General
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights & Womens Petition Committee : Victims without protection in flawed system
A Bahraini mother risks losing custody of her child to a husband under whose care their now six-year-old daughter was reportedly sexually abused and raped at the age of four
Case 1:
Nooria Ebrahim, a computer specialist at a private company, was divorced by her husband shortly after the birth of their daughter. The couple were married in 1998, and divorced three years later. Their short marriage was allegedly plagued with financial difficulties and restrictions placed upon her by her husband. The child currently lives with her mother.
Ms Ebrahim's husband, formerly a marketing manager at a private company and currently working in the one of Bahrain's ministries provides the child with BD 40 for food, clothing, school and medical expenses per month.
According to an independent medical examination by police officials in a child abuse unit, their daughter was sexually abused. According to Ms Ebrahim, the abuse occurred while the child was visiting her father's family home, and she tried to warn him about the abuse she suspected their daughter was undergoing. Ms Ebrahim believes the abuser is the teenage nephew of her ex-husband.
Suspicions about the abuse initially arose when their daughter would act strange and uncomfortable when her diaper was removed, Ms Ebrahim said. "At that time I took her to the doctor, she made physical testing and said that she had not been [raped], but she told me to careful."
More than a year later, the issue arose once more. "She said he took me upstairs," said Ms Ebrahim.
The child reportedly described the abuse by telling her mother that her cousin would lick her face, and touch her genitals. "Sometimes she would cry and tell me she doesn't want to go to her father's house."
Ms Ebrahim filed a report with the police, who confirmed the abuse after conducting an interview between the child and a child abuse specialist. Although the judge presiding over the court case is aware of the abuse he has continued to grant Ms Ebrahim's ex-husband longer custody of the child.
According to the couple's divorce papers, which Ms Ebrahim claims was drawn up by her husband and a corrupt judge who accepted a bribe from him, custody of the child would be transferred to the father after the age of 7. Her ex-husband has now filed for custody of their child, and the case will be heard in court today (May 31).
Case 2:
The Emirati ex-wife of a Bahraini Interior Ministry employee continues to be harassed and followed while she embroiled in a court case for custody of her children. The ex-husband of Suad Fathalla, who has no relatives in Bahrain, is now reportedly trying to pressure her into giving up the apartment she shares with her children, and has stopped providing alimony because of a judge's ruling.
After leaving her allegedly abusive husband in 2003, Suad Mohammed Fathalla (Ref: 07011401), is currently battling for custody of her three children (eldest aged 14). She temporarily lost custody of her children after her ex-husband filed a court case against her accusing her of being a prostitute.
Even though Ms Fathalla was acquitted of the charges the Sharia Court granted custody of the children to their father.
In September 2006 Ms Fathalla's husband, who is a policeman,threatened her at gunpoint. Ms Fathalla has also reportedly been physically assaulted by members of her ex-husband's family.
Anonymous callers have allegedly told her that she will never get custody of her children, and warned that they will harm her if she continues to publicise her case.
Her ex-husband has reportedly also been appearing outside her house and brandishing his gun in order to frighten her.
Her case has been transferred to a civil court, where the judge reportedly refuses to allow her to speak in court. Previously, her son was allegedly verbally reprimanded and forced to leave the courtroom when he stated that he would choose to live with his mother.
Ms Fathalla will reappear in court on June 20.
"There is a lot of corruption in the Justice Ministry and the Sharia Courts," said Ms Jamsheer.
"We are asking local and International NGO's and human rights workers to stand with these women because they are suffering.
"And I ask His Majesty King Hamad now, as head of the supreme council of judges to stop these Sharia judges from taking these actions against women and children. "We call for a renewal of efforts to draft and implement a personal status (family) law in Bahrain, as a means of protecting and promoting the rights of women and children under Bahraini law."
Bahraini citizen Sayed Abbas Sayed Mahdi, who was passing by the house of the political activist Hassan Mushaima last Sunday May 20, while people were gathering in relation to solidarity with him, when he was stopped by the police. He was beaten severely by the Foreign Special Security Forces that works for the ministry of interior.They beaten him continuously all over his body,and kicked his head and hit it against the ground till he started bleeding.
Until this moment, Sayed Abbas does not know why it happen.
A Bahraini University student holds a sign which reads, 'No War' during an peace protest on the campus in Isa Town, near the capital Manama, March 2, 2003. Several hundred university students took part in the protest in Bahrain, home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet. © REUTERS/John Schults
Thousands of Bahraini demonstrate, Sept. 29, 2006, in suburban Manama, Bahrain, a government strategy to grant citizenship to Sunni Muslims from other countries to alter the country's demographics.
Dr. Hashim al-Alawi, a pediatrician by career, was arrested by Bahrain authorities in September 1986 accused of distributing anti- government leaflets. Five weeks later Dr. Alawi's family was told that he had "committed suicide" in detention. No investigation took place
Mohammed Gholoom was one of the first fatal victims of the State Security Law. Gholoom died in the custody of the Bahrain security police on December 2 1976, followed by the similar death of Saeed Al-Uwainati ten days later.
Irene Fernandez is a Malaysian campaigner who works to uphold the rights of the poorest: migrant workers, farm labourers and domestic workers amongst them.
The recipient of a 2005 Right Livelihood Award, Irene was chosen because of ‘her outstanding and courageous work to stop violence against women and abuses of migrant and poor workers’, one of four winners from over 70 nominees.
Originally a high school teacher, in 1970 Irene gave up her career to become a full time organiser for youth workers. She became the national president for the Malaysian YCW (Young Christian Workers), in 1972 and a member of the international committee from 1973-75. During this time she was able to organise the first textile worker’s union and began trying to create trade unions in the free trade zones. She also focused on developing the involvement of women leaders in labour movements.
Since the Seventies Irene Fernandez has been involved in numerous campaigns to improve the circumstances of society’s poorest. In 1991 she founded the Tenaganita organisation in Kuala Lumpur. This institution documents the problems faced by migrant, farm and domestic workers and strives to support them, running programmes that educate in health, literacy, awareness and human rights.
Irene was arrested following the publication of a report on the abuse of migrant workers. However, undeterred by her sentence Fernandez has refused to limit her work or soften her message in any way. She never uses or advocates violence and has always worked in an open and legal way. Her protest is peaceful and intelligent, she is determined in her goal to fight abuse and uphold human rights.
The leading Shiite cleric and spiritual mentor of Bahrain's opposition, Sheik Abdul-Ameer al-Jamri, died Monday of heart and kidney failure. He was 67.
Bahraini across the tiny island state went into deep mourning, hanging black flags and banners outside their houses and pasting pictures of al-Jamri on walls and car windows
Al-Jamri served in Bahrain's first parliament in 1973-75, which was dissolved by the emir.
Twenty years later he became the religious leader of the campaign for the restoration of democracy and equal rights.
Al-Jamri was detained for 3 1/2 years on charges of espionage and incitement charges. In July 1999, he was convicted and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment. But he was pardoned the next day by the new emir, the current King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who was beginning a program of political reform that led to new parliamentary elections in 2002.
Al-Jamri had 10 children.
Bahrain's leading Shiite cleric dies Mon Dec 18, 10:56 AM ET
Sheik Abdul-Ameer al-Jamri, a spiritual leader of Bahrain's Shiite opposition who was jailed after riots against the country's Sunni leadership, died Monday of heart and kidney failure. He was 67.
