나빌 라자브와 파델 압바스가 단 1분이라도 감옥에서 보낸다는 것은 격분할 일이다. 비판하는 사람들을 전부 투옥시킨다고 해도 바레인 정부는 이들의 목소리를 모두 막을 수 없다.
– 사마흐 하디드(Samah Hadid), 국제앰네스티 베이루트지역 캠페인 부국장

바레인 정부에 파델 압바스와 나빌 라자브의 즉각적이고 조건 없는 석방을 요구하는 한편, 바레인의 국제법상 의무에 따라 평화적인 표현의 자유 행사를 범죄화하는 법률을 폐지하거나 개정할 것을 촉구한다.
– 사마흐 하디드 부국장 배경

2016년 5월 이후 바레인에서는 표현과 평화적인 집회, 결사, 이동의 자유 행사를 놀라우리만치 강력하게 탄압하는 경향이 나타났다. 그 대상은 특히 주로 정치적 반대세력과 인권옹호자 및 정부에 비판적인 사람들이었다.

바레인 형법 133조는 “전시에 거짓 또는 유해한 소식, 진술 또는 소문, 또는 흑색 선전 활동에 해당하는 내용을 고의적으로 공표해, 바레인 방어를 위한 군사적 준비 또는 국군의 군사활동에 피해를 끼치고, 국민들에게 혼란을 야기하거나 국가 기강을 약화시키려는 자”는 누구나 10년 이하의 징역에 처할 수 있다고 명시하고 있다.

국제앰네스티는 25일부터 샤이크 칼리드 빈 알리 알 칼리파 바레인 법무장관에게 파델 압바스와 나빌 라자브의 즉각적인 석방을 요구하는 긴급 캠페인 액션을 시작할 예정이다. 캠페인 소식과 온라인 참여는 @aibarain과 @amnestyonline에서 확인할 수 있다.

영어전문 보기

Bahrain: Assault on freedom of expression continues as activists face jail for tweets

Bahraini authorities must immediately and unconditionally release human rights activist Nabeel Rajab and opposition leader Fadhel Abbas, two prisoners of conscience who are facing long prison sentences for using Twitter to voice concerns about human rights abuses in the conflict in Yemen, Amnesty International said today.

Both men have criticized the killing of civilians in Yemen by the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which includes Bahrain. They have already been wrongfully detained for months and are expecting their respective court’s verdicts in the next week.

“It is an outrage that Nabeel Rajab and Fadhel Abbas have spent even one minute in jail – the Bahraini authorities cannot silence every last critic by throwing them behind bars.
Samah Hadid, Deputy Director of Campaigns at Amnesty International’s Beirut regional office
“It is an outrage that Nabeel Rajab and Fadhel Abbas have spent even one minute in jail – the Bahraini authorities cannot silence every last critic by throwing them behind bars. They must drop all charges against Nabeel Rajab and quash Fadhel Abbas’ five year jail term, and immediately cease their relentless crackdown on freedom of expression,” said Samah Hadid, Deputy Director of Campaigns at Amnesty International’s Beirut regional office
“In a climate of increasing hostility towards dissent of any kind, Bahrain needs independent voices like Nabeel Rajab and Fadhel Abbas more than ever. They should be applauded and protected, not punished, for their brave efforts to raise human rights concerns.”

Nabeel Rajab, one of Bahrain’s most prominent human rights defenders, has been in and out of prison several times since 2012. He has been in detention since June 2016 on charges of “insulting public authorities”, “insulting a foreign country” and “disseminating false rumours in times of war”. The charges are in relation to tweets he posted alleging torture in Bahrain’s Jaw prison, and criticizing the Saudi Arabia-led coalition’s conduct in the war in Yemen. He is due to be sentenced on 31 October and faces up to 15 years in prison.

Nabeel Rajab is also being charged separately with “undermining the prestige of the state” in relation to a piece written in his name in the New York Times last month, in which he described the conditions of his current detention. It is unknown when he will face trial on this charge.

Fadhel Abbas is the former Secretary General of the opposition al-Wahdawi party. He was sentenced in June 2015 to five years in prison for “spreading false information that could damage military operations of Bahrain and its allies and calling for resistance”, after his party posted a tweet describing the air strikes in Yemen as a violation of international law. He is due to receive a verdict on his appeal on 26 October.

As well as calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Fadhel Abbas and Nabeel Rajab, we are urging the Bahraini authorities to repeal or amend laws that criminalize the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression, in line with Bahrain’s obligations under international law
Samah Hadid, Deputy Director of Campaigns at Amnesty International’s Beirut regional office

Amnesty International believes that Fadhel Abbas and Nabeel Rajab are on trial solely for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression, and are prisoners of conscience.

“As well as calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Fadhel Abbas and Nabeel Rajab, we are urging the Bahraini authorities to repeal or amend laws that criminalize the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression, in line with Bahrain’s obligations under international law,” said Samah Hadid.

Background

Since May 2016 Bahrain has seen an alarming intensification in the crackdown on the enjoyment of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, association and movement, particularly against the political opposition, human rights defenders and others critical of the authorities.

Article 133 of the Bahraini Penal Code allows for up to 10 years imprisonment for anyone who “deliberately announces in wartime false or malicious news, statements or rumours or mounts adverse publicity campaigns, so as to cause damage to military preparations for defending the State of Bahrain or military operations of the Armed Forces, to cause people to panic or to weaken the nation’s perseverance”.

Amnesty International will today launch an urgent campaign action calling on the Minister of Justice, Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, in Bahrain to immediately release Fadhel Abbas and Nabeel Rajab. The campaign can be followed and supported online at @aibahrain and @amnestyonline.