The Arab Agenda

Chapter 9

Praise and criticism should be objective and based on true statements backed with solid evidence. Accepting the universality of human rights a defender must accept the universality of human rights as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

A person cannot deny some human rights and yet claim to be a human rights defender because he or she is an advocate for others. For example, it would not be acceptable to defend the human rights of men but to deny that women have equal rights. In reference to Bahrain, the rights of Expatriates in the independent BICI 13 commissioned report states in their Findings and Conclusions:

1525. The Commission found sufficient evidence to establish that some expatriates, in particular South Asian workers were the targets of attacks during the events of February/March 2011. The Commission finds that four expatriates were killed by mob attacks during the events and many were injured.

The BICI report states more, the questionable part in the above is why the activists named above, and referred widely to as prominent, did not cover or condemn such attacks?

An answer is required as to why the above reference was not included in any condemnation or represented by NGO's, based in and outside of Bahrain that have a duty and must accept the universality of human rights as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Basic reporting on violence committed against expatriates were neither recorded nor condemned by any of the above. I went on to research and found the following;

"On Thursday, 12th January, 2012, Nabeel Rajab (President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights) dropped quite a shock to both the Bahrain government and the political societies when he took to the podium by making the King of Bahrain his main target.

The announced prominent human right defender became a politician. Is that the job description of a human right defender? Politically rallying?

I am not here to judge the Director of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights stance, however as he has been referred to as a prominent human rights defender as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights I have not noted any statement or even reference to the brutal nearly deadly attack on Khalid Al Sardi.

Khalid Al Sardi was brutally attacked and nearly tortured to death on the 13th of March, 2011 at the University of Bahrain by anti-government protesters. Here is his statement:

"On the 13th of March last year, I went to the university as usual. It never came to my mind that I am going to face death on that day. Demonstrations started in the morning at the UOB and the protestors started attacking students & harassing female students. We tried to protect the female students, as thugs started to throw stones, so we went to one of the buildings and I volunteered to watch from the roof. A few minutes later, rioters surrounded and attacked the building and saw buses bringing more rioters carrying weapons. Hearing my colleagues' screams, watching windows and doors being broken by 14Feb thugs, and the huge number of thugs attacking the college with their weapons, make the image unbearably frightening. I really felt insecure. Five minutes later, 14Feb thugs reached the roof where I was. They attacked me brutally. I was beaten by a huge number of rioters. I was hit, beaten and kicked. The torture continued & continued; I couldn't move nor defend myself. I felt drowsy, giddy and numb in all my body. I felt a severe headache that I wished to lose my conscious. They ordered me to move down the stairs. I tried, but could not; they threaten to throw me from the roof. I was pulled down the stairs while the beating continued. Finally I reached the ground floor where I saw the ambulance; I thought at last I could relax. However, they continued their brutal attacks on me even when I was on an ambulance trolley. Finally, I entered the ambulance and the door closed. I thought it over, I could relax, but the nurse began to verbally assault me. My body was covered by blood, felt severe pain all over my body and intensely traumatized. I begged the nurse to take me to BDF hospital. When she noticed my body shivering, she thought I was dying. Once I reached BDF, I lost my consciousness. I can't believe that I am still alive. 13th March could have been the last day in my life."

Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which sets out the basic principle of equality and non-discrimination as regards the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms, forbids "distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status".

In the case of Khalid Al Sardi, the BCHR failed to document the attacks or condemn them or report it and neither did any of the other "human rights" organizations or activists. The media was silent. Do you see a trail here? Do you understand the source of dissemination yet?