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Created: 12 August 2011 | Last Updated: 16 January 2012 | Printer Friendly Version Printer Friendly Version | Make Text Smaller Make Text Larger |
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You are in: Home > About EIS > Campaigns > ACTION APPEAL: Release detained teacher union leaders in Bahrain

Urgent Action Appeal

The EIS is supporting the Education International (EI) together with Amnesty International, in their urgent call to appeal for the release of Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, Vice-President and President of the Bahraini Teachers Association (BTA) arrested along with several other board members of the BTA.

URGENT ACTION APPEAL: Please click here to send an online message to Bahraini authorities now!

The charges against the two union leaders include "inciting hatred towards the regime”, "calling to overthrow and change the regime by force”, "calling on parents not to send their children to school” and "calling on teachers to stop working and participate in strikes and demonstrations”.

We believe that they are detained solely for exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly as leaders of the BTA.

In addition, we condemn the punitive and vindictive campaign of violent repression carried out by your government since March 2011 against its own citizens engaged in the pro-democracy movement.

The repression has been characterised by widespread arbitrary arrest, allegations of torture and ill treatment, unfair trials and mass dismissals of workers, especially teachers, and expulsions of students.
EIS have sent an appeal to the Bahraini authorities to:
  • Release immediately and unconditionally Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi ‘Issa Mahdi Abu Deeb; protect them from torture or other ill-treatment;
  • immediately set up a full, impartial and independent investigation into the reported ill-treatment of Jalila al-Salman and bring those responsible to justice;
  • Reinstate the teachers dismissed and the students expelled, together with their salaries and scholarships;
  • Respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of teachers, students and union activists in accordance with international standards;
  • Engage in respectful dialogue to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy and a fair resolution of the current impasse and legitimate claims of the Bahraini people.