Khalil Al Marzooq, Political Assistant to Al Wefaq’s Secretary-General and former member of the Bahraini Council of Representatives, was detained this morning after being summoned to Budaiya Police Station yesterday. He was transferred in a police vehicle and in police custody to the Civil Prosecution Centre for interrogation.
The summons is believed to relate to a speech given by Mr Al Marzooq on 7 September during an opposition rally. Authorities appear to have used the speech as a pretext to accuse Mr Al Marzooq of supporting terrorist activities, violence and the downfall of the regime. Despite a number of threats, he is the first leading figure from Al Wefaq to be arrested since the emergency law crackdown of March 2011.
Statement by Niccolò Figà-Talamanca, Secretary-General of No Peace Without Justice:
“No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT) firmly condemn the arrest and detention of Bahraini political leader Khalil Almarzooq and call upon the Bahraini authorities to ensure his prompt and unconditional release.
“The detention of a leading figure of the main opposition party, who has consistently condemned all forms of violence, is clearly an escalation in the repressive and retaliatory practices carried out by the Bahraini authorities against those who are engaged in political action to advocate peacefully for democratic reforms. These latest actions blatantly demonstrate a lack of credibility in terms of their commitment to the ongoing National Consensus Dialogue, in which Al Wefaq is engaged as part of the political opposition in the country. We sincerely hope these actions are a mistake, since they otherwise further hamper the possibility of any meaningful change for the country’s political future, in both the short- and long-term.
“NPWJ and the NRPTT stand in solidarity with Khalil Al Marzooq, who has dedicated his life to the promotion of democratic values, to nonviolence and to the respect of human rights in his country. Bahrain must release Mr Al Marzooq and all other political prisoners whose only “crime” has been to speak out in favour of reform, in favour of human rights and in favour of bringing meaningful democracy to Bahrain.
“We call on the international community to carry out all necessary measures to ensure his safe and immediate release. We also urge the international community to take immediate concrete steps to halt the deteriorating situation and to make Bahrain accountable and to abide by international human rights laws and norms. Today, it is even more urgent for the international community to abide by its duty and responsibility to protect those who are threatened for advocating openly for the end of the longstanding culture of impunity that remains intact in Bahrain to this day”.
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For further information, contact Alison Smith on asmith@npwj.org or +32-2-548-3912 or Nicola Giovannini on ngiovannini@npwj.org or +32-2-548-3915. Check also the special section on NPWJ Bahrain Project
Previous press releases on Bahrain:
- Bahrain: NPWJ and the NRPTT condemns arrest of prominent opposition leader Khalil Al Marzooq and calls for his immediate release, 17 September 2013
- KADEM and NPWJ organise High-level Consultations on Transitional and International Justice in the Arab region, Tunis, Tunisia, 19 June 2013
- Bahrain: NPWJ supports civil society capacity building on Human Rights monitoring, Istanbul, 17 June 2013
- Bahraini Uprising Second Anniversary: As dialogue starts, accountability for past human rights violations must take centre stage, 14 February 2013
- Bahrain: NPWJ condemns arrest of Said Yousif Almuhafda and other human rights defenders and calls for their immediate release, 18 December 2012
- Bahraini civil society leaders meet in The Hague and call for international support to stop repression and promote respect for human rights in Bahrain, 20 November 2012
- Towards Justice in Bahrain: The UN Human Rights Council must ensure Bahrain is accountable for its human rights record, 19 September 2012
- Towards Justice in Bahrain: NRPTT and other international and Bahraini partners convene meeting on the occasion of the adoption of the final UPR Report, 18 September 2012
- Bahrain: NPWJ condemns Nabeel Rajab’s conviction and calls for his immediate release, 16 August 2012
- Bahrain: NPWJ calls for release of human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, 9 July 2012
- Bahrain: NPWJ holds the authorities accountable for any reprisals against human rights defenders, 27 May 2012
- Bahrain: impunity is not an option to build a democratic future, 21 May 2012
- Bahrain: Impunity Not an Option to Build a Democratic Future, 23 November 2011
- Bahrain’s former MP Dr Jasim Husain and Khalil Al Marzooq meet with NPWJ and other human rights NGOs in Brussels, 15 September 2011
