The Bahraini al-Wahdawi Observatory for Human Rights has said that it monitored 59 cases of arbitrary detention in the months of October.
The arrests took place in different areas and villages of the Persian-Gulf state as Manama continues to implement policies infamous for its violations of human rights.
The Observatory pointed out in a report published this month that the court issued up to 33 rulings last month, including three life sentences, one case of deportation, and seven revoked citizenships. 51 citizens were released from detention.
Meanwhile, there were 112 peaceful demonstrations across the country in the month of October, six of which were targeted by Saudi-backed security forces.
Notably, Bahrainis were observing Ashura, the annual commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, Prophet Mohammad’s grandson in October. As per usual, authorities prevented mourners from practicing some of their rituals, like raising black flags and banners . In addition, they cornered ecturers and prevented human rights activists from leaving the country. The security siege on the town of Diraz also remained.
The Bahraini authorities have detained thousands of Bahrainis in recent years with hundreds of political prisoners lying in government jails. The monarchy is the top country in political prisoners per capita.
In its 2015 report, Amnesty International published a report in which it concluded that it “monitored human rights developments in Bahrain for many years but never more closely than in the past four years, which have seen widespread violations by government security forces. These have included torture and other ill-treatment of detainees, unfair trials, the imprisonment of prisoners of conscience and unlawful killings, with those responsible all too frequently escaping accountability.”
Another drastic measure that has been criticized is revoking citizens’ nationalities.
“Revoking nationality everywhere is considered as executing the civil situation of the person. That what happens when the person suddenly becomes with no nationality,” activists have said.
Since the beginning of the 2011 revolution, more than 100 protesters have been killed at the hands of Saudi-backed security forces, 500 individuals held as prisoners of conscience, and over 3,000 others remain in arbitrary detention.
