• Tom Malinowski sur Twitter : “I just visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, and saw this 1939 letter from Senator Robert Taft on why he was voting against admitting Jewish refugees to the US. Please read it and think about how little has changed.” / Twitter
    https://twitter.com/Malinowski/status/1158769565410693122

    #etats-unis #réfugiés #colonisation

  • Salman and Almarzooq summoned for interrogation

    Sheikh Ali Salman, Al Wefaq Secretary General, and his Political Assistant Khalil Almarzooq, have today received an official summons by the Bahraini Ministry of Interior, following a meeting with an US Official. The interrogation will take place tomorrow morning (9th July) at 9am (Bahrain time).

    Tom Malinowski, US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, was yesterday ordered to leave <mailto:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-28204511> Bahrain by the authorities, after meeting with members of Al Wefaq. Despite international condemnation, Bahrain is now escalating this issue further by targeting leading members of Al Wefaq, who took part in the meeting.

    In September 2013 a law was passed that prohibited meetings between opposition societies and international diplomats, without the presence of a representative of the Ministry of Interior. Although no reason for the summons was given, it comes less than 24 hours after the demand for Mr. Malinowski to leave Bahrain.

    Commenting on the orders for Mr. Malinowski to leave Bahrain, the State Department said it is “deeply concerned”, <mailto:http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/07/228839.htm> whilst Mr. Malinowski himself said the decision was about “undermining dialogue”. <mailto:https://twitter.com/Malinowski/status/486495418583629825> The Bahrain Justice and Development Movement share this analysis, with the summons received by Salman and Almarzooq serving as proof.

    The dropping of charges against Almarzooq last month was a potentially positive step towards rebuilding a political process, but this latest attack is yet another example of the “one step forward, two steps back approach” adopted by Bahrain. Once again hardliners within the Authorities are taking control to scupper any plans towards reform.

    Given the chance to take full control, Bahrain’s hardliners will turn Bahrain into a closed society, barring international observers and unleashing heavy repression and human rights abuses.

    The Bahrain Justice and Development Movement condemn the summons received by Salman and Almarzooq, as well as the decision to demand that a stop State Department official leave Bahrain. We call on the Bahrain authorities to rescind the summons, or at least to make sure no false charges are attributed to Salman and Almarzooq. Furthermore, we call on the authorities to end the stalling and to immediately begin a new political process that takes the country towards serious democratic reform.

    Ali Alaswad, a resigned Bahraini MP from Al Wefaq, said:

    /“After the State Department rejected the removal of Mr. Malinowski, the authorities in Bahrain are turning their attention to Al Wefaq instead. In any country, anywhere in the world, international observers and diplomats have a right to meet with political leaders. This shows just the lengths Bahrain will go to in order to protect its image, and that clearly they have something to hide.”/