“Friends” of Putin and Partners of Germany – “Systematic Torture” and Arbitrary Arrests in Bahrain

Created: 06/07/2022, 15:35

By: Andreas Schmid

Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin: Human rights organizations in the Gulf have complained about torture and arrests.

© IMAGO/ZUMA Wire (Archive photo)

Bahrain occupies one of the bottom places in the democracy index.

The island state is accused of mistreatment and unfounded arrests.

But few look.

Manama - The soccer World Cup in Qatar puts the spotlight on the Gulf region.

Among other things, human rights violations in the desert emirates come into focus.

In the case of Qatar there are calls for a World Cup boycott, in Saudi Arabia public executions are denounced.

A small country that lies off the coast of Qatar is somewhat forgotten:

.

It is well worth taking a closer look.

Bahrain: Amnesty Reports "Grave Human Rights Violations"

In its annual situation report on Bahrain, Amnesty International writes: "The authorities commit serious human rights violations, including torture and other ill-treatment, and suppress the rights to freedom of expression and assembly." The non-profit organization is currently increasingly pointing out that the human rights situation in the Gulf on average worse than in Qatar.

This also applies to Bahrain.

Lara Farag from the human rights organization Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) draws

a similar picture in an interview with

The "physical and psychological torture of prisoners" is "systematically practiced by the Bahraini authorities".

The royal family is largely responsible for this.

Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy.

The self-proclaimed king and thus head of state is Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

His son Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is Bahrain's crown prince, supreme commander of the armed forces and prime minister, i.e. head of government.

Bahrain: Close ties with Russia - "our friends"

The two statesmen maintain good relations with Russia. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was in the Gulf as recently as May.

Bahrain sent heartfelt greetings to the Kremlin for the Russian holiday on May 9 (“Victory Day”).

The Bahraini monarch praised Manama-Moscow relations and stressed that he intends to develop them further.

The Russian news agency Tass reported in March: “Putin briefs king of Bahrain on reasons and objectives of special operation in Ukraine.” Bahrain voted in favor of the UN resolution condemning the Russian invasion, but according to Lavrov it is still “more reliable to Russia Partners in the Arab World”.

Russia is always in exchange “with our friends”.

Father and son: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, here with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The meeting took place in May 2022 amid the Ukraine war.

© IMAGO/ITAR-TASS

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Bahrain: An anti-terror law as a pretext for detention

According to Farag, it is primarily people who are critical of the regime who are imprisoned in Bahrain – and largely without reason.

This harshness of the state apparatus is made possible by an opaque anti-terror law, with the help of which basically every political activity can be classified as terrorism.

SPD member of the Bundestag Rainer Keller says to

from IPPEN.MEDIA that it is a pretext.

There are also harsh penalties for “insulting the Bahraini king” or “insulting national symbols”.

The Bahraini royal family regulates when the criminal offense is fulfilled.

Several regime critics are currently under arrest.

For example, opposition politician Hassan Mushaima and activist Abduljalil Al-Singace.

Both have been in prison for years.

In 2011, at the time of the Arab Spring, there were protests against the political leadership in Bahrain, which the government, with the help of Saudi Arabia, violently put down.

"Since the 2011 revolution, the human rights situation in Bahrain has been steadily deteriorating," said MEP Dietmar Köster (SPD), who, like party colleague Keller, had often denounced the human rights situation in Bahrain, when asked.

"Independent media has disappeared, human rights activists have had their citizenship revoked, prison sentences have been harsh and activists have been sentenced to death."

Protest in London: demonstrators demand the release of Hassan Mushaima.

His son Ali Mushaima went on a hunger strike in front of the Bahrain Embassy.

© IMAGO/Peter Marshall

Bahrain: A religious clash between Shiites and Sunnis

Farag and other critics see human rights violations not only among detainees.

Bahrain is just as big as Hamburg and has around 1.7 million inhabitants.

State religion is Islam.

The majority of the residents belong to the Shiite faith group, but the ruling house is Sunni.

Shia and Sunni form the two largest religious groups in Islam.

Both believe in Allah, but interpret the Koran differently.

Keller observes "an increasing repressive action against the Shia majority population for several years".

Farag speaks of "systematic discrimination and disadvantage." In school books, for example, a denigration of the Shiite faith is propagated.

Köster says the government favors Sunni supporters for public service positions and "when it comes to state-funded companies." Children are also abused in Bahraini prisons, according to Amnesty International.

The editors are aware of cases of youths who accuse the Bahraini authorities of torture.

Bahrain and sport: "The country tries to cover up human rights violations"

So Bahrain seems to be on par with its nearby Gulf neighbors when it comes to human rights abuses.

There are also parallels in the foreign policy of the desert state.

"Bahrain is currently characterized by corruption and nepotism and is trying to cover up its human rights violations through sports washing," says Farag.

Sportswashing is the strategy of polishing one's image by hosting sporting events.

A popular instrument in the foreign policy repertoire of the desert states.

Bahrain uses the annual Formula 1 race for this purpose.

Before the most recent race in March, a total of 90 politicians from Europe sent a letter to Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the World Automobile Association FIA.

In the letter available to

, they call on Formula 1 to distance itself from the human rights violations in Bahrain.

"We are concerned that the FIA ​​and Formula 1 are actively promoting sports washing." In addition to Keller and Köster, left-wing politician Andrej Hunko also signed the letter.

Formula 1 in the desert: In 2004 the first race took place on the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir near the capital Manama.

© Bryan Williams/picture alliance

Bahrain and Germany: "Disinterest in Human Rights Violations"?

Otherwise, criticism of Bahrain from Germany is rarely heard.

Germany is Bahrain's third most important economic partner in the EU.

"Accordingly, human rights violations are rarely discussed, and the focus is only on maintaining economic relationships and interests," says Farag.

Köster says: "The lack of interest in human rights violations can be traced back to the close relationship between 'the West' and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates."

SPD politician Keller does not want to speak of disinterest and refers to the "regular exchange" between the federal government and Bahrain.

Despite the overall “serious” human rights violations, he sees minor rays of hope.

“So many political prisoners have been released in recent years.

The possibility was also created to convert prison sentences into alternative punishments," says the member of the Bundestag.

"However, this progress does not hide the fact that the human rights situation in Bahrain remains very difficult and that we must keep a close eye on it in the future."

The immediate future of the country will be shaped by the parliamentary elections in November.

The prospects for change are slim, as Köster describes.

“Relevant political parties like Al-Wefaq and Al-Wa'ad were banned and the candidates were not admitted.

In addition, it is illegal to be a member of these parties.” According to the 2021 Democracy Index, Bahrain ranks 144th out of 167. Of the Gulf States, only Saudi Arabia performs worse.