URGENT ACTION

FORMER BAHRAINI PARLIAMENTARIAN ARRESTED

On 6 August 2019, members of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) arrested former Bahraini parliamentarian Osama Jaber Muhana al-Tamimi at his home. The CID announced that he had been arrested for fraud. Since 2012, government authorities have subjected Osama al-Tamimi to false accusations in the government-linked press. In recent months, he has been summoned several times for questioning, while several unresolved crimes have targeted his personal businesses.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

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 
 
Your Excellency,

On 6 August 2019, members of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) arrested former Bahraini parliamentarian, Osama Jaber Muhana al-Tamimi, after having forced open the front door of his home. The next day, the CID announced that they had arrested him upon the Public Prosecution’s orders for fraud. The authorities have targeted the former MP since 2012 and over the past few months, they summoned him several times for questioning. On 15 June 2019, policemen in uniform driving unmarked cars stopped al-Tamimi on a public road and demanded his national ID card, which he gave them. Without presenting a search warrant, they then demanded his mobile phone, which he refused to hand over. He left the scene in his car and was followed aggressively by the unmarked police vehicles. Later that day he went with his family to the United States of America’s Embassy, seeking entry to claim physical protection and political asylum. The Embassy called on the Bahraini police to remove him from the premises.

‘Since there are good reasons to believe that the charges brought by CID could be politically motivated, we call on you to provide him interim release, pending trial. In addition, the principles of due process recognized by international law – which have been ignored so far - should be promptly guaranteed to him. Amnesty International will closely monitor Osama al-Tamimi’s case’. 

Yours sincerely,

Additional information

Former MP Osama Jaber Muhana al-Tamimi was known as a harsh critic of the government while in parliament and as one of the few Sunni parliamentarians willing to speak out against the Sunni ruling elite’s repression of the majority Shi’a population. In an April 2012 speech, he called for the resignation of the Prime Minister which was a key demand of the 2011 uprising. On 20 May 2014, the Council of Representatives removed him from parliament in a secret vote following deliberations behind closed doors.
Since 2012, Osama al-Tamimi has been subjected to a pattern of harassment by government authorities and false accusations in the government-linked press, while several unresolved crimes have targeted al-Tamimi’s personal safety and businesses. 
In July 2013, an unexplained fire destroyed the boxing training club owned by Osama al-Tamimi in the town of Salmabad. In September 2013, the newspaper al-Ayam, alleged on the basis of a fabricated document that the U.S. Embassy had “recruited” al-Tamimi “to serve American interests.”
In November 2016, Osama al-Tamimi was sentenced to a month in prison accused of insulting a police officer. Upon his release after completion of his sentence in 2017, he was forced to pay over $66,000 USD at the al-Hoora police station. The authorities told him orally that if he did not pay the amount he would be sent back to prison.
On 4 June 2019, Osama al-Tamimi’s Caliber Gym was gutted by a second unexplained fire. 

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Arabic or English
You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 19 September 2019 
Please check with the Amnesty office in your country if you wish to send appeals after the deadline.

NAME AND PREFERRED PRONOUN: Osama Jaber Muhana al-Tamimi (he/his)

Additional targets

Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs 
P. O. Box 450, al-Manama, Bahrain 
Fax: +973 1753 1284
E-form: http://www.moj.gov.bh/en/ 
Twitter: @Khaled_Bin_Ali
Salutation: Your Excellency

Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country.

HIS EXCELLENCY SHAIKH FAWAZ BIN MOHAMMED AL KHALIFA Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain
30 Belgrave Square SW1X 8QB Tel: 020 7201 9170 Fax: 020 7201 9183 information@bahrainembassy.co.uk

Please check with your section before sending appeals after the above date.