTUALITY

 

I am in a peaceful demonstration in one of the villages in Bahrain

we demand democracy

أنا متواجدة الآن في مسيرة سلمية في إحدى قرى البحرين تطالب بالديمقراطية

 

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SAYED SYNC

 

what the country has been through a state of terror and fear

 مر البلد بحالة من القمع والرعب.

نحن نتكلم الآن عن تسع سنوات ولاتزال الأزمة قائمة وسط صمت دولي

هناك عملية قمع وقتل وانتهاكات ممنهجة وبغطاء دولي تحدث لشعب البحرين وتسع سنوات من النضال لازال هناك آلاف المعتقلين.

 

 

its been going on for 9 years

and the crisis is still ongoing while there is silence internationally

there are operations of oppressing and killing and systematic violations

with an international cover up

happening to the people of Bahrain

 

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March 4th 2020

 

COMM

 

But there are some rays of hope.

 ولكن هناك بعض بوادر للأمل.

 

 

On 5th March, Hajer, Sayed’s mother-in-law, finally got out of jail.[76]

Ebtisam and Najah were there to greet her.

 في 5 مارس/آذار، خرجت هاجر، والدة زوجة سيد أخيراً من السجن...

كانت ابتسام ونجاح في استقبالها.

 

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ACTUALITY

 

Welcome back.

My love

My love

 

 

 

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NEW COMM

 

The women remain determined to make their voices heard.

 تبقى النساء عازمات على إسماع أصواتهن.

 

Despite the risks, they believe that speaking out will give some protection when they are in Bahrain.

 رغم المخاطر فهن يعتقدن بأن التحدث علانية عما مررن به سيمنحهن بعض الحماية عند عودتهن إلى البحرين.

 

 

 

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Dublin

 

 

 

 

 

COMM

 

Ebtisam has come to Dublin to gather evidence she believes will support her story of abuse.

جاءت إبتسام الى دبلن لجمع أدلة تؤمن بأنها ستدعم ما روته عن الانتهاكات التي ترعضت لها.

 

She is going to be examined by a humanitarian organisation – SPIRASI – which focuses on survivors of torture.[77]

سيتم فحصها من قبل منظمة لحقوق الإنسان تُدعى سبيراسي، وهي تركز على الناجين من التعذيب.77

 

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ACTUALITY

 

Ebtisam in Spirasi:

 

It was my dream to receive this report and to have official proof of what happened to me and I couldn’t obtain it in my own country.. I will fight to get it in any country in the world till I obtain justice
كان حلمي أن أحصل على هذا التقرير وأن يكون لدي دليل إثبات لما تعرضت له وعندما أحصل على العدالة في بلدي سأتطلع إلى أن أقاتل من أجل الحصول عليها في أي دولة تحتضن حقي في الحصول على العدالة.

 

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 ASTON:

Dr Nicola Cochrane,

Forensic Medical Examiner, Spirasi

 

SYNC Dr Nicola Cochrane

 

It is a devastating form of abuse.

إنه شكل مدمر من أشكال سوء المعالة.

 

I think for anyone of us .. It would be appalling .

...the challenge for us when we meet people after the events have happened are that those methods of torture frequently leave no evidence

أعتقد أنه سيكون مروعاً لأي منا.

التحدي بالنسبة لنا هو عندما نلتقي بأشخاص بعد وقوع الأحداث حيث كثيراً ما لا تترك وسائل التعذيب هذه أي دليل.

 

on  one level you are bearing witness to her description of events

 من جهة فأنت تشهد على وصفها للأحداث

 

on another level in providing a medical legal report helps that interpret my findings ... reinforce the veracity of her event which I would hope will be valuable to her.

ومن جهة أخرى، توفير تقرير طبي قانوني يساعد في تفسير النتائج التي توصلت إليها.. وتعزيز مصداقية روايتها ، وهو ما أتمنى أن يكون مفيداً لها.

 

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Need translation

 

 

 

 

 

 

HIGHLIGHT ACTUAL WORDS AGAINST REPORT

 

Could add extra sentence re “The psychological findings are consistent with the alleged report of torture.”

 

COMM

 

 

Spirasi’s report does not prove Ebtisam’s allegations.

But it does support them.

 لا يثبت تقرير سبيراسي ادعاءات إبتسام.

لكنه يؤيدها.

 

 

“Her psychological assessment demonstrates profound symptoms of anxiety and depression ... supportive of a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress disorder … consistent with the alleged report of torture.”

"فحصها البدني متطابق مع وصفها للأحداث ويوضح تقييم حالتها النفسية أعراضاً عميقة من القلق والاكتئاب".  78

 

 

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COMM

 

Despite international condemnation of Bahrain by the UN and others, the United Kingdom and the USA both remain its loyal allies.

 رغم الإدانة الدولية للبحرين من قبل الأمم المتحدة وغيرها، بقيت المملكة المتحدة والولايات المتحدة حليفتان مخلصتان لها.

 

The BBC invited the Foreign Office to take part in this film.

 دعت بي بي سي وزارة الخارجية للمشاركة في هذا الفيلم.

 

Instead they gave us a statement:

 

 وبدلاً من ذلك، زودتنا بالبيان التالي:

 

 

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BRITISH GOVT RIGHT OF REPLY

 

 

V/O 

They said that while Bahrain’s independent human rights oversight bodies

‘still have more to do, they have already demonstrated their abilities and credibility including through the prosecution of almost 100 police officers under criminal courts, accused of human rights abuses, as well as 60 police officers who have faced internal Ministry of interior disciplinary processes.’

"نحن نرحب بالخطوات التي اتخذتها الحكومة البحرينية لتطبيق مجموعة واسعة من الإصلاحات التي أوصت بها اللجنة البحرينية المستقلة لتقصي الحقائق في 2012 ولكن يبقى هناك المزيد مما يتوجب القيام به".

 

حكومة المملكة المتحدة ملتزمة بدعم الإصلاحات التي تقوم بها البحرين، بما فيها التي تتم من خلال التعاون في تغييرات تقدمية للنظام القضائي في البحرين وأنظمتها الديمقراطية. نحن نؤمن بأنه من خلال العمل مع الحكومة فقط سنتمكن من تحقيق هذه التحسينات التي تسعى لها البحرين والمجتمع الدولي.

 

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COMM

 

It is now 2020.

 الآن 2020

 

On March 11...

The Bahrain regime told the BBC that over a thousand prisoners were locked up for “assaults and public order offences”.

The opposition described them as political prisoners.

The following day, March 12, 901 of them were granted a Royal Pardon.

12 prisoners remain on death row…[80]

12 سجيناً سياسياً مايزالون يواجهون عقوبة الإعدام ..80

 

Major General Tariq al Hassan has been promoted to Lieutenant General and remains in charge of the country’s domestic security.[83]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


[1] Bahrain ranks 167/180 in Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index. The RWB entry says "ruled with an iron fist by the Khalifa royal family, Bahrain is notorious for jailing many journalists, especially photographers and cameramen", and notes that Bahrain often gives life sentences to journalists on charges like participating in demonstrations.

 

[2] Freedom House rates Bahrain as one of the least free countries in the world, giving it the status "not free" and scoring it 11/100 for political rights and civil liberties. Link here.

 Bahrain has one of the region's highest prison populations, with 234 people imprisoned for every 100,000 (Saudi is 197, Qatar is 53, UAE is 104). Although note that the US has a rate of 655. Link here.

 According to the UN, Bahrain has 1867 police officers per head of the population (England and Wales has 208, Kuwait 1065). Link here.

 

[3] UN World Tourism Organisation says 4 million, source here (p22). Manama has been named the Capital of Arab Tourism for 2020 (source). According to TripAdvisor: "Manama has some of the best nightlife in the Middle East. Alcohol is legal here, making the city very attractive to those who cannot drink legally in nearby countries such as Saudi Arabia. Manama is also unique in that here, it is not uncommon for men and women to intermingle." (source)

 

[4] Access denied: Database of journalists, NGOs and UN members not allowed in Bahrain since 2011 till 2015 in this database.

Amnesty Internationa,l 2019: “Bahrain continued to deny access to independent human rights monitors, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and UN human rights bodies.”

 

[5] The source of these remarks is the ADHRB's intervention at the UN's Human Rights Council last year (link). The latest UN Special Procedures report (2018) states that there were been six communications sent requesting access to Bahrain, without success (link). Human Rights Watch 2019 country report on Bahrain states: "Bahrain has not responded to requests from UN human rights experts to visit. The government effectively cancelled the visit of the special rapporteur on torture in 2013, which it had earlier approved." (link)

 

[6] According to the BICI the numbers are believed to have peaked on 22 February 2011: “It is estimated that the number of demonstrators at the CGG Roundabout reached its highest level on this day, especially after the MartyrsMarch entered the area. Estimate place the number of people present at more than 150,000.”See p. 88.

The higher figures are in the BICI where they touch upon the MoI claiming the no. of protesters at 400k and 450k on two occasions.

21 Feb: “According to MoI and some media, by 20:30 the number of people participating in this demonstration increased to 400,000, although many other estimates place the number at below 120,000, some of whom were non-residents of Bahrain”.

2 March 2011: “According to MoI and some media around 450,000 people attended this rally. Other reports, however, indicated that the number of demonstrators did not exceed 100,000, some of whom were non-residents of Bahrain and citizens of other GCC States.

Bahrain Ministry of Information says its 2010 census counted a total resident population of 1.2m. This matches Tradingeconomics.com. Seems credible on basis CIA world factbook puts it tens years later at 1,505,003 (July 2020 est.).  A third would be 400,000.

 

[7] 2013 BBC Report on the 2011 protests: “Many, but not all of the protesters, were Shia Muslims, who make up the majority of the population in Bahrain.”

 

[8] Correct according to Beyond the Resource Curse, Philadelphia Press 2012, p.62

[9] Saudi involvement was acknowledged by the Nov 2011 BICI report: “The involvement of military forces of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and neighbouring countries to contribute to the suppression of a peaceful and popular revolution is an interference in the internal affairs of Bahrain and has no legal justification.”

People will ask, were they really summoned in or did SA weigh into their client state? I think summoned is reasonable:  The Guardian reported at the time: “The Crown Prince of Bahrain is expected to formally invite security forces from Saudi Arabia into his country today, as part of a request for support from other members of the six-member Gulf Co-operation Council.” According to NPR: “Bahrain's ruling family authorized some 1,500 troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to enter the country.”

[10] According to state-run TV the King declared a three-month state of emergency in March 2011.

 

[11] The NYT on 18 March 2011 reported: “The official Bahrain News Agency reported the change as a “face-lift” to “boost the flow of traffic.” It was widely reported elsewhere in the international media that day. e.g. Guardian.

 

[12] BICI report p.219 : Between 14 February and 15 April 2011, there were 35 deaths that were linked to the unrest in Bahrain during that period.” Thirteen deaths were found attributable to security services and 5 during torture.

 

[13] Amnesty described how in 2011 hundreds of activists... rounded up and detained.”

BBC reported that “Overall, the total number of persons arrested pursuant to the declaration of a State of National Safety was 2,929. Of those, 2,178 were released without charge.” – so only hundreds were imprisoned.

 

[14] The 2011 Grand Prix in Bahrain was postponed to later in the year and eventually cancelled altogether.

 

[15] BICI: “Between 14 February and 15 April 2011, there were 35 deaths that were linked to the unrest in Bahrain during that period” see p.219

 

[16]The BICI was established on June 29, 2011 in Bahrain pursuant to Royal Order No. 28 by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa...tasked with investigating and reporting on the events that took place in Bahrain from February 2011.

 

[17] According to ADHRB it was made up of a panel of international experts. These included: Judge Philippe Kirsch Q.C., Professor Sir Nigel Simon Rodley KBE, Dr. Mahnoush H. Arsanjani, and Dr. Badria A. Al Awadhi. Bassiouni himself was an Egyptian law professor. His 2017 obituary stated: His work, both academic and in his UN reports from war zones, led to the creation of two international criminal courts. Rodley was at the time considered a leading expert in the field of international human rights law.

 

[18] November 2011: “We welcome today’s report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), which provides a thorough and independent assessment of events in Bahrain since protests first erupted in February,” the White House said in a statement.

[19] Report was released on 23 November 2011.

[20] BICI p.387 concluded on Iran: “The evidence presented to the Commission by the GoB on the involvement by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the internal affairs of Bahrain does not establish a discernable link between specific incidents that occurred in Bahrain during February and March 2011 and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

 

[21] Correct.

 

[22] According to Amnesty the King, at the time, “publicly welcomed the report and committed his government to full implementation of its recommendations.”

 

According to Human Rights Watch: “The Special Investigations Unit in the Interior Ministry’s Office of the Public Prosecutor, like the Ombudsman’s Office, was established following the 2011 brutal suppression of mostly peaceful anti-government demonstrations. It is responsible for investigating and prosecuting the criminal liability of security or other government officials allegedly involved in the torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment of detainees.”

 

[23] Bill Law reporting for the BBC in August 2013 was one of them.

 

[24] Bahrain Grand Prix in 2012 was held 20-22 April.

[25] UN WGAD report 7 January 2019: “He was granted asylum in the United Kingdom in 2012 for fear of further persecution by the Government of Bahrain. He subsequently co-founded the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and continued to advocate for human rights and democratic change in Bahrain, which resulted in the Government of Bahrain depriving him of his nationality in 2015.”

[26] UN WGAD report Jan 2019: “The source reports that, on 26 October 2016, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei protested peacefully in London against the visit of King Hamad of Bahrain to 10 Downing Street.”

[27] Then PM Theresa May met with the King of Bahrain on 27 October 2016. They were photographed outside Downing St. On 29 October the Guardian ran a story that Sayed’s family were prevented from travelling to see him. Sayed says this happened on 26 October 2016.

[28] The WGAD report details this sequence of events in October 2016:

“The source reports that, on 26 October 2016, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei protested peacefully in London against the visit of King Hamad of Bahrain to 10 Downing Street. Hours later, his wife, Duaa Alwadaei, who was due to return to London from a visit to her family in Bahrain, was detained together with their young son at Bahrain International Airport by Bahraini security forces. She was interrogated for over seven hours, during which government officers threatened her and her family, as well as the family of Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei. She was reportedly released and permitted to leave Bahrain only after international pressure and the intervention of the Embassy of the United States of America.”

That she was “briefly detained” was acknowledged by the GoB in a statement printed by the Guardian, but not for seven hours: “Upon her departure at Bahrain’s airport to her London destination, Mrs Alwadaei was briefly detained for questioning, searched and released. At no time was she abused or mistreated by authorities. It bears noting that the office of the ombudsman is available to anyone who feels their rights have been abused and will open an investigation into matters brought to their attention.”

 

[29] According to Sayed: It’s my mother in law: Hajer Mansoor (released today 5 March 2020) Hajer was arrested on 5 March 2017. My brother in law, Sayed Nizar Alwadaei, arrested on 2 March 2017, Currently serving 11 years My wife’s cousin, Mahmood Marzooq, arrested on 2 March 2017, sentenced to 3 years and one month, due to be released by the end of this month. Their arrests and detainment are covered in the 2019 WGAD report and by Amnesty.

 

[30] According to Reuters this happened in Jan 2015. Corroborates with the Jan 2019 WGAD report: “In 2015, the Government of Bahrain reportedly stripped him of his citizenship, rendering him stateless.”

[31]July 2014 amendments to Bahrain’s citizenship laws will grant the Interior Ministry additional authority to revoke citizenship of people who fail in their “duty of loyalty” to the state, a vaguely worded provision that could be used against government critics,” Human Rights Watch

[32] Reuters: “Since the protests it has prosecuted hundreds of activists in mass trials, banned the main opposition groups and revoked citizenship from around 1,000 nationals.”

[33] That Bahrain was a British protectorate until 1971 was acknowledged in a Foreign Affairs Select Committee report.

[34] Training delivered by NI-CO did not span four years. Various delegations and courses were run by NI-CO for the Bahrain police from April 2014 - September 2015. See page 10 of Reprieve report.

 

[35] See BBC report 22 May 2017:  Antipathy towards Iran is the one thing that Washington's disparate allies in the region agree upon. So bashing Tehran has been a prominent theme for Mr Trump both in Saudi Arabia and now in Israel.”

 

[36] The US Congressional Research Service states that there are small but violent underground groups in Bahrain linked to Iran, the most prominent are the Al-Ashtar Brigades (AAB). It has claimed responsibility for 20 bombings against state security personnel. The US government has designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation. The US government assert that these groups are armed and supported by the IRGC Quds force.

 

[37] Trump and King seal arms deal May 2017.

 

[38] According to the Guardian: “Abbas al-Samea, 27, Sami Mushaima, 42, and Ali al-Singace, 21….State news agency BNA said the men were executed by firing squad.”

[39] The three men were “convicted of killing an Emirati police officer and two Bahraini police officers in a 2014 bomb attack were executed.”

The executions of the three men...are the first since a 2011 uprising, led by the Shia majority, calling for greater political rights.”

[40] At the time the head of Reprieve said: The death sentences handed to the three men, she added, "were based on 'confessions' extracted through torture, and the trial an utter sham"

[41] Sayed has confirmed he was sentenced to death in early 2017. His death sentence was announced in a court document issued at the end of March that year and seen by BIRD.

[42] The Bahrain Grand Prix in 2017 ran 14-16 April. The 13 September WGAD report notes that “The source reports that on 23 April 2017, at around 8.00 a.m., Ms. Yusuf was summoned along with her 14-year-old son to the Criminal Investigation Directorate.”

[43] Can we say She was summoned to the police station -  not taken.  This is on the basis of the WGAD report. “The source reports that on 23 April 2017, at around 8.00 a.m., Ms. Yusuf was summoned.”

[44] According to the WGAD report: “The source reports that on 23 April 2017, at around 8.00 a.m., Ms. Yusuf was summoned along with her 14-year-old son to the Criminal Investigation Directorate so that he could be interrogated in relation to charges of “illegal gathering” and rioting….According to the information received, the agency that led the interrogation was more than likely the National Security Agency.”

[45] The WGAD report also alleges her return the next day: “On 24 April 2017, at around 8.00 a.m., Ms. Yusuf reportedly returned to the Muharraq police station.”

[46] She didn’t testify the abuse to BICI – that was in 2011. For Najah its just the UN’s WGADa and BIRD, possibly ADHRB. Ebtisam was interviewed by Amnesty days after the abuse and we also have her Spirasi report.

[47] According to WGAD the sexual assault occurred during the interrogation on 24 April.

[48] She was released on 10th August 2019.

[49] According to Sayed the 30 minutes phone time a week is stated in this source by the National Institution for Human Rights.

 

[50] In July 2017 UN Human Rights Officer of the High Commissioner alleges “on 26 May, Ms. Alsaegh was subjected to a seven-hour interrogation by officers of the National Security Agency, during which she was kept blindfolded and forced to stand up, while reportedly being beaten all over her body and sexually assaulted.”

[51] Sima Watling from Amnesty International told us she interviewed Ebtisam just days after the 26 May and was told of the abuses. We also have the Spirasi report for Ebtisam which concludes her mental symptoms at the time of examination were consistent with her claims re 2017.

[52] The first night of Ramadan in 2017 was 26 May.

[53] See British Complicity Research document which concludes: We can reasonably say that the abuses were perpetrated by NSA officers  in the police station which Fawaz oversees, and where Tariq has claimed he has complete oversight of operations. Security Complext and Police Station are used interchangeably in open source. Mazen confirmed “They oversee that building…it is officially a Ministry of Interior Building, and yup it is a police station that acts as a main police station of Muharraq island so all the top ranking officers for that area operate there.”

[54] According to Vice in April 2018: “He is ultimately in charge of Muharraq police station, where activists say they have been electrocuted and sexually assaulted during interrogations. (There is no suggestion that the Brigadier is personally involved in any abuse, or sanctions any such abuse.)”

Our own research found that in 2017 Fawaz was in charge of Muharraq Police Governorate and therefore the head of Muharraq police station. The 2019 ADRB report notes the Muharraq Police Director General as Brigadier Fawaz Hassan Al-Hassan. In a 2016 MoI report he was described as having the same role: “Director-General of the Muharraq Governorate Police Brigadier Fawaz Al Hassan.”

[55] The Vice journalist Phil Miller shared with us an FOI release from NI-CO dated 28 October 2016 which detailed that Colonel Fawaz Hasan Alhasan was a delegate on a week long study visit to Northern Ireland in August 2015. The fact the TWO brothers were beneficiaries of NiCO study visits was acknowledged in an email from NICO’s CEO to TLS: “I can confirm that under the FCO funded programme in Bahrain that the Al Hassan brothers were part of short, separate study visits to Northern Ireland in 2014 and 2015 respectively.”

[56] Major General Tariq Al Hassan is widely documented as Bahrain’s Chief of Public Security in sources from 2012 to present date. The ADRB report with the organigram on illustrates the chain of command with the head of Muharraq answering to Major Gen Tariq Al Hassan.

[57] This is according to the Crown Prince media centre:he travelled to meet Trump in November 2017 and wa accompanied by the Chief of Public Security Major General Tariq Al Hasan.

[58] Sayed Ahmed has shared with us an email to the FCO sent on 14 July 2017 which they responded to on the same day: “The British Embassy in Bahrain is seeking further information from the authorities concerning the details of these cases. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments. We also encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman.”

Najar and Ebtisam were both in Isa Town prison according to Sayed’s email to FCO.. Najah was released on in August 2019, and Ebtisam in October 2019.

 

[59] We have put this to the FCO in our ROR letter and await a response.

 

[60] According to the UN she was detained on 4 July, then according to Amnesty charged with terrorism offences and released on 22 October 2017.

 

[61] Announcing the training contract in July 2018, Durham Constabulary said the “Agreement has been developed at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to support wider British aims in the region.” This training is on-going. Durham disclosed in an FOI response the training under the July 2018 contract runs from April 2019 – August 2021.

 

[62] According to a MoI report the Durham officers met with Tariq and Fawaz [again Fawaz not cited in name]: “The Durham Police delegation from the UK, on a visit to Bahrain, has met Chief of Public Security Major-General Tariq Al Hassan…During its second and last day of the visit, the delegation visited the Muharraq Governorate Police, where it was welcomed by the Director-General of the police district and some officers. The officials were briefed on the role of the community police and the Family Protection Office.”

Mazen has confirmed Fawaz is in the picture, so Durham delegates met with both Tariq and Fawaz.

Vice noted that Pictured among the smiling bobbies is Brigadier Fawaz Hassan Al Hassan, a Bahraini police officer who has trained in the UK, visiting Belfast in 2015 for a week-long course in "command and control".

[63] Based on Court Circular records - search for “Bahrain” under Duke of York’s activities from February 2011 to present. The engagements are laid out in the spreadsheet in Huddersfield folder in Drive.The visits to Bahrain were in Jan 2014; April 2018 and March 2019.

 

[64] Prince Andrew became Vice Chancellor of Huddersfield University in 2015 and was forced to step down in November 2019. The university announced the new MsC in 2018.

 

[65] Modules disclosed by university press officer: “Investigative Forensic Psychology for the Study of Criminal Behaviour;  Investigative Forensic Psychology for Legal and Investigative Processes; Organised and International Crime; Terrorism and Conflict Resolution; Research Methods in Security Science;  Cyber-crime and Forensics Awareness;  Crime Scene Science Awareness; Quality and Presentation of Evidence”

 

[66] Andrew visited his residence in London at the end of 2011. A number of his official Bahrain engagements   include personal meetings with the King and Crown Prince. He visited the King at his residence in London in December 2011. The official visits are marked with dinners or lunches with the King. Andrew and the King would also see one another at larger events not recorded in the Bahrain-related items in the Court Circular, like the Queen’s birthday celebrations and the horse show.

 

[67] According to the Court Circular: he arrived in Manama 4 April 2018. He met with the students on 5 April 2018: The Duke of York this afternoon called upon Lieutenant General Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa (Minister of Interior of the Kingdom of Bahrain) at the Diwan Fort. His Royal Highness, Chancellor, subsequently visited the University of Huddersfield at the Diwan Fort.

[68] Min of Interior, 5 April 2018: “Prince Andrew and HE the Interior Minister also met the students attending the Master’s programme.”

 

[69] The Times reported on 8 February 2018: The Royal Academy of Policing has served as a hub for the interrogation and coerced confessions of Bahraini opposition activists since 2015, according to accounts gathered from torture survivors.”

 

We were told by Sayed that since the second half of 2015 the site of the Royal Academy of Police in Bahrain has increasingly been used as a site for interrogations where torture takes place. He says the people being tortured at the academy are imprisoned in Building 15 in Jau Prison and that they are taken to the academy for interrogations. Both sites are identifiable on Google Earth as 700m away from one another.

[70] According to the testimony of Hasan Muhamed Hasan Ali Fadel, “During April 2018, I was taken again to the Academy for interrogation, where I was stripped naked and sexually assaulted.”

[71] According to BIRD: “These testimonies were handwritten in Arabic and smuggled to a contact who relayed them to BIRD’s Director of Advocacy, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, in January 2020.”

One of the testimonies in the main document doesn’t refer to when exactly he stayed at the academy, and his date of arrest is listed 16-5-2013. However BIRD has given us a witness statement from another individual arrested in May 2017 and detained until January 2018. He described being kicked and humiliated during interrogations at the academy.

 

[72] ROR from F1 to Chris Mitchell, 6 March 2020: “We have always been clear with all race promoters and Governments with which we deal worldwide, including Bahrain, that we take violence, abuse of human rights and repression very seriously.  We have explained in correspondence to Lord Scriven that we would be raising the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention’s report directly with the Bahrain authorities. We have done this. At all times throughout this case we have engaged with relevant parties and made proactive enquiries into Ms Yusuf’s situation.  We have done this within the constraints of being a private business, without the powers of investigation (in terms of authority, resource and official channels) to fully uncover all the facts.”

 

[73] Amnesty: “Hajer was imprisoned for three years on absurd ‘terrorism’ charges, solely because of her family relationship with Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, a human rights activist who now lives in the United Kingdom.”

[74] WGAD 1st November 2019: “We thank your Excellency’s Government for its responses received on 25 April 2017 and 12 March 2019, but regret that they do not address the legal basis for the ongoing detention of Ms. Mansoor Hasan.”

 

[75] ADHRB:3 February 2020 – Today, hundreds of Bahrainis took to the streets to mourn Sayed Kadhem Abbas, a 24 year old former political prisoner who tragically died from terminal cancer following egregious medical negligence during his detention in Jau Prison between 2015 and 2018.”

 

[76] Amnesty reported on her release on Thursday 5 March 2020.

[77] Crunchbase: “SPIRASI is a humanitarian, intercultural, non-governmental organisation that works with asylum seekers, refugees and other disadvantaged migrant groups, with special concern for survivors of torture. In partnership with others, SPIRASI enables access to specialist services to promote the well-being of the human person, and encourages self-reliance...”

CatholicIreland.net “Since it was founded by the Spiritan congregation in 1999, SPIRASI has provided rehabilitative supports to over 4,500 survivors of torture from over 100 different countries.”

[78] See report saved in Research Docs in Google Drive.

See Conclusion: “Her physical examination is consistent with her account of events and her psychological assessment demonstrates profound symptoms of anxiety and depression and features supportive of a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress disorder. The psychological findings are consistent with the alleged report of torture.”

[79] Bahrainrights.org provided 5000 in an email.. The source for this seems to be the Bahrain Centre for Dialogue and Tolerance, run by a Shia cleric, or Jalal Firouz, a former Bahraini MP. It has been reported largely in the Iranian press (Press TV and the official Iranian news agency IRNA). It's difficult to determine the exact number of political prisoners in Bahrain. But 5,000 number doesn't seem unrealistic -- the FT said in 2018 that 3,000 people are estimated to imprisoned for taking part in demonstrations. The Economist claimed in Jan 2017: “More than 2,600 political prisoners are in jail, a large number in a kingdom of just 650,000 people.”

And that Amnesty has told us “we not have a confirmed number of political prisoners in Bahrain.”

 

[80] According to BIRD in an email from Reprieve to Manisha: “12 are in custody, 8 of them exhausted legal remedies. Additional 7 sentenced to death but in exile.”

 

[81] See detailed workings up to July 2019 provided by BIRD in spreadsheet saved down in Stats. This spreadsheet is supported with online references. Sayed has confirmed no further developments since July 2019. He says do not describe these stateless people as political prisoners, some people had citizenship revoked for non-political reasons.

[82] The Ministry of Interior announced on 24 December 2019 that “Southern Governor Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa received the Commander of the Royal Academy of Police Brigadier Fawaz Al-Hassan. His Highness congratulated him on his appointment as the Commander of the Academy.”

The appointment was also announced 4 December 2019 by the Bahrain News Agency: “Brigadier Fawaz Hassan Essa Al Hassan has been appointed as Commandant of the Royal Police Academy in the rank of general director.”

On 18 February 2020, the most recent open source report related to Fawaz, BNA reported on induction day at the academy. Here he is described as “Brigadier-General” as opposed to just Brigadier.

His exact title should be confirmed in the ROR.

 

[83] As of 3 March Tariq is described as: “Chief of Public Security, Major-General Tariq Al Hassan” by the BNA.

 

[84] F1 currently have the intention of running a 2020 race on 20-22 March.

 



[1] From the UN WGAD report: “According to the source, he was granted asylum in the United Kingdom in 2012 for fear of further persecution by the Government of Bahrain. He subsequently co-founded the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and continued to advocate for human rights and democratic change in Bahrain, which resulted in the Government of Bahrain depriving him of his nationality in 2015.”

[2] We were told by Mazen in a phone call on 12 March that Tariq is second in command MoI and the Security Complex is a MoI building. That the public entrance to the building is the police station.

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