Sayed Alawi Hussain al-Alawi, a telecom engineer with Batelco, was arrested on October 24 while meeting with other engineers and contractors at a Batelco worksite. He has not been charged. His spouse has contacted Bahraini authorities but has been unable to determine why he is being held. CCS wrote to the King requesting his assistance in this matter – requesting that al-Alawi be released immediately.
May 24, 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 write to express our grave concern for Sayed Alawi Hussain al-Alawi, a telecom engineer with Batelco (Bahrain Telecommunications Company), who has been detained since October of 2016. He was arrested on October 24 while meeting with engineers and contractors at a worksite in al-Muharraq.
On May 3, his family claimed that he has been prevented from meeting with family or lawyers since then, and that he has not called his family in over two months, since February 28. The family expressed concerns for his health and psychological well-being.
We echo that concern, as being held incommunicado this way puts Sayed Alawi Hussain al-Alawi at high risk of torture or ill-treatment. In a short November 27 phone call, he told his family that he was being held at the Criminal Investigations Directorate, but it is not clear that he remains there. The family has repeatedly been given incomplete or contradictory information; he may have been transferred to Terrorism Prosecution in the Public Prosecution Office (PPO). A statement from the Ombudsman on November 29 suggested that his detention was related to alleged violations of Bahrain’s anti-terrorism laws, but no specific charges or allegations have surfaced.
After half a year, it remains unclear exactly why, where, or by whom Sayed Alawi Hussain al-Alawi is being held. His wife and family have contacted the Ombudsman in the Ministry of Interior, the Special Investigations Unit in the PPO, and the National Institution for Human Rights, to try to gain more information about his detention and status, but so far to no avail.
We urge you to provide full and complete information on the whereabouts and the legal and health status of Sayed Alawi Hussain al-Alawi, and if he has not been charged, to see to it that he is immediately and unconditionally released. Further, he must be provided with regular access to his family, lawyers, and any medical treatment he may need, and we urge you to ensure that he is not subjected to torture or ill-treatment.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter, and we look forward to receiving your response.
Sincerely,
Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich, Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer
Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists
cc.:
Minister Of Interior Shaikh Rashid bin ‘Abdullah Al Khalifa
Ministry of Interior
P.O. Box 13, al-Manama
Bahrain
Fax: +973 1723 2661
Twitter: @moi_Bahrain
Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin
Ali Al Khalifa
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs
P. O. Box 450, al-Manama
Bahrain
Fax: +973 1753 1284
Email: http://www.moj.gov.bh/en/
Twitter: @Khaled_Bin_Ali
H.E. Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin
Rashid Al Khalifa
Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain
3502 International Dr. NW
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 362 2192
Email: ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org
