Another day another victim

Security Forces use excessive force in an attack on a gathering

A Bystander gets shot in his eye with a rubber bullet

Urgent Appeal Ref. 27/05/07

The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) has just received information about a 23 year old Bahraini, Husain Abbas Ali, who was wounded in an attack carried out by security forces on a gathering. The gathering took place in the village of Karzakkan on the 18th of this month (May 2007), it was held in protest to the violent attack carried out by security forces on a seminar organized by the opposition. Mr Ali is currently in the Salmaniya hospital, wing 62, bed no. 12. He has lost eyesight in his right eye as a result of the injury But he was told that could be temporary.

Mr. Ali is one of many who were attacked that day, however, his injury is one of the more serious. The security forces, who are mainly non-Bahrainis, attacked the gathering using mainly rubber bullets and tear gas. Although these weapons are less dangerous when compared to live ammunition, they have been the cause of many serious injuries in the past. One example is death of another Bahraini, Mohammed Jumaa, who was shot in the head with a rubber bullet at a demonstration a few years ago. The use of excessive force against peaceful civilians has again caused a serious injury when Mr. Ali was hit by a rubber bullet in his right eye.

The BCHR calls for urgent and impartial investigation in the use of excessive force by the Special Security Police, especially in Mr. Ali's case, and to bring violators to Justice.