The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights: The arbitrary arrest of religious scholar Sanqour portends a new wave of targeting religious freedom... and resisting normalization is not a crime

On Monday, May 22, the Public Prosecution of Bahrain announced the arrest of His Eminence Sheikh Muhammad Sanqour for seven days, pending investigation. This occurred after the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science announced that he had been summoned under the pretext of accusing him of "repeating inflammatory speeches that include statutory violations, including insulting the authorities and openly inciting hatred and contempt against a group of people."

While the Bahrain Forum for Human Rights (BFHR) calls for the immediate and unconditional release of religious scholar Sanqour, it considers the arbitrary detention of a distinguished religious figure who exercised his right to freedom of opinion and expression and freedom of religion and belief portends a new wave of targeting religious freedom. The BFHR noted that Sheikh Sanqour presented legitimate criticism over the attempt to falsify some school courses in the Ministry of Education by passing educational materials to perpetuate the state of normalization with the Israeli occupation entity – even though they distort the reality of the Palestinian cause – and the security authorities criminalize anyone who criticizes normalization. The BFHR added that the call launched by Sheikh Sanqour to end the suffering of prisoners of conscience by releasing them, coincides with all international human rights calls that affirm the right of political detainees to immediate freedom.

The BFHR pointed out that the tone of the issued statement, which included phrases such as "the clock cannot go backward," reminds us of the pleadings of the Public Prosecution Office in many unfair trials that have been criticized by international human rights organizations and described as reflecting "political persecution" and "false justice."

The BFHR further said that the statement of the Public Prosecution Office indicates that the investigation was due to a sermon that "contained false news that would harm public order and disturb public peace," and what is meant is the conditions of political detainees who complain of ill-treatment or whose news has been cut off after there was information about being ill-treated while they are sentenced to death arbitrarily. Nevertheless, although the judicial authorities are aware of many complaints of torture and ill-treatment, they still perpetuate a policy of impunity. Otherwise, why does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs still refuse the visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to Bahrain? Isn't it out of fear that he might see the conditions of hundreds in prisons who are complaining of torture or ill-treatment?!

In the Friday sermon on May 19, 2023, the religious scholar Sheikh Muhammad Sanqour called on the concerned authorities to "reassure the people and the prisoners' families regarding their sons, by communicating with them through phone calls and facilitating the arrangement of visits, not only through permits.” He further said, “They have learned (the prisoners' families) that a number of prisoners were subjected to abuse and violence, and some of them were subjected to isolation, solitary confinement, and deprivation of adequate health care.”

Bahrain Forum for Human Rights

May 23, 2023