Published on September 3, 2014, at ForceChange.com

Target: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain

Goal: Hold corrupt cops accountable for killing protesters and torturing prisoners

Since the Arab Spring uprisings, Bahrain security forces have killed dozens of activists and wounded hundreds of others. Indiscriminately gunning down and viciously beating protesters, the police cover up their crimes and rarely face prosecution. Many of those arrested are subjected to torture and horrific threats to their families. Arrested children receive the same mistreatment. The government of Bahrain must investigate these human rights abuses and punish the cops committing these crimes.

During protests, police in riot gear have repeatedly killed and crippled activists by shooting them with birdshot. In one case, Mahmood al-Jazeeri was killed when a cop fired a tear gas canister at his head at close range. According to the U.S. State Department, an eight-year-old child reportedly died from inhaling tear gas dispersed by the police.

To hide their crimes from the public, law enforcement officials take their prisoners to unofficial temporary facilities to abuse and torture them. The most common techniques include beating detainees with wooden planks, cables, rubber hoses, and pieces of metal. Electric shock, extreme temperatures, and threats to rape and kill the detainee or his family members are also applied to break them.

Children are also subjected to government-sponsored human rights abuses including torture. Authorities have detained and mistreated children by punching, kicking, beating them with rubber hoses, threatening them with sexual assault, and burning them with cigarettes. These abhorrent crimes must be stopped immediately.

By signing the petition below you will urge the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to end these arbitrary killings and human rights abuses by prosecuting the cops responsible for these horrendous actions.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa,

The government of Bahrain needs to end the human rights violations taking place by your police force. Law enforcement officials are killing protesters and torturing detainees at secret locations. They also arrest children and have been reported torturing and abusing them. If you do not investigate these charges and actively prosecute the officers responsible for these actions, further human rights abuses will only continue.

Your government has been on a path toward ending human rights abuse, but recent geopolitical events have caused your security forces to violently overreact. Activists should not have to risk death or paralysis when attending a public protest. Instead of regressing back to torture and arbitrary killings, return your country to the path of peace and nonviolence.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo credit: shaffeem via Wikimedia Commons