Khalil al-Halwachi, an Electrical Engineer and Professor, has been in prison in Bahrain since September 2014. His case has been rescheduled multiple times over the two and a half year period. He had a hearing on December 29th and is scheduled to have his sentence handed down on March 23rd. CCS wrote asking that his case be reviewed and that he be assured due process and released expeditiously.
March 21, 2017
King Shaikh Hamad bin ‘Issa Al Khalifa
Office of His Majesty the King
P.O. Box 555
Rifa’a Palace, al-Manama, Bahrain
Fax: +973 1766 4587
Your Majesty:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.
We are again writing out of continued concern for Professor Khalil al-Halwachi, a 59-year old Bahraini electrical engineer and academic instructor who has been in prison since his arrest in early September, 2014. We initially wrote you in September 2016 requesting that you review the case of Dr. al-Halwachi who had a court hearing scheduled for October 20th. That hearing was postponed and reset for October 31st. That hearing, too, was rescheduled for December 29th (he has been subjected to 20 hearing cancellations). We are, now, writing as we have heard that his hearing date has taken place and a verdict is to be handed down on Thursday, March 23rd.
Although he was arrested over two years ago, hearings in his case have repeatedly been delayed, and he remains imprisoned in Dry Dock Detention Center, in conditions reported as so harsh that he and others have gone on hunger strikes in protest. We are asking you to please review this case and release Dr. al-Halwachi as quickly as possible, assure he receives due process and that he has any medical care that may be necessary to assure his health and safety.
If we can provide you further information, please let us know and we will do what we can to assist.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
Cc:
His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Al Khalifa
Prime Minister, Kingdom of Bahrain
info@moa.gov.bh
973 1 753 6343
The Honorable Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
InfoDesk@ohchr.org
41-22 917 9220
The Honorable William V. Roebuck
United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain
ManamaPAO@state.gov
973 1727 2594
The Honorable Rex Tillerson
United States Secretary of State
202-647-1579
Clare Robinson
Scholarsatrisk@nyu.edu
212-995-4427