Bahrain must ‘halt harassment’ of Tamimi: Amnesty

Amnesty International has called on Bahraini officials to put an end to their continued harassment of former legislator Osama Jaber Muhana al-Tamimi, and to allow him to travel abroad for medical treatment after he suffered a stroke following his arrest last month.

The London-based rights group said  on Twitter Tuesday that al-Tamimi had a stroke on August 6, and was taken to Salmaniya Medical Complex.

He was released by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) five days later. In the early hours of August 16, he attempted to leave Bahrain to Oman with his family.

The authorities at Bahrain International Airport prevented them from travelling, citing a travel ban imposed by the public prosecution. The same day, while he was receiving private medical treatment, police surrounded his home and served him with summons to appear at the al-Hoora police station.

On August 18, al-Tamimi attended the summons accompanied by his lawyer. As his health deteriorated, he was not interrogated, and he was immediately transferred by ambulance to hospital again.

Since then, he has suffered kidney failure, for which he is now undergoing dialysis.

His home is permanently under surveillance by agents of the so-called State Security, who have been harassing members of his family. Police detained him again on August 29 after checking out of a medical clinic, citing that he would be interrogated by a forgery expert.

Amnesty International called on the Manama regime to order a halt to the harassment of al-Tamimi and his family, and to guarantee that pending his trial.

It also urges Bahraini authorities to lift the travel ban imposed on him if he requires specialist medical treatment abroad.