{"id":10191,"date":"2017-04-12T08:39:54","date_gmt":"2017-04-12T08:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reprieve.org.uk\/?page_id=10191"},"modified":"2020-05-29T15:12:17","modified_gmt":"2020-05-29T15:12:17","slug":"spotlight-on-bahrain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reprieve.org\/uk\/2017\/04\/12\/spotlight-on-bahrain\/","title":{"rendered":"Spotlight on Bahrain"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2017 Bahrain made a dangerous return to the death penalty by carrying out their first executions in 7 years. The events leading up to these executions were a catalogue of human rights violations\u00a0– including forced ‘confessions’, torture and unfair trials.<\/p>\n

On 15 January 2017, the Bahraini authorities executed Ali Al-Singace (21), Abbas Al-Samea (27) and Sami Mushaima (42) by firing squad. The families came to the\u00a0prison the day before, but the guards refused to say if they were\u00a0about to be executed.<\/p>\n

They are the first people executed in Bahrain since 2010, and the first Bahrainis executed since 1996. Their executions came less than a week after Bahrain\u2019s highest court upheld their death sentences.<\/p>\n

The executions were conducted in direct contravention of Bahrain\u2019s international obligations. The\u00a0UN Special Rapporteur, Dr Agnes Callamard, called their\u00a0executions \u201cextrajudicial killings\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Notable executions<\/h2>\n

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On Sunday 15th January 2017, three men were executed by firing squad in Bahrain.<\/strong> Their names were Ali Al-Singace, Abbas Al-Samea and Sami Mushaima.<\/p>\n

The three men were targeted due to their families’ links to political opposition and convicted on spurious grounds. Ali was sentenced to death without ever appearing in a court. Abbas was given a death sentence despite having been teaching in a school at the time of the crime. Sami was illiterate, and was forced to sign a ‘confession’ he could not read.<\/p>\n

All three were sentenced to death after being convicted on the basis of forced \u2018confessions\u2019 extracted by horrific torture, including beatings, electric shocks and sexual assault.<\/p>\n

Victims of horrific human rights abuses, not criminals \u2013 the stories of three men executed by firing squad in Bahrain<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

British involvement<\/h2>\n

The UK is one of Bahrain\u2019s biggest backers \u2013 in 2016 Boris Johnson\u2019s Department oversaw \u00a32m of support to the Kingdom\u2019s prisons and wider criminal justice system. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The\u00a0UK provides training to Bahraini security forces, including how to gather intelligence on protestors, and funds a ‘torture watchdog’ that repeatedly failed to properly investigate the appalling allegations of abuse lodged by the men who were executed in January 2017.<\/p>\n

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Britain\u2019s cash and Bahrain\u2019s firing squads \u2013 5 things we\u2019ve learned<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Prisoners facing execution<\/h2>\n

Mohammed Ramadan<\/strong><\/p>\n

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During his initial detention, police officers told Mohammed outright that they knew he was innocent, but were punishing him as a traitor for attending pro-democracy demonstrations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In February 2014, Mohammed was arrested from Bahrain International Airport, where he worked as a police officer. He was accused of involvement in an attack on other police officers, despite a total lack of evidence tying him to the crime.<\/p>\n

Nearly every aspect of Mohammed\u2019s arrest, detention and trial has breached basic international human rights law.<\/strong> He has been tortured, refused access to legal counsel, and convicted in a trial that relied on evidence elicited through torture. He has been afforded no semblance of due process. Yet Mohammed, who is a father to three young children, now faces imminent execution.<\/p>\n

Reprieve is working with Mohammed\u2019s family to secure the commutation of his death sentence.<\/p>\n

Find out more about Mohammed’s case and what you can do to help.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Quick facts<\/h2>\n

Execution method<\/strong><\/p>\n