A/HRC/19/58
subjected to arbitrary detention. The State noted that they were arrested by competent
authorities for having committed prosecutable offences and they enjoyed all guarantees
accorded to accused persons.
83.
The second communication, transmitted on 12 April 2011, jointly with two other
special procedures mechanisms, concerned Messrs. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, Wafi Almajid
and Hussein Ahmed, who were allegedly arrested by a group of masked police officers on
9 April 2011.
84.
On 7 June 2011, the Government replied to this urgent appeal. In this
communication, the Government stated that Abdulhadi Alkhawaja was arrested and
questioned about a series of charges brought against him including, inter alia, knowingly
becoming a member of a terrorist group; attempting with the help of others to overthrow the
monarchy and change the State Constitution; promoting political change in Bahrain through
the use of force; and taking part in and inviting others to join unauthorized rallies. The
Government also indicated that Mr. Alkhawaja was referred to the National Safety Court of
First Instance, where his arraignment took place. This instance complied with international
human rights standards and provided the guarantees afforded by law to the accused,
including the right to contact his family and his lawyer, and the right to inform his family of
his whereabouts and of the measures taken in his regard. Finally, the Government indicated
that Messrs.Wafi Almajid and Hussein Ahmed were arrested but not accused of the same
offences as Mr. Abdulhadi Alkhawaja.
85.
The third communication, transmitted on 21 April 2011, jointly with two other
special procedures mechanisms, concerned Mr. Mohammed Al-Tajir, a prominent human
rights lawyer, who was allegedly arrested by a group of masked and plain-clothed security
officers on 15 April 2011, and then taken to an undisclosed location.
86.
On 8 June 2011, the Government replied to this urgent appeal. In this
communication, the Government stated that Mr. Muhammad Al-Tajir was arrested further
to orders issued by the competent authority and that his arrest and detention were conducted
in line with the laws in force in Bahrain, all legal safeguards were guaranteed and Mr. AlTajir was permitted to contact his family.
Information from the Government
87.
On 3 November 2010, the Government transmitted a communication regarding one
outstanding case, which could not be translated in time for inclusion in report
A/HRC/16/48. The information provided was not considered sufficient to lead to the
clarification of this case.
88.
During the reporting period the Government transmitted five communications.
89.
The first communication dated 15 November 2010, concerned one outstanding case.
The information provided was not considered sufficient to lead to the clarification of this
case.
90.
In the second, third and fourth communications, dated 26 April 2011, 7 and 8 June
2011, the Government replied to the urgent appeals transmitted on 22 March, 12 April and
21 April 2011, respectively.
91.
In the fifth communication, dated 8 June 2011, the Government provided
information on two outstanding cases which was considered insufficient to lead to their
clarification. However, the cases were later clarified by the sources.
24
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