Issue 846 - 30 January 2009

Mushaima seized in Bahrain crackdown

Exasperated by Haq’s persistent campaigning, the authorities arrested the extra-parliamentary opposition group’s president Hassan Mushaima, human rights commission head Abdeljalil Al-Singace and outspoken Shiite scholar Mohammed Habib Almuqdad on the night of 25-26 January. Al-Singace was released after 24 hours but remains on bail and is subject to a travel ban. Mushaima and Almuqdad remained in solitary confinement, and were denied contact with their families or lawyers, as GSN went to press.

The government’s action marks a clear hardening of its stance against Haq, whose continued campaigning has hitherto been tolerated, despite being subject to occasional official harassment. Al-Singace was questioned over his involvement in the group, his role in organising protests and his participation in seminars in the United States and Britain. Lawyers say he may be charged with belonging to an organisation that wants to change the government in Bahrain.

Mushaima is a 61-year old retired teacher and charismatic speaker whose popularity was implicitly recognised when he was invited to private talks with King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa in London last spring (GSN 827/1). Despite official overtures, the Haq leader has refused to retreat from his demand for a substantial increase in the powers of the elected national assembly before he will consider joining the electoral process (GSN 845/10). Amid suggestions that the legally registered opposition Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society risks losing grassroots Shia support to the more confrontational Haq, the authorities appear to have decided on a fresh legal assault against Mushaima, in an effort to throttle Haq’s persistent campaigning against the next elections, scheduled for 2010.

Local human rights activists believe Mushaima may be charged “with using terrorist means” in his efforts to change the political system, while Almuqdad is at risk of indictment for “abusing the personal freedom of citizens through acts of terror.” Such charges are punishable with sanctions ranging right up to life imprisonment, under the 1976 Penal Code and the 2006 Counter-Terrorism Law, a measure criticised by the United Nations. The Bahraini authorities have a track record of resorting to apparently draconian measures, only to retreat in the face of international criticism. But they are clearly engaged in an attempt to curb Mushaima’s public utterances and international campaigning. Returning from a recent visit to the UK, he was assaulted by security personnel. Subsequently, for three weeks in a row, the security forces prevented him from making his regular weekly speech at the Al-Sadeque mosque.

Almuqdad, an activist from Bilad Al-Gadim – the Manama suburb where Haq’s launched in November 2005 (GSN 770/1) – regularly preaches in Shia matams (community centres) on social and human rights issues.