What really happened on 13th March 2011?

Sunday, 13th March 2011, is a date no University of Bahrain student will ever forget...

It is a day we, the students, in the midst of our revolution, took the decision to go to campus and persue our education...believing that there is no weapon stronger than a degree...

We were at our early classes, when news came about the early morning attacks on the Lulu Roundabout and the surrounding square. Devistated, we felt. All the promises about the right to protest and government compromises seemed to be a lie. Some of us had family members there, we lost contact with protesters in the area, news of injuries were circulating, by 9 a.m. a gathering for a march within university campus started.

University adminstration usually supports peaceful marches and protests on campus grounds. Campus security would normally escort and admin staff would make sure classes are not disturbed.

On 13th March 2011, matters were different...

Students marched between buildings in protest of the Government's attacks on peaceful protesters in the Lulu Roundabout. The march ended in the main Square of the University, where the students had a sit-in.

Meanwhile, Government loyalists' students (who are mostly recently naturalised) began threatening to attack the protesters, saying "let's go hit the girls calling for the downfall of the King". Breaking tables and using its legs as weapons, they went to look for the girls....some went to get "other things" from their cars...

University of Bahrain president, Mr. Ebrahim Janahi, and his two deputies, Mr. Yousif AlBastaki and Mr. Osama AlJowdar now seen leaving the Admin building, heading towards the main gate. News of Main gate being locked...

In the campus's main square, the students (in an attempt to protect the girls) formed a circle to prevent the government loyalists from attacking the girls.

The number of guys was significantly less than the girls, many have left the university to go and check on their friends/relatives who were at the Lulu Roundabout.

Jawad AlMahari, University Student, Sentenced to 15 years

Name: Jawad Jassim Mohammed Al Mahari

Age: 24 years old

Date of Arrest: 29^th March 2011

Jawad is a student at the College of Law at the University of Bahrain with excellent academic record. He was summoned for investigation by the university’s administration on 29^th March 2011; however he was arrested at dawn that same day in a home raid by security forces. Jawad complained of being beaten from the beginning of his arrest until his arrival at the ASRY detention center. He was kicked and beaten with a plastic hose and heavy electric cables. He was subjected to physical harm where they would put out cigarettes on his body, spit in his mouth and forced him to stand for long periods of time. He remained blindfolded and handcuffed for 12 days where he was interrogated and subjected to beatings, torture and verbal abuse. Jawad was taken to the Military Court without notifying his family or a lawyer. He was not allowed to meet with his family/lawyer until his second trial (3 months after his arrest), and he complained of being beaten at the court by security forces.

His story (below) was written by his brother (Muntadhar) who not only was arrested the same night, but also subjected to the same events/conditions

The Investigation in the University

Jawad received a call at 11 am from the University of Bahrain’s vice president and dean of students affairs (Osama AlJowdar) asking him to come to campus for investigation regarding the incidents of 13^th March 2011.

The date was set to be the next day (29^th March 2011), he was arrested at the dawn of that day.

The Arrest

A group of masked men broke into his house at almost 1:30 am on 29^th March 2011 and asked if he was Jawad then asked him to bring his identity card along.

They took him out of the house but another group went upstairs to arrest his younger brother, Muntadhar, who is also a student at the University of Bahrain.

Huge numbers of Police vehicles were outside of his house and surrounding it.

Note: Police mercenaries broke several doors and threatened the residents of the house by aiming guns to their heads.

Jawad’s hands were cuffed very tight which led to inflation in his left hand, he was hit on the head before he was taken into the police bus and he was insulted with many swear words on the way to the police station.

In ASRY Prison

 

Shawqi Radhi, University Student, Sentenced to 15 years

Name: Shawqi Radhi Abdul Rasool

Age: 22

Date of Arrest: April 26th, 2011

Shawqi is a dedicated student at the College of Business Administration with a GPA of 3.4 out of 4. He was arrested at dawn in a home raid by security forces on 26.4.2011, and like Yousif was summoned for investigation by the university regarding the events of March 13. Shawqi complained of being tortured in detention, as when he appeared in court he was unable to stand due to the intensive beating. He was taken to the hospital several times after going on hunger strike in protest of his continued detention and ill-treatment. Shawqi is known for his distinguished reputation as he engaged in tutoring students at the university as well as having several social activities and volunteer work outside university.

Before the arrest:-

A defamatory online campaign carried out by Pro-Governments started in the forum "Kingdom of Bahrain Forums" after the events of the University of Bahrain on 13^th March 2011, the goal of this campaign was to get him expelled and arrested.

Some of the defamatory topics:

- The truth about the students of University of Bahrain ... Shame on you, vandals

http://www.bahrainforums.com/showthread.php?t=797551&page=1&pp=15

- URGENT: Shawqi has been expelled from the university 

http://www.bahrainforums.com/showthread.php?t=814047&page=1&pp=15

We can see in these topics how Shawqi replied to them with respect, but God printed on their hearts.

Despite this defamatory campaign and his certainty that he would be arrested at any time, he wasn’t afraid, and wrote these words:

Remember me when I leave...

Either prisoner or dead...

All this is little for my country...

I’ll give my soul...

I'll let my blood flow...

Remember me, beloveds, if you see me detained...

11^th April 2011

And despite how much this defamatory campaign had hurt him, his morals and manners only made him write this on his Twitter:

“God forgive anyone who intends to harm me.”

 @majboos

This was the last tweet before his arrest, tweeted on 25^th April 2011

 

The Arrest:-

Jassim AlHulaibi, University Student, Sentenced to 15 years

Name: Jassim Mohammed Jassim Al Hulaibi

Age: 19 years old

Date of Arrest: March 27^th, 2011

Student of teachers college, scholarship of the Ministry of Education

Jassim is a first year student in Bahrain Teachers' College (University of Bahrain). He was arrested in a pre-dawn raid on his house by security forces on 27^th March 2011

Although his family searched for him in police stations, the officers denied their son's existence. His family was in fear about where he was being held for more than a month. They only received a call from the Criminal Investigation Department requesting them to bring him clothes without allowing his family to see him.

He was presented to the Military Court for the first time without notifying his family or his lawyer. Even after his family appointed a lawyer for him, Jassim wasn't allowed to see his lawyer before the second hearing. His family was only allowed to see him for ten minutes after the hearing, which took place two months after the date of his arrest. Neither his lawyer nor his family members were informed of the charges against him until the third hearing, where he was accused of taking part in the University of Bahrain incident where the Pro-Government thugs attacked the campus on 13^th March 2011.

Jassim was not at the university on 13^th March 2011. He was in the hospital receiving medical care for a foot injury. His family presented a medical certificate to the Court in this regard as a proof of his absence that day but the Court ignored it. His family was notified that he was expelled from the University of Bahrain in May (while he was still held in detention). Jassim complained of back pain during detention due to torturing and mistreatment.

Following is a letter from Jassim's father which clarifies how he was detained and what he went through before and after the arrest…

Yousif Ahmed, University Student, Sentenced to 15 years

 

Name: Yousif Ahmed Khaleefa Abbas

Age: 20-year-old

Date of Detention: April 26th, 2011 at the dawn.

Yousif is a student at the College of Business Administration (University of Bahrain) who achieved superior academic performance, with a soaring GPA of 3.6 out of 4. He is known for his volunteer work and student activities both inside and outside the university. He was arrested in a pre-dawn house raid at his home on 26^th April 2011. Prior to the arrest, Yousif was summoned for investigation by the University of Bahrain’s administration regarding the events of 13^th March 2011 and nothing was proven against him during investigation. University’s Vice President (Al Bastaki) even assured him that this was a standard protocol and he was for sure innocent. During his time in detention, his family was not allowed to see him following his arrest until the day of the trial and only for a few minutes in the courtroom. Yousif complained of being subjected to torture and ill-treatment including beatings, spitting in his mouth, as well as sexual harassment.

Details of the Arrest:

Jassim AlMukhodher, University Student, Sentenced to 15 years

Name: Jassim Mohammed Abdulla Mahdi Al Mukhoder

Age: 20 years

Date of Arrest: April 26^th, 2011

Student of Bahrain's Teachers College, has a scholarship of Bahrain's Ministry of Education

Jassim is a student at the Bahrain Teachers' College (University of Bahrain). He was arrested in a home raid at dawn on 26^th April 2011 after being summoned, like some students, for internal university investigation regarding the UOB thugs attack on 13^th March 2011. His family was not notified of his whereabouts or why he was being held, until the second hearing of the trial where they were able to see him for the first time. Jassim has always been known for his distinguished social voluntary work, especially in his village.

Details of the Arrest:

Al Jazeera International's Interview with a Detainee's Mother

Yousef Ahmed Khalifa: Sentenced to 15 years in prison


Students went to university on the morning of March 13 with the news that protesters who tried to block roads in the financial harbour, near to Pearl roundabout, had come under attack. Some of the students organised a march on campus in solidarity with the protesters.


Hundreds of students attended, including 20-year-old banking student Yousef.


That day, police were eerily absent from streets around the country. Instead, what witnesses say, were "plainclothed thugs out to create havoc".


One of Yousef's friends said that dozens of "thugs" entered the campus, and they wondered how they had passed security. Immediately, the thugs began attacking cars as well as the students taking part in the march - and others.