Bahrain: Judicial Proceedings against Mr. Mohamed Al-Maskati

A joint campaign by Defend International and “The Observatory”, the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH, Paris, France) and the World Organisation against Torture (OMCT, Geneva, Switzerland) aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.


Name: Mohamed Abdul Nabi Al-Maskati
Sex: Male
Age: 20
Authorities: Bahraini
Category: Judicial proceedings / Human rights defenders / NGOs

The case:
Mr. Mohamed Abdul Nabi Al-Maskati is the director of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), which organises training workshops, monitors and documents human rights violations and participates in forming a regional network for young human rights activists in eight Arab countries.
Mr. Al-Maskati was tried by the Fourth Degree Minor Criminal Court, upon charges of “activating unregistered association before issuing the declaration of registration”.
These charges are linked to the fact that BYSHR failed to get registered because of the restricting procedures included in the Bahraini Penal Code of 1976 and Association Law of 1989, which pose conditions to the registration of NGOs, among which the approval by the authorities, the forbidding of handling political issues and the fact that all members should be older than 18 years old. According to these laws, the sentence incurred by Mr. Al-Maskati is six months of prison and a 5,000 dinars fee.
Prior to this trial, the members of BYSHR had received a notification by the Ministry of Social Affairs requesting them to stop their activities or they will be prosecuted. BYSHR had filed for registration in June 2005 and has since then never received any answer from the authorities.
The hearing has finally been reported to January 21, 2008.

The Observatory, Defend International and many other organizations are preoccupied by these judicial proceedings against Mr. Al-Maskati engaged in accordance with legislative measures which illustrate a determination to control and silence independent organisations, and to limit the presence of NGOs on Bahraini territory.

Our campaign:
Please copy the following appeals, add your signature and address and send them to arrive as soon as possible.
With thanks and appreciation
Defend International

www.defendinternational.org

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His majesty Cheikh Hamad bin Issa AL KHALIFA
King of Bahrain
Fax : +973 176 64 587

Your Majesty,

I am writing you to express my concern regarding the judical proceedings against Mr. Mohamed Al-Maskati, director of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR).

I urge you to put an end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Mohamed Abdul Nabi Al-Maskati and all members of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, and ensure in all circumstances that its members are able to carry out their work freely without any hindrances.


I call on you to put an end to all forms of harassment against human rights defenders in Bahrain.

Furthermore I urge you to conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, Article 11, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise of his or her occupation or profession”, as well as Article 12(1) that provides “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

Finally I urge you to ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Bahrain.

I hope for your urgent attention to this matter.

Yours respectfully,


--------------

His Excellency Minister of Social Development
Bahrain’s Ministry of Social Development
Postbox 32868
Isa city
Bahrain
Fax: 0097317682248
E-mail
[email protected]
[email protected]

Your Excellency,

I am writing you to express my concern regarding the judical proceedings against Mr. Mohamed Al-Maskati, director of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR).

I urge you to put an end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Mohamed Abdul Nabi Al-Maskati and all members of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, and ensure in all circumstances that its members are able to carry out their work freely without any hindrances.

I call on you to put an end to all forms of harassment against human rights defenders in Bahrain.

Furthermore I urge you to conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, Article 11, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise of his or her occupation or profession”, as well as Article 12(1) that provides “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

Finally I urge you to ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Bahrain.

I hope for your urgent attention to this matter.

Yours respectfully,

--------------

His Excellency Cheikh Khaled Bin Ahmad AL KHALIFA
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Fax : +973 172 12 6032

Your Excellency,

I am writing you to express my concern regarding the judical proceedings against Mr. Mohamed Al-Maskati, director of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR).

I urge you to put an end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Mohamed Abdul Nabi Al-Maskati and all members of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, and ensure in all circumstances that its members are able to carry out their work freely without any hindrances.

I call on you to put an end to all forms of harassment against human rights defenders in Bahrain.

Furthermore I urge you to conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, Article 11, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise of his or her occupation or profession”, as well as Article 12(1) that provides “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

Finally I urge you to ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Bahrain.

I hope for your urgent attention to this matter.

Yours respectfully,



----------------------------

His Excellency Cheikh Khalid bin Ali AL KHALIFA
Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs,
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs,
Postbox 450
Manama
Diplomacy Area
Bahrain
Fax: +973 17536343
Fax : +973 175 31 284

Your Excellency,

I am writing you to express my concern regarding the judical proceedings against Mr. Mohamed Al-Maskati, director of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR).

I urge you to put an end to all forms of harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr. Mohamed Abdul Nabi Al-Maskati and all members of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, and ensure in all circumstances that its members are able to carry out their work freely without any hindrances.

I call on you to put an end to all forms of harassment against human rights defenders in Bahrain.

Furthermore I urge you to conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its Article 1, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, Article 11, which states that “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to the lawful exercise of his or her occupation or profession”, as well as Article 12(1) that provides “everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to participate in peaceful activities against violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms”.

Finally I urge you to ensure in all circumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and with international and regional human rights instruments ratified by Bahrain.

I hope for your urgent attention to this matter.

Yours respectfully,

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