Hilary Clinton arrives in Bahrain tomorrow on an official state visit. Jenan Al Oraibi, wife of Ali - who I have written about previously - has this evening issued an open letter asking Mrs Clinton to raise the issue of Ali and the other Bahraini political prisoners' torture and ongoing arbitrary detention with the highest political authorities in the country.
Spread the word.
The distinguished Secretary of State, Mrs. Hilary Clinton,
Pleasant greetings,
I am the wife of arrested Bahraini blogger Ali Abdulemam. Ali is the father of my four year old son Mortada and my twin daughters Sarah and Fatimah who are younger than a year old.
I have received news of your impending arrival to my country Bahrain. I would like to send to you my urgent appeal for help in the releasing of my husband who has been imprisoned in Bahrain since September 4th of this year.
My husband was arrested after being summoned before the National Security Apparatus with accusations – which were never proven – of “spreading false information.” The National Security Apparatus publishedan explanation immediately following his arrest . After a global campaignby bloggers and defenders of the freedom of opinion and expression and human rights , instead of reviewing the detention order of my husband, his arrest was publicized in the media and he was depicted as a terrorist in the media and government communiqués.
Madam Secretary,
It has become clear to me that my husband has been subjected to the crudest forms of torture and physical and psychological abuse throughout his time in prison. He was forbidden from meeting with an attorney throughout the harsh investigation and his time with the public prosecution. In fact, my husband met with his lawyer for the first time in the courtroom. The court also denied the lawyers’ requests to present the barbaric torture my husband was subjected to. The court continues to proceed with the prosecution of my husband based on coerced confessions that have no connection with my husband’s personality, which is known by all the people of Bahrain, especially his family and blogger friends all over the world. Furthermore, the media has refused to publish the torture and abuse my husband was subjected to or the proceedings of the trial which we know are full of difficulty and hardship.
Madam Secretary,
My husband was fired from his job at Gulf Air which he was devoted to for thirteen years without a single accusation or examination by the investigative council. Thus, with my husband’s arrest alone we are immediately faced real suffering that increases with the continuation of my husband’s absence which agonizes me and his three children.
I wish to inform you Madam that I consider all that we have faced as a family and all that my husband has faced up to today as a result of my husband’s sincere expression of his views and aspirations in reform and goodness for Bahrain and the region. My husband protests peacefully through blogging on what he considers to be harmful to the interests of the people. Ali supports and calls for reform in Bahrain and Iran by devotion to individual freedom and the freedom to express one’s opinion. That much is obvious from his blog posts.
Madam Secretary,
I am certain that you will meet with the highest officials in Bahrain on your anticipated trip. I am also certain that those officials will immediately comply with any appeal from you to enforce justice and release my husband. Therefore, Madam Secretary, I implore your sympathy, and all that is provided for in the values of American freedoms, as I appeal to you to include my husband’s case on your anticipated trip’s agenda. Your support will surely strengthen the value of democracy and freedom which support the development of justice, peace, and tranquility.
I would like to thank you for taking on this moral responsibility. I sincerely hope you will support my request.
Jenan Al Oraibi
The wife of arrested Bahraini blogger (Ali Abdulemam)
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