Video of a press conference by Dr Salah Al Bandar at the UK House of Lords in London, organized by Lord Avebury on October 5 2006.

Dr Al Bandar discusses the "Bandargate scandal", a conspiracy by high-level government officials to suppress the Shia majority of Bahrain. For details about the scandal, refer to the following documents:

• The Report: What it says
• Conspiring Against the Shia
• All related documents

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Bahrain Center for Human Rights 20 November 2006

Based on the policy of revealing those who contribute to human rights violations “name them and shame them” the Bahrain Center for Human Rights presents in this report what it considers as a “Blacklist”. The prime objective of this revelation is to enlighten the public in regard to members and blocks of the expired House of Representatives who have ratified laws that restrict freedoms and contradict human rights norms, disregarding international obligations and condemnations by national, regional and International human rights organizations. This report is based on voting results that are derived from meetings of the House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives, during the elapsed four years, has ratified coercive-packaged-deals of laws that were initiated by the Government and which restricts freedoms and punishes citizens for exercising their fundamental rights that are guaranteed by International Covenants. The ratified laws are: the Law on Political Societies that places political groups under the mercy of the government i.e. during foundation, funding, activity and closure; the Law on Gatherings and Demonstrations, which grants the security apparatus full control of activities and gatherings and allows legal pursuit and punishment against everyone who joins these gatherings; the Law to Combat Terrorism, that undertakes terrorism as a cloak to form a status of Emergency Act that imposes the death penalty and harsh punishments against actions that do not necessary imply the use of violence; the Law to Deprive Citizens of their Civil and Political Rights, this allow for selectively depriving opposition figures and human rights activists from their right to vote or to run for election by fabricating judicial charges in cases related to their opinions and peaceful activities.

The House of Representatives has also failed to amend the restrictive laws that were pronounced prior to its existence, such as the 2002 Law on the Press, that was used during the work of house of representatives against journalists, activists and internet websites; the 1989 Law on Societies which hindered the establishment and activities of many societies and was used to close the Bahrain Center of Human Rights; the 1974 Penal Code which consists of stringent clauses that provided the regime, during the last three decades of the last century, a way to establish the Security Act Law and court, and facilitate the practice of excessive human rights violations that resulted in the loss of tens of life’s and left thousands of victims of arbitrary imprisonments, tortures and forcible exile. The House of Representatives has also failed to refute Law 56 of 2002 that grants impunity to those responsible of committing the foresaid violations whom are still in their high and sensitive security and administrative positions.

House of Representatives has, instead of monitoring the Governmental Apparatuses and investigating into their human rights violation, surrendered to Governmental influence, it had supported the government in justifying the use excessive force against peaceful activities and against hundreds of activists, journalists and human rights defenders subjected to physical assault, defamation, and judicial arbitrary detention and unfair trials. The majority members of the House of Parliament had connived with the Government or kept silent. As far as what was allegedly called the “Terrorist Cell” and “Guantanamo” prisoners some members acted on a selective basis, though that was too late, too little, biased and more of a show-off strategy and complementary to the government.

The distinct role of the members conniving with the government was to fail the bills that would contribute to improving people’s living standards, the nullification of questioning the Ministers who were accused of corruption despite evidences provided by interrogatory committees as in the case of General Organization for Social Insurances (GOSI) and Retirement. The concerned MPs refused to pronounce a vote of no confidence against the foresaid Ministers. They also had a fundamental role in reducing House of Parliament’s authorities through amending internal policy standard and especially those related to the ban on public questioning of Ministers.

During the last four years, the Government was not compelled to use the appointed Council of Shura to fail bills or decisions of the elected council, because it depended on the unofficial coalition amongst members that control the Council to the benefit of the government that would paralyze their ability to put any proposed bill from members of Council.

Examining voting results related to the bills and cases mentioned in this report, it is concluded that that the said coalition consist of the Chief of the Council and members of both Al-Menber Al-Islamy (Muslim Brotherhood) and Al-Asala Al-Islamiya (Salafist) and a group of independents (refer to the list below). It is believed that the common ground of this unofficial coalition is the connected interests of its members and blocks with high governmental personnel. It is also relates to incentives, pressure and bargaining that the government used. Hence, the sectarian factor is not fundamental motive but a tool used to gain public support to cover the foresaid coalition members’ postures.

MPs against Human Rights!:

No.	Name	Remarks
1		Chief of Council of Representatives
2		Independent & Confederate with the Chief of the Council
3		Independent & Confederate with Chief of the Council
4		Chairman of Al-Menbar Al-Islamy
5		Al-Menbar Al-Islamy
6		Al-Menbar Al-Islamy
7		Al-Menbar Al-Islamy
8		Chairman of Al-Asala Block
9		Al-Asala Bloc (Deputy Second to the Chief of the Council)
10		Al-Asala Bloc
11		Al-Asala Bloc
12		Al-Asala Bloc
13		Chief of the “Independent Bloc”
14		Independent Bloc
15		Independent Bloc
16		Independent Bloc
17		Independent Bloc
18		Independent Bloc
19		Independent Bloc

The matter is not confined to the above mentioned members, the passive or negative stand of other members of the council (being reversible, absent or not voting) resulted in support of government projects and policies despite their being against human rights. Those members motives vary between nepotism and sectarianism. However, we found through those voting results several members that had taken brave postures that comply with International Standards related to human rights, and amongst them are: Abdulhadi Ahmed Marhoon – Chief of Democratic Block and Deputy to Chief of Council, Yousif Zainelabedeen Zainal and Abdulnabi Slaman Ahmed Naser – Democratic Block, Abdulla Jaffer Al-Ali and Mohamed Abdlla Al-Shaikh Al-Abbas – Islamic Block, Fareed Ghazi Jassem Rafeea and Jassem Hasan Hassan Abdulaal – Economists Block.

As far as the upcoming Parliamentary Council, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights fears that political and sectarian polarization and the manipulation of elections constituencies to bring back the same groups and members, thus, resulting in the continuity of negative role of the “Parliament” towards freedoms and human rights. Even if those loyal to the government lost their majority in the upcoming election, the government will effectively use the defect in the mechanism and authorities of the hierarchy of Representative Council in order to subjugate or disable it.

On top of this all, the fundamental factor in imposing government power over the legislative authority remains, in its ability to use the appointed Shura Council, which shares the legislative authority with the elected members. Shura members proved during the last period their absolute obedience to the government as far as passing bills against freedoms and human rights or in supporting of governmental repressive actions. Despite being from different sects, Shura members’ common stands and harmony proves the political motives rather than the sectarian one. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights will observe the performance of both councils in the up-coming period and calls for reforms that provide a more positive role for the “parliament” in promoting freedoms and human rights in terms of monitoring and legislation.

Two Activists Charged with Inciting People to Boycott Upcoming Elections and Demanding a Change in the System of Government Possibility of a New Period of Crackdown on Activists as Predicted by the “Bandargate” report

Bahrain Center for Human Rights November 19, 2006 Ref: 06111900

Chief Public Prosecutor Ahmed Bucheeri revealed last night the charges that are to be brought against Dr. Mohammed Saeed Alsahlawi, 35 years, South Sehla, a political and Human Rights Activist, and Mr. Hussain Abdelrazaq Alhabashi. The charges, according to the Bahraini Public Prosecutor are: “possessing illegal prints calling for changing the government system without any legitimate reason, and possessing illegal prints including false information likely to harm public interest and disrupt law and order”. Mr. Bucheeri states that they were caught red-handed with 1500 leaflets they were planning to distribute.

The pair were arrested between three and four o’clock on last Thursday afternoon after which they were held incommunicado until Saturday when they were permitted time to speak to their lawyers and family members. According to Mr. Alhabashi brother Sadeq, the family did not receive a phone call until a little after 8 that Thursday night, when his brother was permitted very little time in order to inform them that he was being held at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), but was not given a chance to provide additional details. The family had become increasingly worried in the previous 4 hours, calling hospitals and police stations enquiring of his whereabouts. The time which lapsed in-between, according to the brother, neither lawyers nor family members were permitted to see either detainees, family members of Dr. Mohammed Saeed concur. Both families attempted to take clothes and provisions to the detainees but were denied. The brother also informs the BCHR that the condition under which the two are held is unacceptable as they are still, after three days of their arrest, being held in the one of the corridors between the offices of the CID, without any blankets or basic necessities.

Moreover Mr. Mohammed Al-Mutawa, a lawyer acting on behalf of the Bahraini Society for Human Rights, although permitted to sit during the interrogations on Saturday at the CID, was not allowed access either during those first two days either of their detention.

The BCHR finds itself increasingly worried as to the type of charges that are being brought against the activists. The two laws under which they are to be charged and tried, the Law of Printing and Publications and the Penal Code had been described as both in violations of the fundamentals associated with freedom of speech and expression, as well as International Standards of Human Rights which defend those freedoms essential to any country which claims to be harboring the very example of democracy and justice.

The BCHR also finds itself concerned as to the association of this case with the infamous “Bandargate” Scandal, as the arrests were made merely one day prior to < a href="/ref06111300">a demonstration calling for an enquiry into the allegations made by the report, of election manipulation amongst other things, and the governments refusal to look into the issue with a serious intent as well as the gag imposed by the court on the publication of any material relating to the scandal.

Dr. Salah Al-Bandar, the main individual behind the publication of the report, had warned that the government will in time be moving towards a period whereby it will crack down on human rights and political activists. The BCHR worries that these latest arrests might be the beginning of the aforementioned plan and calls for the international community as well as local, civil and political institutions, to intervene and insure that the safety and security of activists in Bahrain does not continue to be compromised under the continuous harassment of the Public Prosecution and the newly approved set of laws.

Reasons Yet to be Disclosed; BCHR Fears for his Safety

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights 17 November 2006 Ref: 06111600

[acidfree:719 align=right] The BCHR has learnt that Human Rights Activist Dr. Mohammed Saeed Mattar, called his family tonight to inform them that he was being detained at the Criminal Investigations, the call was brief and he was not permitted sufficient time to disclose the reasons behind his detention. Dr. Saeed was one of the individuals who signed the petition addressed to the King about the report of the Gulf Democracy Development Center, known locally as "Bandargate" demanding for investigation. His family had been worried for they had been unable to reach him prior to the call.

The BCHR finds itself concerned as to the reasons behind the detention as well as the activists safety in consideration of the infamous dealings of the intelligence and Interior Ministry officials with activists in the past.

Fear of violent attack by anti-riot police

Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) November 13, 2006 Ref: 06111300

A group of political and human rights activists as well as religious figures issued a public call yesterday for Bahrainis to participate in a demonstration calling for an investigation into the Bandargate scandal. Two months have passed since a former advisor to the Bahraini government issued a 214-page report revealing allegations that some high government officials have been conspiring to rig next week's parliamentary elections. Yet the government has remained silent on the issue, refusing to launch an investigation or even comment on the validity of the allegations. Therefore, many figures and activists are organizing a public demonstration to insist that the government investigate the scandal. There are fears that the government may use violence to prevent it from going ahead, so we request local and international media and rights organizations to monitor the demonstration.

The rally will commence at 3pm on Friday, November 17th near Ras Al-Rumman mosque in the Capital Manama, heading towards the Financial Harbour.

Background and details

In September 2005, Dr. Saleh Al Bandar, an advisor to the Bahraini government, revealed in a 214-page report a scandal (now dubbed 'Bandargate') in which government officials prepared a 5-year plan to politically suppress the Shia community of Bahrain. It was alleged that Shaikh Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al Khalifa, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, paid some $2.7 million to operatives to rig the upcoming elections, to spy on Shia organizations, and to set up fake civil societies, among other activities. However, as of yet, the government has not launched any investigations into the scandal allegations, nor has it attempted to explain the over 150 pages of documentation -- signed bank statements, receipts, and checks -- provided in the report as evidence for the claims. None of the implicated government officials have been reprimanded or suspended from their positions.

Instead, it would appear that the government is trying to cover the issue up. Dr Al Bandar, was arrested, deported from Bahrain, and prosecuted (in absentia) on charges of seizing government papers. A gag order was issued to ban the publishing of any news or commentary of the scandal (see BCHR Ref: 06100500). Several websites which continued to highlight the issue have been blocked by the government, and website owners were threatened with prosecution if they continued their activities (see BCHR Ref: 06110200).

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights and other civil societies have repeatedly urged the government to launch a transparent investigation and hold guilty officials responsible, including a petition sent to His Majesty the King. These requests have not been honoured by the government, which raises serious doubts on the credibility of the upcoming municipal and parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held on November 25.

We therefore call on all concerned people and organizations to join in calling on the government to investigate the claims of the conspiracy and to renounce its policies of sectarian discrimination documented elsewhere.

Fear of a violent attack by anti-riot police

The BCHR fears that the government may use violence to prevent the planned peaceful demonstration from going ahead on Friday. A similar demonstration organized by five political societies in late September was met with approximately 4000 paramilitary police officers, who attacked the protesters with tear gas and rubber bullets (see AFP report, Sep 29). Similarly, two public seminars held in September by the HAQ Movement were also attacked by security forces, resulting in a number of injuries (see BCHR Ref: 06092400). In light of these event, the BCHR urges local and international media and rights organization to monitor this Friday's demonstration in case it too is attacked

The BCHR and the Coalition for Organ-Failure Solutions (COFS) partner to address the situation of transplants in Bahrain and the Gulf region. Conditions of poor or no access to organs for transplant facilitate the production of transplant tourism for commercial living donorship as a human rights concern. COFS and BCHR strategize to promote alternative sources of organ supplies in Bahrain and the region to curb transplant tourism for organs abroad, largely in Asia. COFS is an international non-profit international health and human rights organization committed to combating the trafficking of humans for organs and ending the exploitation of the poor as a source of organ and tissue supplies. COFS combines prevention, policy advocacy, and survivor support through a comprehensive approach to combat organ trafficking. BCHR’s Vice President Nabeel Rajab and Executive Director Dr. Debra Budiani conducted meetings recently in Manama, Bahrain and Bangkok, Thailand to establish the parternship and begin developing a framework for advocacy.

More on the political Scandal in Bahrain:

BCHR: Individuals connected with the "Al Bandergate" secret web used elderly citizens to stage a demonstration against an opposition event.

9 November 2006

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) has learned that a group of elderly citizens were paid BD10 ($25) to stage a demonstration opposed to an opposition event in Juffair.

Pensioner Ebrahim has informed the (BCHR) that he was asked by a woman from his area (Muharraq) named “Umm Jassim” to take part in an event, he was taken to an unknown location in Juffair, given a placard to hold for a few hours and then taken back home by a bus.

Ebrahim and his wife live on a BD 200 pension . The 66-year-old pensioner, told BCHR that a number of elderly women from Muharraq were also taken to the event with him, and each were paid BD 10 after being returned home.

The women "Umm Jassim" is known to be the secretary of an activist who was named in the Al Bander report as secretly receiving monthly incentive BD 500 for his work as a president of a pro government political society. "This woman, Um Jassim, approached me and asked me to take part. I knew her before because they have a society here in the Muharraq where she does charity work," Ebrahim told the BCHR. "During Ramadan, she would sometimes give us food supplies."

"It was just me and the driver on the bus with lots of elderly women. I did not know where we were going because I can't read or write. We went to this event and they gave us some placards to hold up.

"There were a lot of people there and some of the ladies who were with me got scared because there were a lot of media people taking our photos. They were afraid in case things could turn violent or get out of control."

The event is thought to have been held at the Al Oruba club last year. Newspapers across the country showed a counter demonstration held against opposition, and it appears this is what Ebrahim and the others were paid to participate in.

A local Muharraq social worker and businessman said that he heard about the event from Ebrahim, a regular customer at his coffee shop in Muharraq. "You know, there are many old and poor people who come to my coffee shop," he said.

"The next day after this trip, Ebrahim came to me and told me that this woman had called him to take part in this - he didn't even know the name of the place. I asked him about where it was and when he told me I understood it was the Al Oruba club. "When I saw the newspapers with the pictures of the elderly people I knew."

If these allegations are true, this only adds to the dismaying revelations of the Al Bandergate report which has shown that senior government officials are backing a secret web of operations aimed at manipulating the outcome of this month's elections, infiltrating civil society, weakening political groups, instigating sectarian hatred and maintaining the marginalizing of the Shi’a majority.

To use of elderly people in this way is not only threat to their safety but an abuse of their dignity. Such a practice if happened is a deplorable manipulation of public opinion, and shows how far the activities of the 'secret web' have extended into civil society.

Once again, the BCHR calls for:

• taking measures against such violations
• put an end to official silence and passiveness in regard to the documented gross violations in Al Bander report
• conducting an open, decent and independent investigation into the findings of the report.
• reviewing the decision to ban publishing the content of the report

Website of opposition political party among 8 new sites ordered to be blocked Govt attempts to cover up election rigging scandal BCHR calls on bloggers to highlight Bandargate

Bahrain Center for Human Rights November 2, 2006 Ref: 06110200

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights condemns recent threats by the Ministry of Information to prosecute website owners for discussing the recent Bandargate scandal. The BCHR has also received a copy of a new decree from the ministry, dated October 30, 2006, ordering eight more websites to be blocked, bringing the total number of censored sites to 24 (click here to view the decree). Among the blocked sites are the websites of the BCHR (bahrainrights.org), the Arab Network for Human Rights Information (hrinfo.net), and the website of the National Democratic Action Society (aldemokrati.org), a popular opposition political party.

(See the full list of blocked sites here, and previous press releases about to the recent Internet censorship: BCHR Ref: 06103001 and Ref: 06102600).

Hassan Oun, director of press and publications at the information ministry, wrote in a statement published in the press on November 1:

"The information ministry has decided to close a number of Bahraini and foreign websites ... These sites transgressed a legal decision prohibiting the discussion of the case of the accused Salah Al Bander ... The information ministry will refer the owners of these sites to the judges for not cooperating and complying with the law." [1]

Attempts to cover up election scandal

The statement from the ministry refers to the case of Salah Al-Bandar, which has come to be known as the 'Bandargate scandal' [2]. In early September 2006, Dr Salah Al-Bandar, an advisor to the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, distributed a 240-page report alleging a conspiracy led by certain government officials to marginalize the majority Shia community and rig the parliamentary elections due to be held on November 25. Dr Al-Bandar was subsequently arrested, questioned for two hours, and put on a plane to the United Kingdom, as he is a British citizen. He was later charged (in absentia) with seizing government papers and stealing two private cheques. On October 4, the High Criminal Court issued a gag order banning the publishing of any news, comments or information related to the case against Salah Al Bandar (see BCHR Ref: 06100500).

As of yet, none of the alleged government conspirators identified in the Bandargate report have been charged or suspended from office, and the government has refused to comment on the allegations.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights is highly skeptical of the justification for the gag order, as the case against Dr Al-Bandar is to be decided by a judge, and not a citizen's jury. Rather, the BCHR perceives this as a possible attempt by the government to hide the details of the Bandargate scandal, as it may damage the credibility of the elections due to be held three weeks from now. That the government is now threatening to even prosecute website owners who discuss the scandal only further strenghtens this suspicion.

Call for bloggers to highlight Bandargate, and for govt to end net censorship

The BCHR is deeply concerned about the expanding restrictions on freedom of expression in Bahrain, so close to the upcoming parliamentary elections. We reiterate that the right to freely communicate via the Internet is demanded by Article 23 of the Constitution of Bahrain and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We therefore repeat our demand for the government to immediately end its policy of censoring the Internet for political purposes.

The BCHR additionally calls on bloggers and website owners in Bahrain and around the world to continue highlighting the details of the Bandargate scandal until the government reasonably addresses the allegations. While the local press has completely acquiesced to the gag order, the Internet serves as the only remaining medium through which the government can be prevented from covering up the scandal. We recommend that bloggers refer to the 'Handbook for Bloggers and Cyber-Dissidents', issued by Reporters Sans Frontières, for guidelines of how to blog anonymously and the ethical standards one should adhere to.

Notes

[1] Bahrain blocks websites for violating reporting ban, Reuters, November 1, 2006. See also: Banned 'blogs' face legal action, Gulf Daily News, October 31, 2006 and Bahrain clamps down on talks of 'spy' allegations, AFP, October 31, 2006.

[2] A collection of press releases and news articles related to the Bandargate scandal can be found here.

Seven more websites blocked, including Bahrain's most prominent blog

Bahrain Center for Human Rights October 30, 2006 Ref: 06103001

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights has received information that seven more websites have been blocked by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Bahrain today, on specific orders from the Ministry of Information. The BCHR condemns the government's continued attacks on Internet communication, as this move comes only days after the BCHR's own website was blocked.

The BCHR was provided with a leaked copy of the decree, signed by information minister Mohammed Abdulghaffar and dated October 29, 2006, in which seven websites were ordered to be blocked (to view the document, click here). Among the newly blocked sites is "Mahmood's Den" (mahmood.tv), one of Bahrain's most prominent weblogs, run by Bahraini Mahmood Al-Yousif. Mr Al-Yousif has openly criticized certain members of government and parliament in the past on his blog, and in recent days has highlighted the Bandargate scandal which the government has sought to ban discussion of by issuing a press gag (see BCHR Ref: 06100500).

The latest action is a continuation of the government's long-standing policy of Internet censorship and violations against freedom of speech in general:

• Just four days ago, the BCHR's own website was blocked (see BCHR Ref: 06102600)
• In August 2006 Google Video and and Google Earth were blocked (see BCHR Ref: 08080600 and BCHR Ref: 12080600)
• In February 2005, three moderators of Bahrain Online (bahrainonline.org), a popular online discussion forum, were detained because of messages posted on the site that were critical of the government.
• There are now a total of 17 websites blocked by the government, some of which have been censored since before 2001 (for the full list, see here)

The BCHR is especially concerned about the timing of the recent government attempts to restrict freedom of speech, as they come less than a month before the scheduled date of parliamentary elections in the country. The BCHR believes it is essential that the elections take place in an environment of transparency and free expression in order for them to be considered free and fair.

The BCHR reiterates its demands for the government to unblock all of the currently blocked websites, and take steps to ensure the freedom of Internet communication, as guaranteed in Article 23 of the Constitution of Bahrain and Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We also call upon civil society, NGOs and the media to take up the cause in demanding an end to Internet censorship.