An Open Letter in Support of BIRD’s Director

12 April 2019 – Today, the Guardian published an open letter in support of BIRD’s Director, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei.

Find below the full letter:

We write to express our deep concern for the family of Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD). Mr Alwadaei was granted refugee status in the UK in 2012 in recognition of the dangers he faced in Bahrain. While in London, Mr Alwadaei has continued to fight for the rights of torture victims and prisoners sentenced to death for peacefully protesting against the Bahraini regime. The family of Mr Alwadaei has been subjected to numerous human rights violations by the Bahraini authorities in response to BIRD’s work, including arbitrary detention, unfair trial, ill-treatment and possible torture.

The United Nations working group on arbitrary detention concluded that Mr Alwadaei’s family were “deprived of their liberty, interrogated and prosecuted for their family ties with Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei and that these were acts of reprisal”. The Bahraini government responded with a smear campaign of false and misleading information about Mr Alwadaei and his family.

Such abuse is an attempt to intimidate Mr Alwadaei to prevent him from continuing his work. This has been condemned by over 80 members of the UK parliament.

The British government has repeatedly committed to support human rights defenders. It must condemn the persecution of Mr Alwadaei and his family, assert his right to criticise abuses in Bahrain, and advocate for the release of his unlawfully detained family members. Security assistance to Bahrain should be conditional on Bahrain’s adherence to its international human rights obligations.

Maya Foa Director, Reprieve
Kate Allen UK director, Amnesty International
Jodie Ginsberg CEO, Index on Censorship
Antonia Byatt Director, English PEN
Rebecca Vincent UK Bureau Director, Reporters Without Borders
Rowan Kinchin Director, Campaign Against Arms Trade
Jago Russell Chief executive, Fair Trials
Saloua Ghazouani Oueslati MENA Director, Article 19
Rupert Skilbeck Director, Redress
Joe Stork Chair of the Advisory Board, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights
Husain Abdulla Executive director, ADHRB
Brian Dooley Human rights campaigner
Stephen Knafler QC Landmark Chambers
David Lock QC Landmark Chambers
Tim Buley Landmark Chambers
Jane Deighton Founding partner of Deighton Pierce Glynn
Daniel Carey Deighton Pierce Glynn
Stephen Cragg QC Doughty Street Chambers
Tim Cooke-Hurle Doughty Street Chambers
Chris Henley QC Carmelite Chambers; chair of Criminal Bar Association
Sheona York Clinic solicitor and reader in law, University of Kent
Angela Jackman Senior lecturer, City Law School
Dr Sam Raphael Senior lecturer, International Relations, University of Westminster
Tony Fisher Fisher Jones Greenwood
Prof Juan E Mendez Former United Nations special rapporteur on torture
Martyn Day Founder of Leigh Day
Astrid Perry Leigh Day
Saimo Chahal QC Bindmans LLP
Dan Squires QC Barrister, Matrix Chambers
Samantha Knights QC Refugee and human rights barrister, Matrix Chambers
Hugh Southey QC Human rights barrister, Matrix Chambers
Daniel Machover Head of civil department, Hickman & Rose Solicitors
Peter Bottomley MP Conservative, Worthing West
Fiona Bruce MP Conservative, Congleton
Ian Blackford MP SNP Westminster leader
Paul Scriven Liberal Democrat, House of Lords
Ed Davey MP Liberal Democrat, Kingston and Surbiton
Christine Jardine MP Liberal Democrat, Edinburgh West
Alistair Carmichael MP Liberal Democrat, Orkney and Shetland
Tom Brake MP Liberal Democrat, Carshalton and Wallington
Andy Slaughter MP Labour, Hammersmith 
Jim Cunningham MP Labour, Coventry South
Jo Swinson MP Liberal Democrat, East Dunbartonshire
Matt Western MP Labour, Warwick and Leamington
Alex Norris MP Labour, Nottingham North
Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP Labour, Brighton Kemptown
Catherine West MP Labour, Hornsey and Wood Green
Philippa Whitford MP SNP, Central Ayrshire
Angus MacNeil MP SNP, Na h-Eileanan an Iar
Stephen Gethins MP SNP, North East Fife
Chris Law MP SNP, Dundee West
Stuart McDonald MP SNP, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
Martyn Day MP SNP, Linlithgow and East Falkirk 
Caroline Lucas MP Green party, Brighton Pavilion

Take Action & Email Your MP to ask that they support the case of Dr Abduljalil AlSingace by signing EDM 107

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