Naked Regime: this is why Rihana Al-Musawi was targeted

2013-07-17 - 1:54 م

Bahrain Mirror (exclusive): She cannot be broken, frightened, or hides her face when challenged by mercenary forces during her participation in the marches in the capital Manama and other area which are headache to the regime. Because she had the courage that made her move in front an armored vehicle facing protesters in Sitra, to affix on it a picture of the martyr Muhammad Yaqub. She was brave to stand on her knees in front of battalions of mercenaries in Al-Daih region raising the victory sign, while the police video camera was trying to terrify her by focusing on her, though she did not move or shake. Because she is one of the field activists and first aiders who treat the injured and wounded everywhere. She did not get tired of her humanitarian work and did not give in to fatigue in the danger zones where everything was exposed to death or injury. She suffered more than once from gunshot wounds while exercising her right to peaceful protest, for this and much more that will be in this report, Rihana was targeted...

 

In the F1 Ciruit...

It was not the first time that Rihana went to Formula One; last year she went with six girls to Formula One; they were arrested in front of the stands, the whole world witnessed their peaceful protest before witnessing their arrest, this forced the embarrassed regime to release them later. Since that day Rihana’s face and name along with the other girls got familiar and recognised by the Ministry of Interior.

(Rihana) knew the entry procedure for the F1 circuit, and she knew from last year experience that the inspection would include running handbags into inspection devices, then the bags would be manually  searched , then passed  through an x-ray, then a machine is passed on the entire body; all of this happened to them last year, and sure, if not more would happen this year too, so it did not make sense Rihana would carry with her what could raise doubts, all she had was her voice and her will in peaceful struggle.

It was not the first time that Rihana went to the circuit this year; she went alone since the first day on 19 April 2013; there she was stopped and interrogated about the reason for her presence; "to watch the Formula" she replied. They told her: “your look doesn’t suggest that you are interested in F1. She replied: “it’s up to me to decide if I was a fan or not”. She gave them her ID card, and she was allowed to enter.

A day earlier, (Rihana) along with (Nafeesa Al-Asfoor) had a sit-in by Karbabad beach, where they handcuffed their hands and wore T-shirts with pictures of detained activists. They both raise the victory sign. That picture spread widely.

 

Another Plan...

ريحانة

She knew very well that they knew her, and they were waiting for her, because of this she would not risk carrying what could be suspicious when she went on the third and final day, but they were planning for something else.

That time (Rihanna) and (Nafeesa) would not be allowed to the inside of the circuit, so that their protest and unjustified arrest would not move the press and the Western media as had happened last year, forcing the authority to release them. This time it was crucial to snatch them from outside, so that no one saw them, and then trump up charges according to a fabricated scenario that no one could prove or deny. Absolutely, all that happened.

At the outer gate, (Rihana) and (Nafeesa) were stopped, and their ID cards were asked for. Then they were taken to the security room to be frisked. Few hours later, the Ministry of Interior announced: the arrest of two girls for their intention to execute a “terrorist act" in Formula One.

 

In Zallaq police station...

Both (Rihana) and (Nafeesa) were held in the Formula One’s security for some time, and then transferred to (Zallaq) police station; where they suffered verbal abuse, insults, threats and indecent and degrading words.

(Mr. Talal Al-Alawi) Rihana’s husband told Bahrain Mirror, citing his wife: "at the gate and before being arrested, (Rihana) and (Nafeesa) received a call stating that there were injured people  in the area (Dar Kulaib) and they were about to back down  in order to go to rescue the injured, but the police arrested them before. Prior to the spread of the news, the medic (Mohamed Shaker) called Nafeesa’s phone. The police ordered Nafeesa to answer (Shaker) in front of them, and to put the phone on  (speaker) mode, and (Shaker), who didn’t know about their arrest, asked them why they were late and about their location   and talking about the cases of the injured people.  (Shaker) was arrested a few days later and accused of a criminal case.

 

In Riffa police station...

(Rihana) and (Nafeesa)spent hours  in Zallaq station before being transferred to  West Riffa Station, where they faced humiliation and torture by officer Mohammed Al-Mannai and an officer named Sarah (may be the same Sarah Mosa who tortured Naziha Saeed).

At the station they were interrogated and tortured to confess. "Confess what?"  They screamed, and they got the answer with more beatings, verbal abuse and threats.

During the investigation Officer (Muhammad Al-Mannai) was screaming loudly all the time, asking (Rihana) about her connections with her nephew and cousin who were wanted by the police, and her connection to  “Al-Wefaq” society and the 14 February Coalition; (Rihana) rose her tone with him, so he increased his beating, threats and bullying, and he listed full details of her activities and the activities of her friends as well: “We know that your girlfriend (...) whose car was damaged in the area (....) has repaired her car in the garage (....). We know everything about you”. Then he asked her: “Why did you go to the sea so much? What are you waiting for to reach you? Confess!” She replied: “I’m from “S’falah” area, and the sea is close to our house, and I go there constantly with my friends”.

Rihana mentioned to her husband that Al-Mannaei screams  was ringing  all over the station, to the extent that one official as it seemed,  was wearing a dress and traditional head cover, came to him and said: "Why are you screaming? If they have a case; take them to the authorized parties, and if they don’t have an important case against them, don’t scream!”

 

Torturer Sarah...

The officer Sarah, wanted her torture that be more shameful, and de-feminine. This torturer forced Rihanna to strip completely, then stand for half an hour in a room (or a bathroom), directly in front of the door that was opened at an angle, so that anyone who passes can glance at the naked (Rihana), and she was prevented from any movement to try to cover herself when someone passes. That obscene scene was repeated twice.

Things were going towards the release of (Rihana) and (Nafeesa); "the intention" that was launched by the Ministry of Interior in its statement "to mastermind a terrorist act" did not prove anything and there was no physical evidence to prove this “intention ". (Mr. Talal Alawi) Rihana’s husband stated to Bahrain Mirror: "They called me from the station and they told me to come, “Your wife will be released. Bring her another “Abaya” the traditional black cover”. I Understood that (Rihana’s) Abaya was shredded during her arrest or because of torture, it did not matter, what mattered was that she would be released. “But it seems that another intention entered on the line, and got things upside down. (Mr. Talal Alawi) continues: "I went in the morning and introduced myself to one of the police officers there, he went and another came, and when he was sure that I was (Rihana’s) husband, he directly took my phone and took me for interrogation. Throughout the 3 hours he searched my phone and interrogated me about my relationship with Rihana (?!!) and her activities, relationships and participations and then they let me out without her. "

 

In the investigation  ...

ريحانة

From the Riffa Station (Rihana) and (Nafeesa) were transferred to the interrogation centre, where they spent more than 24 hours.  As soon as they arrived, they were put in  separate rooms and were firmly blindfolded. (Rihana) described the intense pain caused by the blindfold and her stay amid freezing conditions for more than a day which  almost froze her limbs. (Rihana) felt the voices of the interrogators in her ear from a very close distance, and their screams were deafening. Their accents were of the Peninsula Shield: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and when she answered any of their questions with “I don’t know” their screams rose in her ear and one of them would rub his shoes on her feet, or strongly push her to hit her head on the wall, or kick her on her hip strongly until she fainted.

The torturers handcuffed (Rihana) with electrically conductive wires, and started mental torture. Someone said: “Shall I turn it on?” The other answered him: “Don’t! She will die.” After a while the first said: “No use! I will turn it on.” The Second: “But if she dies you bear the responsibility.” (Rihana) felt she reached the edge of real death.

In the interrogation, she was forced to confess the first fabricated story; Planning to bomb the F1. She was taught to recite the story in the public prosecution, and ordered to repeat it several times while they were beating her head when she made a mistake. She was threatened that her son Hussein (16 years old) would be brought and tortured before her if she did not confess. They used to tell her: “Now! We will bring him and show you what we will do to him. We have him!”, and then she heard the sound of feet entering, and she completely collapsed.

The interrogator continued his threats and terrorisation: “If you change your confessions at the Attorney General other than what you were told to say, you will be brought back and you will face different torture, and you will not go out of here until you are pregnant."


At the Attorney General  ...

Nafeesa was taken to the public prosecutor in the condition of a complete collapse after more than 24 hours in the interrogation of draining torture and without sleep or food. At the Attorney General (Fahd Albuainain) interrogated her for 3 full hours before they allowed her lawyer. (Rihana) was trying to explain to him what had happened at the police station and the interrogation centre. She found him indifferent and as cruel as those who had preceded him in her interrogation. She gave up, (Rihana) no longer showed any resistance, and did not have the physical strength for it anyhow. The lawyer described her "in a deplorable state of fatigue and collapse." She recited what they wanted her to say in the confessions.

After finishing from the Attorney General, she was allowed to contact her family to tell them: “I'm leaving the Attorney General now and will be transferred to Isa Town police station”. The call ended.

 

Interrogation again...

It did not end when confessions were taken at the Attorney General; there was a new plan with a changed scenario and the introduction of new names. "Planning to carry out a terrorist act in Formula One," was No longer the case, they wanted the circle to expand to include the largest number of names. After two weeks, (Rihana) was taken back to the interrogation. This time alone without (Nafeesa). She was asked for her connection with each of (Hisham Al-Sabbagh) and (Naji Fateel) and “Mahazza area” detainees, she denied any connection, and again asked about her connection with 14 February Coalition and “Al-Wefaq”. She Denied. She was asked about her connection with some activists such as Mr. Hadi al-Moussawi, she denied. Then she her blindfold was removed, to see seven hooded men with photographs of wanted: Do you know this one? This? This ... each denial answer meant more insults and beatings. They screamed: “You don’t know them!? Those are from the “Saraya” troops, you don’t know the “Saraya”!!? (Rihana) never heard of them and replied innocently: “I know (Saraya) area in Sar only.” One of them became furious and kicked her in the stomach considering her response a mockery. They asked: what does “Al-Wefaq” give you? And from where do you get your medications?

(Rihana) was challenged with information on the dates of her travel to Iran and Iraq. And told her that from there she travels to Lebanon to train on explosives and weapons; which meant she would be dictated upon a new confession again. (Rihana) was shocked on charges of the “Cell”, she said to her husband: "I knew they would arrest me from Formula One as they did last year, I did not expect this to exceed few hours and we would be released, how did they turn our going to the Formula to all of this? How it was transformed into a case of terrorism and bombing, and now a terrorist cell!!! "

 

The Attorney General again  ...

The second time (Rihana) was taken to the Attorney General, she found the investigator more humane than the former, they questioned her, and she replied: “Do you want to hear the truth or what they want me to say?” He told her: “What you want to say.” She said it all. The minutes were written and the interrogation ended. She was returned to Isa Town police station.

Weeks later, the Ministry of Interior announced the so-called Cell of (Bo-naser) terrorist cell, and (Rihana) was surprised that her name was in the “Cell”; (Rihana) was the only woman charged of involvement in the so-called terrorist cell; which included an assortment of names of different activists who had been arrested recently.

 

At court...

In the first trial session for the defendants in the “Cell”, defendants’ relatives were prevented from entering the courtroom, and the media and human rights organisations were banned, only lawyers were allowed to enter. Judge (Ali Al-Dhahrani) who was a judge  in the courts of the National Security, as well as he was in charge of ruling the “Political Figures”, kept mocking the  lawyers and defendants throughout the hearing in the courtroom, he was not touched by the revelations of torture scandal underneath (Naji Fateel’s)shirt, his chivalry or feelings were not moved by (Rihana’s ) story being stripped of her clothes in front of everyone in Riffa police station, and laughed when all the audience were affected and cried.



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