Bahrain Mirror- Exclusive: The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), asked its followers to address the Bahraini authorities to immediately release Ibtisam Al-Saegh, Mohammed Al-Shakhoori and Radhi Saleh Al-Qatari and to send letters to each of King of Bahrain, Ministers of Interior and Foreign Affairs, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs, Permanent Mission of Bahrain to the United Nations in Geneva, Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Belgium and diplomatic missions and embassy of Bahrain in their countries.

The Observatory expressed its utmost concerns over the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Ibtisam Al-Saegh, Mohammed Al-Shakhoori and Radhi Saleh Al-Qatari and urged the Bahraini authority to immediately investigate the allegations of ill-treatment and torture.

It urged Bahraini authorities to guarantee their physical and psychological integrity of the detainees, to allow them unhindered access to their family and lawyer and to immediately and unconditionally release them as their detention is arbitrary and only aims at silencing their human rights activities.

The Observatory also called on its follower to write to the Bahraini authorities to guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Ibtisam Al-Saegh, Mohammed Al-Shakhoori and Radhi Saleh Al-Qatari, as well as of all human rights defenders in Bahrain; immediately and unconditionally release them, ensure that they have full and unhindered access to their family, lawyers as well as to proper medical treatment in adequate medical facilities, and guarantee their right to due process and a fair trial. It, moreover, urged the Bahraini authorities to order an immediate, thorough, transparent, effective and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture, ill-treatment, and physical and psychological pressure of the three detainees by security agents in order to identify all those responsible, bring them before an independent tribunal, and apply the sanctions provided by the law to them.

It asked its followers to demand the Bahraini authorities to put an end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Ibtisam Al-Saegh, Mohammed Al-Shakhoori and Radhi Saleh Al-Qatari and all human rights defenders in Bahrain, so that they are able to carry out their legitimate activities without hindrance and fear of reprisals; comply with all the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular with its Articles 1, 5(b), and 12.2; and ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Bahrain.

The Observatory urged its followers to send letters to King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior Rashid bin Abudullah Al Khalifa, Permanent Mission of Bahrain to the United Nations in Geneva Yusuf Abdulkarim Bucheeri, Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Kingdom of Belgium Ahmed Mohammed Yousif Al-Doseri and embassy of Bahrain in their countries.

Arabic Version