This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A detainee at Bahrain's Jau prison has revealed in an audio recording obtained by Middle East Eye grim conditions at the facility including circumstances that amount to "psychological torture" they cut off the electricity and all the means of life," the detainee whose name is being withheld for safety reasons We are now sitting in the heat and darkness The revelation comes as three United Nations experts have called on Bahrain to urgently address human rights violations at the same prison the largest male detention facility in the country The detainee said that prison officials were denying prisoners certain meals in the day Jau Prison is frequently used to detain political prisoners in Bahrain where freedom of expression is severely limited the special rapporteur on the right to food special rapporteur on living standards and mental health co-signed a statement published on Thursday urging action from Manama “We have received worrying allegations that since March 2024 in response to protests by prisoners for better conditions detainees held in some buildings of the prison are often being denied required medical care and do not have regular access to adequate food and safe drinking water,” they wrote “Particularly worrying are allegations that authorities have cut air conditioning with temperatures [rising] to 50°C,” the UN experts said MEE understands that air conditioning has been restored in the facility Detainees across five buildings in Jau Prison began a protest demanding better conditions after the death of political prisoner Husain Khalil Ibrahim on 25 March Bahraini authorities responded with harsh measures a human rights defender and former political prisoner at Jau Prison said: "Over 500 political prisoners are demanding their release and the improvement of their conditions There are concerns that force may be used to disperse the strike." Authorities are "punishing us and putting pressure on us and humiliating us meaning we back down from all our demands," the unnamed detainee said in the recording "They came to torture us psychologically and to exhaust us with all the means available to them The sister of a political prisoner currently on strike in Jau Prison told MEE on Friday that since protesting began in March family visitations and phone calls have been suspended "My last visit to my brother at Jau Prison was in February," she said including the National Institute for Human Rights and the Ombudsman She added that reports of cutting electricity and reducing meals was "very hard to bare" "There is no one in this country we can turn to in order to end this nightmare." The UN experts said that the conditions at the facility could severely impact prisoners' mental and physical health MEE has reached out to the Bahraini embassy in London for comment at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (Bird) told MEE: "The Bahraini authorities are distorting reality masking ongoing abuses of prisoners' basic rights and their rights should be restored without reprisals." Copyright © 2014 - 2025. Middle East Eye Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters Middle East Eye ISSN 2634-2456 {{{ data.post_type_label }}}{{{ data.meta }}}{{{ data.post_date_formatted }}} {{{ data._snippetResult['content'].value }}} We use both persistent and session cookies on our website to be sure promotions are not re-displayed to users who have already seen them We also use cookies set by a third party analytics service to measure traffic and collect statistics about users’ devices and browsers This page is also available in العربية Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) People gather outside the Al Wusta police station and prison to protest the detention of opposition activists This statement was originally published on adhrb.org on 20 December 2024 These actions flagrantly violate the Nelson Mandela Rules and other international human rights standards The impact of these abuses extends far beyond the prison walls Families of prisoners have been left in anguish facing a communication blackout and mounting concerns for their loved ones the family of prisoner Sayed Mohamed AlAbbar has expressed deep fear for his safety after he was hospitalized with injuries sustained during a violent raid on Building 7 the prison administration has failed to provide clear updates on his condition neither has issued an official response to the families’ demands who had eagerly awaited it in the hope that their loved ones would be included the government has deepened mistrust and exacerbated the suffering of prisoners particularly given the worsening prison conditions The systemic violations in Bahrain’s detention facilities are not limited to Jau Prison. Reports from the Dry Dock Detention Center reveal routine torture, psychological abuse, and severe restrictions on religious practices. Detainees Ali Mohamed Jaafar and Husain Fateel son of prominent human rights defender and former prisoner of conscience Naji Fateel have reported in audio recordings restrictions on Shia detainees at the Dry Dock Detention Center denying them the freedom to practice their religious rituals Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) strongly condemns these abuses ADHRB asserts that the Bahraini government’s actions constitute gross violations of the Convention Against Torture (CAT) the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) ADHRB holds the Ministry of Interior (MOI) and the Ombudsman responsible for these violations through their complicity and inaction while praised by some as a humanitarian gesture starkly underscores the government’s disregard for political prisoners most of whom continue to suffer under inhuman conditions ADHRB demands the unconditional release of all political prisoners particularly elderly and critically ill opposition leaders such as Mr The organization urges an end to all abuses in Bahraini prisons and compensation and reparation for victims An ADHRB report reveals Bahrain’s ongoing persecution of minors for political dissent IFEX joins human rights organisations calling for the immediate release of the detained Bahraini human rights defender and former political prisoner “The continued targeting of human rights defenders in Bahrain through arbitrary summonses and prolonged detentions is a clear attempt to silence dissent” – Bahrain Center for Human Rights Get the latest free expression news delivered straight to your inbox disclose or otherwise provide your data to any outside organisation You can change your subscription preferences or unsubscribe at any time add info@ifex.org to your safe senders list IFEX publishes original and member-produced free expression news and reports Some member content has been edited by IFEX We invite you to contact media@ifex.org to request permission to reproduce or republish in whole or in part content from this site You may not be able to find the page you were after because of: You might find one of the following links useful: Scott Genin highlights the impact of quantum simulations on materials discovery and the advancements needed for scalability QEPNT Hub develops quantum-enabled navigation technologies addressing GNSS vulnerabilities and enhancing resilience for national security and various sectors Catherine Yokan from NMIS discusses her work on advanced composites addressing challenges in aerospace manufacturing and Scotland's growing space industry The SideKick QCL Controller offers a low-noise laser control solution ensuring stable and precise operation for demanding laser applications LabOne Q is a new software framework that accelerates quantum computing progress on Zurich Instruments’ hardware users can design complex quantum experiments with an intuitive you can trust me to find commercial scientific answers from AZoNetwork.com please log into your AZoProfile account first Registered members can chat with Azthena, request quotations, download pdf's, brochures and subscribe to our related newsletter content A few things you need to know before we start Read the full Message Invalid character found in the request target The valid characters are defined in RFC 7230 and RFC 3986 Description The server cannot or will not process the request due to something that is perceived to be a client error (e.g. Note The full stack trace of the root cause is available in the server logs The Cignal HD Spikers aim to close out the Criss Cross King Crunchers and defend their Spikers' Turf title in Game 2 of the 2025 Open Conference Finals the Cignal HD Spikers aim to complete their title defense as they battle Criss Cross King Crunchers in Game 2 of the Spikers’ Turf Open Conference Finals at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig on Friday The defending champions proved their mettle in Game 1 overcoming a 1-2 set deficit to outlast the King Crunchers in a thrilling five-setter Jau Umandal spearheaded Cignal’s charge with 19 points while Steven Rotter and JP Bugaoan provided key contributions to secure the opening victory the HD Spikers are determined to end the series and reclaim their throne banking on their experience and composure in high-pressure moments is expected to be back at full strength as Cignal looks to close out the series in dominant fashion Game 1 of the Finals was only the latest curious development in the head-to-head battle between these two teams While Cignal has the edge in title-clinching matches Criss Cross surged in the 2025 Open Conference by picking up all three victories against the HD Spikers. It was only in Game 1 of the Finals that ensured the King Crunchers would not get a sweep [ALSO READ: Spikers' Turf: Cignal HD Spikers vs Criss Cross King Crunchers head-to-head] One more win is all it takes for Cignal to retain its Spikers’ Turf crown [Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.] We use cookies to ensure you the best experience on our website Reactions poured in on social media with netizens taking potshots at the doom and gloom claim One user asked what time is the war starting as they have to leave for tuition “jaldo bata bhai 10 minute mein tuition nikalna hai.” Another user asked whether they take a day off “Office ki chhutti kar lu fir?” “Should I continue my studies or not?” a few more students asked “Olympics dekh lene de bhai pehle,” one user hilariously suggested the doomsdayer while another user commented how netizens are doom scrolling even as the whorling world is crumbling by the minutes See Also: Desi Webster Shashi Tharoor Shares The Word Of The Era And We Are Guilty Of It See Also: World War X; What Will The World Be Like If North Korea, Russia And US Engage In Nuclear War? See Also: Memes, Memes And More Memes Released detainees include some jailed for political reasons and is UK ally’s biggest amnesty since Arab spring Bahrain has unconditionally released more than 1,500 prisoners in the biggest royal pardon since the 2011 Arab spring uprising The amnesty followed years of campaigning inside the country and by international human rights groups but came as a complete surprise to activists Amnesty Bahrain said: “This is a welcome step Many of [the prisoners] should not have been imprisoned in the first place.” The releases were ordered by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa coinciding with Eid and the silver jubilee of the king taking power The US embassy in Bahrain welcomed the move and expressed the hope that all those being released will be reunited with their families Freed prisoners in Hamad, Bahrain on 8 April. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesMany of the detainees have been held in Jau prison, where campaigners said more than 600 political prisoners remain, including some in need of urgent medical help. Recent riots inside prisons had made the expense of keeping so many behind bars a burden on the state. Read moreThe changes also represent a chance for Bahrain to improve its global image increase foreign direct investment and encourage tourism It followed a visit to Saudi Arabia by Bahrain’s crown prince a visit that might have led to a Saudi endorsement of the move joyful scenes of families being reunited in their homes were screened including some who had not been in their family home for as long as a decade With two of his own brothers in law among the freed prisoners, Alwadaei said: “The releases coincide with a lot of unease inside Bahrain about the state’s support for Israel, but they coincide with significant unrest in Jau prison, where nearly a thousand political prisoners had refused to return to their cells over maltreatment.” Some of those released issued chants against the US and the continued Israeli assault on Gaza. Bahrain, a close UK ally and home to the US fifth fleet, has been the only Gulf state to publicly back the US-led maritime coalition seeking to prevent Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which began after the 7 October attack on Israel by Hamas. Bahrain has undertaken a delicate balancing act, criticising Israel even though it has normalised relations with the country and been sharply critical of the Hamas atrocity. Among those retained in prison include Hassan Mushaima, the head of the opposition group Al-Haq, and Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a Danish-Bahraini human rights defender serving a life sentence in Bahrain for peaceful human rights work. A spokesperson for the Bahrain government said: “The royal pardon … marks one point in a broader journey for the Kingdom of Bahrain. “Bahrain has one of the lowest recidivism rates internationally at 2.5% among those engaged in alternative sentencing and open prisons.” we can't find the page that you are looking for Don't let that stop you from visiting some of our other great related content protected by reCAPTCHA.css-trhdh3::after{background-color:#fa9000;}EXPLORE MOREblinking-dotLive updatesLive updates, Israeli attacks on Gaza kill 41 as Hamas rejects ‘conquest’ threatsUN and humanitarian aid groups say Israel proposed ‘dangerous’ ration ‘scheme’ after nine-week siege the California federal penitentiary has been shut for more than six decades Francis-era reforms that saw a diverse group of cardinals join the mix make his successor nearly impossible to call The attack comes as Moscow prepares to welcome foreign leaders from China and Brazil Reports say Israel now eyeing occupation of entire enclave control of aid and possible expulsion of Palestinians A study gives clues to cosmic origin of gold and heavy elements and they were created earlier than we thought Israel has used human rights terminology to whitewash killing civilians Mahfuza spends her days navigating rivers where danger lurks Attack claimed by Houthis temporarily halts air traffic at Israel’s busiest airport and triggers air raid sirens NASA’s Curiosity rover will notch its 11th year on Mars by doing what it does best: studying the Red Planet’s surface The intrepid bot recently investigated a location nicknamed “Jau” that is pockmarked with dozens of impact craters Scientists have rarely gotten a close-up view of so many Martian craters in one place The largest is estimated to be at least as long as a basketball court Jau is a pit stop on the rover’s journey into the foothills of Mount Sharp a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain that was covered with lakes Each layer of the mountain formed in a different era of Mars’ ancient climate the more scientists learn about how the landscape changed over time Find out how NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover faced the hardest climb of the mission “If you’ve ever tried running up a sand dune on a beach – and that’s essentially what we were doing – you know it’s hard, but there were boulders in there as well,” said Amy Hale, a Curiosity rover driver at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Hale is one of 15 “rover planners” who write hundreds of lines of code to command Curiosity’s mobility system and robotic arm each day. (They don’t operate the rover in real time; instructions are sent to Mars the night before, and data comes back to Earth only after the rover has completed the work.) These engineers collaborate with scientists to figure out where to direct the rover, what pictures to take, and which targets to study using the instruments on its 7-foot (2-meter) robotic arm. NASA’s Curiosity used its Mastcam to capture this impact crater in a location nicknamed “Jau” on July 25 This was one of dozens of impact craters Curiosity stopped by after completing the most difficult climb of the mission Curiosity was never in danger while climbing to Jau: The team doesn’t plan anything that could damage the rover, and the planners write commands so that Curiosity will stop moving if it encounters any surprises. Unexpected stoppages – referred to as “faults” – can occur when the wheels slip too much or a wheel is raised too high by a large rock. On the route to Jau, the rover found itself in both scenarios on several occasions. This map shows the route NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover took from May into July to complete the most difficult climb of the mission Starting in “Marker Band Valley” (the darker area at the top center) with dots indicating each stop the rover made “We were basically playing fault bingo,” said Dane Schoelen Curiosity’s strategic route planning lead at JPL we’d find out we faulted for one reason or another.” Instead of continuing to struggle with the original course, Schoelen and his colleagues put together a lateral detour, eyeing a spot roughly 492 feet (150 meters) away where the incline leveled out. At least, it seemed to: Planners rely on imagery from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to get a rough sense of the terrain but images captured from space can’t show exactly how steep a slope is or whether boulders are there The detour would add a few weeks to the journey to Jau – unless the terrain was hiding more surprises and the team’s scientists would have to keep looking for another path up Mount Sharp “It felt great to finally get over the ridge and see that amazing vista,” Schoelen said “I get to look at images of Mars all day long I often feel like I’m standing right there next to Curiosity Curiosity’s scientists have wrapped an investigation of the Jau crater cluster clusters can form when a meteor breaks up in the planet’s atmosphere or when fragments are tossed by a large Scientists want to understand how the relatively soft rocks of the salt-enriched terrain affected the way the craters formed and changed over time Despite all that Mars has thrown at Curiosity It’ll soon be off again to explore a new area higher up on Mount Sharp JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington https://mars.nasa.gov/msl andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov NASA Orbiter Spots Curiosity Rover Making Tracks to Next Science Stop Mars. NASA’s Curiosity Rover May Have Solved Mars’ Missing Carbonate Mystery Mars. NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Studies Trove of Rocks on Crater Rim Mars. Perseverance Rover Witnesses One Martian Dust Devil Eating Another Mars. How NASA’s Perseverance Is Helping Prepare Astronauts for Mars Mars. NASA’s Curiosity Rover Detects Largest Organic Molecules Found on Mars Mars. NASA: New Study on Why Mars Is Red Supports Potentially Habitable Past Mars. NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Colorful Clouds Drifting Over Mars Mars. NASA’s InSight Finds Marsquakes From Meteoroids Go Deeper Than Expected Mars. Avalanches, Icy Explosions, and Dunes: NASA Is Tracking New Year on Mars Explore MoreImage. Curiosity Looks Downslope From the Sulfate Unit Image. Image. Curiosity on the Road to Boxwork Formations Image. Curiosity Surveys the 'Ubajara' Sampling Site on Mars Image. Image. Image. Video. Meet the Mars Samples: Sapphire Canyon (Sample 25) Image. Perserverance Captures Crater Rim Dust Devil Eating Its Own Video. Perseverance Rover Captures Dust Devils Whirling Across Mars (Mars Report) An informed source has warned about inhumane conditions at Bahrain’s notorious Jau Prison saying more than a dozen prisoners have been brutally beaten and subjected to various forms of physical torture in the detention center as the Al Khalifah regime continues to terrorize them one way or another Lebanon’s Arabic-language Al-Manar television network, citing the unnamed source some of whom have suffered some kind of head injury The source expressed hope that the case would go to legal institutions inside and outside of Bahrain and that prisoners would endure less torments at detention centers across the Persian Gulf kingdom an independent human rights organization raised the alarm over ‘inhumane conditions’ at Bahrain’s Jau Prison saying prisoners were exposed to various forms of physical and mental torture at the jail The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) said officials at the prison had ramped up their repressive measures and harassment of imprisoned political dissidents including human rights advocate Abdulhadi al-Khawaja the former president and co-founder of the BCHR as part of a campaign of repression by Bahraini authorities following pro-democracy protests in the Persian Gulf kingdom The Bahrain Center for Human Rights further noted that prisoners of conscience at Jau Prison were put on unfair trials and handed down lengthy jail terms simply on charges of defending their rights and criticizing the policies of the ruling Al Khalifah regime It went on to say that prison authorities had lately summoned a number of guards who used to torture detained activists in the past Demonstrations have been held in Bahrain on a regular basis since a popular uprising began in the Arab country in mid-February 2011 People demand that the Al Khalifah regime relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any form of dissent Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses: www.presstv.co.uk Click the "share" button in the bottom bar To celebrate the 2018 World Cup, For The Win’s Ted Berg is sampling various World Cup countries’ cuisines in the New York City area. To recommend a dish or a restaurant, email asktedberg@gmail.com I think going to elementary school during the final throes of the Cold War baked certain elements of American exceptionalism into my brain and one of the most stubborn remnants is the default assumption that people from other countries only ever move here and so even though I know that -- as one example -- my grandmother's family came to the United States from Italy via Argentina I still sometimes get surprised by evidence of multiculturalism far beyond our borders but I'm always a little bit baffled to learn about the large German population in the Santa Catarina state of Brazil and fascinated by thinking about what types of delicious hybrid foods might exist there I happen to live around the corner from one location of a local Peruvian chicken chain and I've probably enjoyed its signature rotisserie chicken more often than I have any other neighborhood dish in the seven years I've been in the area which means my beloved Pio Pio is not applicable Deeper research into Peruvian cuisine taught me that the local version of Chinese food -- known as "chifa" -- is very popular there and different from the Chinese food commonly served in the U.S very different from that served in actual China there are multiple restaurants serving Peruvian-style Chinese food in the New York City borough of Queens It's the American interpretation of the Peruvian interpretation of Chinese cuisine World Cup 2018: Getting to know Team Peru and it seemed like as good a place as any to start It came with white rice and a $1 upcharge option for fried rice so I asked if I could spend the $1 upcharge to have noodles instead -- hoping I'd get to sample some Tallarin Saltado as well so I got my pollo chi jau kay with a side of dry noodles The aforementioned Peruvian chicken place in my neighborhood serves its chicken with a green sauce that I firmly is the single best condiment in the entire world -- creamy I request extra sauce every time I get takeout from there then spend the rest of the week rationing out a little bit for every piece of food I eat It turns out it's really good as a substitute for mayo in egg salad For those curious, some more information and a reverse-engineered recipe for the Pio Pio green sauce is here I took note of the novelty of seeing a squirt bottle full of a similar green sauce waiting on the table next to a bottle of soy sauce a bit more like other Chinese food than I'd hoped and there are some particulars to this pollo chi jau kay that do distinguish it from Chinese food I've had elsewhere -- both in the United States and in China and the batter is lighter and crispier than any I've enjoyed on Chinese dishes involving fried chicken the moist meat and the soupy brown sauce around it is excellent does taste a lot like a lot of other brown sauces I've had on Chinese food -- the thin so I can't say for sure if putting the green sauce on pollo chi jau kay is a sanctioned addition or common practice in Peru But if the entire cuisine is one country's food as prepared in another country how am I or anyone else to say what passes for authenticity And the hot sauce on this table -- that bright brilliant green sauce -- really makes the dish sing The creaminess works to cut the saltiness of the brown sauce the spiciness amplifies and deepens the other flavors and the taste of cilantro adds a welcome wrinkle It's so good that I dumped the whole plate of dry noodles into the combination of brown sauce and green sauce left on the plate and slurped up every one wondering whether I was participating in a long-held Peruvian-Chinese tradition of cross-cultural saucing or creating one all my own I noticed a new restaurant about to open directly next door to Chifa It's a pizza place with a big Colombian flag on the sign a Peruvian drink that dates back to before the Incan Empire It's made from purple corn with a smattering of homey spices which make it taste a bit like mulled wine I rarely drink anything that has been sweetened so I typically have a low tolerance for sugary drinks but this one was not too sweet for me to enjoy and my brain is so suggestible that if you told me it was just grape juice with added cinnamon and nutmeg I'd totally buy it based on the color and flavor 7 things I learned eating foods from 23 World Cup countries Get to know a World Cup food staple: Belgian Liege wafels Get to know a World Cup food staple: Iranian koresh alu esfenaj Get to know a World Cup food staple: Croatian fuži Get to know a World Cup food staple: Mexican pan dulce Jau Umandal and the Cignal HD Spikers shared in their TV guesting at Gud Morning Kapatid on News 5 what happened after the Cignal HD Spikers star’s bad fall in Game 2 of their championship series against the Criss Cross King Crunchers It was the third set in Game 2 of the championship series between defending champions Cignal HD Spikers and victory-hungry Criss Cross King Crunchers in the 2024 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference. The two teams were deadlocked at 17 when Cignal’s ace Jau Umandal went for a backrow attack yet he crashed into Season MVP Jude Garcia's descending elbow who had just made an attempt to block his attack on the opposite side of the net Jau’s steadfast dedication is a symbol of his insatiable hunger for back-to-back championships And the HD Spikers did not waste any of his effort and put on a furious rally to win the prestigious title In their TV guesting at the morning show “Gud Morning Jau and the rest of the Cignal HD Spikers shared their awesome teamwork after Umandal’s bad fall in the tournament sobrang nagwo-worry ako kay Jau kasi nakita ko ‘yong nangyari and biglang pumasok sa utak ko na hindi pwedeng matalo kami ngayong set Kasi nakita namin ‘yong effort ni Jau [in] the whole game Ngayon dinedicate talaga namin ‘yong buong set na ‘yon para kay Jau,” said co-captain Wendell Miguel Jau received the awesome pampagising—none other than their back-to-back championships pinakita sa akin ni [Team Manager] na champion na raw kami na-achieve pa rin namin ‘yong goal namin this coming season,” told Jau He also said that everything is fine with his medical condition Negative naman sa lahat ng result,” he added What’s next for Jau and the defending champs “Tuloy lang din [ako] sa pag-recover para sa national team,” Jau mentioned after becoming a part of the national team roster who will represent the country in the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men on June 2 to 9 ALSO READ: 'Kailangan natin ilaban para kay Jau': How Jau Umandal's grit inspired Cignal towards Spikers' Turf title retention A Bahrain court has sentenced 13 political prisoners who protested against medical negligence in their prison at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic The men were among over 60 prisoners abused and held incommunicado for more than a month after security forces and prison officers broke up the April 2021 sit-in in Jau Prison according to accounts documented by the UK-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) Middle East Eye has seen copies of notes made by Bahrain's Public Prosecution Office after interviews with three prisoners following the protest detailing abuse including being struck repeatedly in the head with metal objects and held for days in handcuffs Prison officials involved in the alleged abuse have not been investigated while the trial of 65 prisoners was "marred with severe due process violations" "This mass trial demonstrates a core problem in Bahrain's corrupt judicial system where prisoners of state violence and victims of torture are condemned while torturers avoid any accountability," said Sayed Alwadaei the court sentenced 12 political prisoners to three years in prison one to one year and a 50 Bahraini dinar ($132 USD) fine and acquitted 52 others on charges including causing unrest and resisting prison police orders None of the defendants were present for the proceedings Yemen and Bahrain researcher at Human Rights Watch said the sentencing made recent praise from American and British officials about the kingdom appear "farcical" "The US and the UK just signed new deals with the Bahraini Crown Prince and both countries have touted Bahrain for making 'some important strides and some important reforms'," Jafarnia said referring to comments from a senior Whitehouse official. "Yet Bahrain's continued violations of human rights are blatant.. 13 men were just convicted with no due process and without any investigations into their detailed allegations of torture against the authorities." The sentencing comes weeks after prisoners suspended a mass the largest such strike in Bahrain's history over conditions in Jau Prison after Bahraini authorities pledged improvements Alwadaei told MEE that there have been "some concessions" since the end of the strike including the release of some political prisoners from solitary confinement "It's a mixed message," he said of reports from prisoners inside He said there are ongoing meetings between prisoners prison officers and National Institute for Human Rights' representatives to discuss the prisoners' demands The 10-day sit-in in April 2021 erupted after the death of political prisoner Abbas Mallallah, whom prisoners said had been denied timely access to healthcare, and as rights groups said authorities were failing to prevent the spread of Covid-19 According to reports and the accounts detailed to the Office of Public Prosecution, the protest was broken up by riot police who threw stun grenades and beat detainees, many of whom were badly injured. The UN High Commission for Human Rights said it was "disturbed by the use of unnecessary and disproportionate force" at what it described as "a peaceful sit-in" prisoners said that they had been beaten by the same police officer One prisoner said Farhan told him "I will crush them Bahraini authorities have previously said that the demonstration was violent and that prison officials took proportionate measures to protect staff and inmates They also said that detainees were moved to new facilities after the crackdown but did not explain why they were not in contact with their families. Bahraini officials did not respond to MEE's request for comment on Wednesday The wife of a Bahraini death row inmate who has long maintained his innocence says he has been in "severe pain" for two months but authorities have ignored his requests to be examined as his condition worsens has had a lump in his neck for two months which has been causing pain and is impacting the entire left side of his face Ramadan has asked authorities in Jau Prison for help on a daily basis and has seen other inmates taken for medical treatment by bus "It's been difficult to sleep these nights," she said was sentenced to death in 2014 after he and a second man were charged with targeting police officers with a bomb and killing one of them Their sentences were overturned by Bahrain's Court of Cassation in 2018 when an internal review found evidence that they may have been tortured into confessions something the two men had repeatedly claimed the same court - the kingdom's court of last resort - reinstated the sentences UN experts have since called on Bahraini authorities to release the men and investigate whether their rights were violated and, earlier this year, their cases were raised by Lord Ahmad the UK's minister responsible for human rights with senior Bahraini officials and human rights bodies Middle East Eye understands that the UK's foreign office is monitoring Ramadan's case and has raised its concerns with the Bahraini government Rights groups have previously documented medical neglect across Bahrain's prisons Earlier this year, an officer in Jau Prison laughed when inmates pleaded that a fellow political prisoner with tuberculosis (TB) be transferred for care while two others who suspected they had TB struggled to receive timely care but has had ongoing severe neck pain and eczema that has remained untreated his brother-in-law and director of advocacy at the UK-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy The prisoner was taken earlier this month to a local hospital to have his eyes checked but Bahraini prison authorities have not allowed his family to deliver the medicine prescribed by the hospital's doctor Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei said he finds Ramadan's case particularly concerning and a sign that Bahraini authorities are acting with impunity Ibrahim has been tweeting in Arabic and English about her husband's condition since Monday and Alwadaei raised the case with Bahraini officials the UN Human Rights Council is currently meeting "This is what we are dealing with now," Alwadaei said MEE did not receive an immediate comment on Friday from the Bahraini Embassy in the UK Savannah police are investigating a shooting that injured a 20-year-old male on Tuesday officers responded to Eagle and Golden streets in response to a shooting and located a man with a non-life threatening injury to the leg area He was transported to a local hospital for treatment Detectives were able to determine that the shooting took place on the 1300 block of New Castle Street shortly before the victim was located after he was identified as a person of interest Capers was charged with theft by receiving stolen property (firearm) The victim is currently uncooperative with police Detectives are continuing to investigate this case to identify a suspect Anyone with information on this case can contact detectives at 912-525-3124 or CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020 Tipsters are anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward of up to $2,500 complacency can be a more dangerous opponent than any rival settling for anything less than excellence is never an option As the HD Spikers opened their 2025 Spikers’ Turf Open Conference campaign with a commanding 2-0 start Umandal emerged as the brightest star in a squad of champions His stellar performances earned him the first Spikers’ Turf Press Corps Player of the Week award presented by Pilipinas Live for the period of February 21-23 The former UST standout wasted no time setting the tone scoring 10 points with an 8-of-16 attack clip in Cignal’s sweep of Alpha Insurance delivering 17 points on an impressive 16-of-23 spiking efficiency in the team’s 25-23 His elite offensive display outshined teammate Steven Rotter and the Criss Cross trio of Jaron Requinton making him the clear choice for the weekly honor awarded by reporters covering the competition While individual accolades are a testament to his skill Umandal remains focused on the bigger picture—keeping Cignal’s winning tradition alive “My mindset this season is to focus on every game and give my best to help the team,” Umandal shared but I know there’s still a lot to improve on.” he understands the importance of composure and adherence to the game plan “I have to stay composed and stick to our strategy None of this would be possible without my teammates and coaches Surrounded by fellow national team-caliber players—including several members of the Alas Pilipinas men’s volleyball squad—Umandal embraces the competitive atmosphere within Cignal “I’m fortunate to be in a team with so many talented players Having teammates who constantly push and support each other is a big advantage,” he said “It’s reassuring to know that I don’t have to carry the load alone and that motivates me to be consistent and contribute my share.” believing that his best form is still ahead I’ll keep working to further improve my game,” he vowed Cignal’s championship aspirations remain as strong as ever—spelling trouble for every other team in the Spikers’ Turf The HD Spikers will continue their title defense with two crucial matches this week: against VNS on Wednesday at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig and against PGJC-Navy on Sunday at Rizal Memorial Coliseum CIVICUS speaks about the situation of political prisoners on hunger strike in Bahrain with Jawad Fairooz founder and director of Salam for Democracy and Human Rights (Salam DHR) Salam DHR is a human rights civil society organisation (CSO) registered in France It undertakes research and advocacy for the advancement of democracy and human rights but also in the wider Gulf and Middle East and North Africa regions daughter of imprisoned human rights defender Abdulhadi al-Khawaja intends to return to Bahrain imminently to ensure her father gets medical treatment and press for his immediate and unconditional release is the co-founder of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and has a long history of activism He was arrested by the government of Bahrain in 2004 2007 and again amid mass unrest in April 2011 After this he faced a grossly unfair trial before a military court including on charges of ‘seeking to overthrow the government’ He was tortured in pretrial custody and since his arbitrary imprisonment he has been repeatedly denied access to adequate healthcare On 9 August he joined some 800 other hunger strikers They called for an end to lockdown policies that require them to spend up to 23 hours of the day in their cells the opportunity for collective or congregational prayer in Jau Prison’s mosque face-to-face meeting rights with family members without a glass screen and access to healthcare commensurate with that available to the public among other improvements in prison conditions On 13 September the mass hunger strike ended with the authorities reportedly meeting many of these demands This came as Bahrain’s Crown Prince visited Washington where he met with senior members of the Biden administration: the problem had to go away Maryam nevertheless intends to travel and she has our full support We continue to call for Abdulhadi’s immediate and unconditional release The Danish and European Union (EU) authorities must do more What is at the core of this problem is the absence of civic space in Bahrain If there was space for independent civil society then CSOs would have effectively alerted the authorities to prison conditions and they could have addressed the situation An independent civic space makes it possible to find a balance in government conduct What does this mean for Maryam al-Khawaja and our courageous colleagues travelling with her It means they should be allowed to enter Bahrain and make their demands The government should engage with them in a spirit of transparency The absolute worst that could happen is for dissent to be tolerated just a little bit more How is it possible to conduct human rights activism in such a closed environment Government officials decide which CSOs can be registered and who can stand for their boards They prevent people from engaging in public life who have no criminal records or public complaints but rather perhaps a past association with a political movement or party that was unfairly banned years ago The Bahraini constitution provides for freedoms and safeguards similar to many other states but the reality is that the government continues to carry out arbitrary arrests and stage unfair trials for acts that are not internationally recognised as crimes The authorities torture detainees and use the death penalty despite domestic opposition and international condemnation depriving us of even the right to have rights in our homeland They use the digital space to monitor and punish dissent and to foment religious and sectarian strife let alone openly campaign for freedoms of association and expression the release of prisoners unfairly tried and imprisoned or a moratorium on the death penalty Yet engaging in civic activism is not totally impossible Salam DHR engages with allies and like-minded activists as well as the few CSOs that openly but cautiously raise human rights concerns so that the wider Bahraini society hears our message We are a catalyst: we help Bahraini activists access platforms to reach domestic and international audiences and provide training and development opportunities such as internships grounding our message in article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which states that every citizen shall have the right and the opportunity to take part in the conduct of public affairs How useful for advocacy purposes was the global event held by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Bahrain’s capital It was mixed: Danish parliamentarians and those from other countries addressed human rights issues and the absence of an independent civic space The IPU’s human rights team raised concerns about freedom of expression and violations against Bahraini parliamentarians But despite the IPU’s affiliated status with the United Nations (UN) the government still denied access to independent observers and human rights organisations denying them either visas or access and turning at least one around at the airport This was the authorities once again restricting civic space A few days before the IPU meeting officially began Bahraini lawyer and activist Ebrahim Al-Mannai called for parliamentary reforms on social media He and three others who shared his post were arrested for publishing material that could ‘disturb public order’ the government appeared uninterested in seriously engaging with visiting parliamentarians on human rights issues despite attempts from the Danish delegation and representatives from Finland free up CSOs and political parties and liberate discourse otherwise the cycle of political unrest will continue Reports indicate that the mass hunger strike in Jau Prison has ended The painful August 2023 mass hunger strike was wholly avoidable It happened mainly due to the government’s stubborn and short-sighted refusal to allow civic space to exist even to a minimum degree Had there been freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly they would have known of the deep suffering at Jau Prison If you don’t let people say what they think then public life can only lurch from crisis to crisis The hunger strike was the expression of the accumulation of a number of factors that have been present in Bahraini prisons for years and it was based on grievances that have been repeatedly expressed: prison conditions and ill treatment of prisoners amounting to torture The abuses worsened and conditions deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic medical neglect resulted in the deaths of two prisoners We appeal once more to the authorities to allow for the opening of civic space and provide a social vent to end the cycle of human rights crises we face Is the international community doing all it can to support the struggle for democracy and human rights in Bahrain UN treaty bodies and Special Procedures and partner states for instance in the context of the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review process of Bahrain have all joined us in calling on the government of Bahrain to abide by its international human rights obligations starting with the basic step of letting people have a voice in public life Today, 15 September, is International Day of Democracy, and we are joining the UN in calling on the government of Bahrain to empower the next generation by ensuring that their voices are included in the decisions that will have a profound impact on their world. In his address UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that ‘walls are closing in on civic spaces’ Those walls are also the walls of Jau Prison where it took 800 detainees’ unjust suffering for the government to even take notice But the UN has also let neighbouring United Arab Emirates host the forthcoming COP28 climate change summit Lack of civic space means there can be no activism for climate justice in Bahrain – for instance no public demands for accountability can be expressed over costly and environmentally damaging land reclamation in Bahrain’s northeast which has already eroded the livelihood of fishing communities We need to be able to address these challenges openly And powerful states that could be putting some pressure for change are avoiding the issue Bahrain’s Crown Prince is wrapping up meetings with senior Biden administration officials none of whom appear to have raised civic space concerns or addressed the needless suffering of 800 Bahraini prisoners The UK has removed Bahrain from its list of ‘countries of concern’ at the same time as it trumpeted a billion-dollar Bahraini investment in the UK In October the EU will recommence its cycle of so-called human rights dialogues The international community’s inexplicable complacency over the festering human rights quagmire in Bahrain will further embolden the government in crushing civic space Many leaders miss the point when it comes to Bahrain and its Gulf neighbours: they appear to accept the facade of what is presented as pragmatic autocracy and appear to accept regional rulers’ colonial-mindset contention that democracy will destabilise the region Democracies have in fact produced the most stable Human rights and democracy are essential for Bahrain and its neighbours because their deficits continue to be the primary cause of resentment and unrest A security-based approach does not remedy these problems Bahrain’s history has shown these methods to be a failure as it has endured continuous waves of mass unrest followed by violent crackdowns Authoritarianism and the forms of violence it fosters are the real destabilising forces a cycle that can only be broken through the recognition and enactment of democratic rights The first step towards this goal is simply letting civic space exist Civic space in Bahrain is rated ‘closed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor Get in touch with Salam for Democracy and Human Rights through its website and follow @SALAM_DHR and @JawadFairooz on Twitter CIVICUS is a global alliance that champions the power of civil society to create positive change Tel: +27 (0)11 833 5959  Fax: +27 (0)11 833 7997 c/o We Work 450 Lexington Ave New York NY10017 United States 11 Avenue de la Paix Geneva SwitzerlandCH-1202 Tel: +41 (0)79 910 3428 Hundreds of Bahraini political prisoners are taking part in a hunger strike to protest ill-treatment and hard conditions at Bahrain’s notorious Jau prison Two prison blocks at Jau started their hunger strike on Monday an exiled activist in Britain with the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy said on Wednesday Alwadaei described those in the blocks taking part in the hunger strike as “political prisoners” In a statement published by Bahrain’s main opposition group the prisoners said they started the hunger strike over prison officials blocking inmates from worshipping and 23-hour lockdowns daily The statement further said prison officials put inmates in isolation arbitrarily interfered with family visits and provided inadequate healthcare to those imprisoned Inmates are also barred from accessing education but very necessary and required for human life even at the lowest levels known to human history,” the prisoners’ statement read The hunger strike embodies the prisoners’ insistence on fundamental rights and dignity and is a reminder that rights cannot be neglected The prisoners put the number of those taking part in the strike in the hundreds Bahrain’s General Directorate of so-called Reform and Rehabilitation confirmed some inmates at Jau had “returned their meals” on Tuesday Videos posted on social media showed a solidarity protest in Sanabis a village located on the outskirts of the capital Demonstrators held up posters with slogans such as “Save Bahrain’s prisoners” and “Our sons are in danger” Human rights organizations have warned against ‘inhumane conditions’ at Jau prison saying various forms of physical and mental torture as well as mistreatment are among the torments that prisoners endure in the detention center The US Department of State’s recent human rights report on Bahrain noted prisoners’ families reported a tuberculosis outbreak at the prison in June 2022 home to the US Navy’s Middle East-based 5th Fleet is in the midst of a decade-long crackdown on all dissent after the 2011 popular uprising Since Bahrain put down the pro-democracy protests with the help of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates stripped hundreds of their citizenship and closed its leading independent newspaper the Manama regime also officially normalized relations with Israel said the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Manama and Tel Aviv regimes was resoundingly rejected by all strata of Bahrain’s society The opposition party underlined that the normalization agreement with Israel is in blatant contradiction to Bahrain’s history and Islamic identity