Abdulwahab Hussain

Biography

Hussain was born to a poor family in the village of Nuwaidrat south of Manama. He studied in Ma'ameer primary school Hussain continued his study at Sitra intermediate school (then Isa Town secondary school).

Role during the 1990s uprising Between December 1994 and February 2001, Bahrain saw large number of protests and political unrest when leftists, liberals and Islamists joined forces to demand democratic reforms.

Hussain was one of the most prominent opposition leaders in the uprising. "Although the late Shaikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri was the religious leader of the Shia oppositionists at the time, Hussain's admirers claim he was the thinker behind the unrest", a leaked diplomatic cable said. He was arrested twice

First arrest Hussain was detained for about six months between 17 March 1995 and 10 September. He and other members of the "Initiative" were released after reaching a deal with the government in which the Initiative members would calm people in exchange for the government's releasing all of those not convicted in courts. The government reportedly also agreed that at a later stage after establishment of security, the government would start a political dialogue with opposition. However, the government denied such an agreement existed, which led to worsening the situation again. According to the Bahrain Human Rights Organisation, Hussain was pressured early in 2000 by three State Security and Intelligence Service personnel—Adel Flaifel and two "British officers"—to sign a pre-prepared paper apologizing to the Emir for his actions and promising "not to carry out acts calling for political reform, or incite others to do so, and not to partake in any public speaking, including religious sermons" in exchange for getting pardoned by the Emir. Hussain refused to sign.

Release Despite getting a release verdict from the Court of Cessation on 17 November 2000, Hussain was kept in detention until 5 February 2001, when the new Emir brought several political reforms to the country. Opposition activists made intensive contacts and discussions to decide upon accepting or refusing the National Action Charter of Bahrain proposed by the Emir.

On 8 February, only three days after his release, Hussain and three other prominent political leaders—Abdul Amir al-Jamri, Abdulla Al-Guraifi and Ali Rabea—met with the Emir. As a result, the opposition accepted the Emir's initiative.

Hussain led the Islamic Enlightenment institution in 2002, and announcing that he would refrain from issuing public statements and leading Friday sermons in August. As a result, a number of his admirers gathered in a two-day sit in front of his house to dissuade him from his decision. Isa Qassim, Bahrain's top Shia cleric, visited him twice for the same purpose. However, Hussain kept his position, thanking all of those who stood by him. He said his decision was not due to a personal interest and that the "issue is larger than using courtesy with it". In 2005, Hussain officially resigned from Al Wefaq after the society decided to register under the "political societies law" and participate in the elections.

Return to politics

On 6 February 2009, Hussain and Abduljalil al-Miqdad, a senior Shia cleric, announced the establishment of a new opposition group: Al Wafa' Islamic Movement. They immediately began a ten-day hunger strike demanding the release of Haq Movement leaders Hassan Mushaima and Mohammed Habib al-Miqdad. According to a leaked cable, the hunger strike attracted support from a wide range of opposition and human rights spectrum including Abduljalil al-Singace of Haq Movement, a "few members" of Al Wefaq and Abdulhadi al-Khawaja of Front Line Defenders. According to the cable, the hunger strike "achieved little", but "announce the return of Abdulwahab Hussein to the opposition scene".

Starting from 6 March, Hussain, who became the official spokesman of the newly formed movement, visited a number of Shia villages holding open seminars to explain its goals and means of action. The seminars were described by many observers to be similar to those held during the 1990s by opposition leaders. Aiming to get legitimacy and support, Hussain and al-Miqdad met with Isa Qassim; however, a leaked cable reported that the latter "was not impressed".

Hussain played a leading role in first days of the Bahraini uprising. On 8 March, Al Wafa, Haq Movement and Bahrain Freedom Movement formed a "Coalition for a [Bahraini] Republic", calling for the downfall of the current regime by escalation of peaceful protests and the establishment of a democratic republic. While they accepted a western-style constitutional monarchy in principle, saying it was "not very different from a republic", they doubted the regime would voluntarily implement such a radical change and argued that toppling it was unavoidable.

Arrest

Hussain was arrested in the early hours of 17 March 2011 along with other protest leaders. He later described the arrest by saying: "While arresting me, I got beaten, kicked and had my head hit by the wall and started bleeding. My daughter Aqeela (20 years old) was also beaten by the rifle butt." Hussain also reported that security forces stole money and electronic devices from his house during the arrest and continued to beat him while being transported to prison. He was kept in solitary confinement for weeks.

Political opinion from inside prison

In November, Hussain said he and other activists read and studied Manama Paper, a document issued by five opposition parties listing a number of demands. However, he said, "we do not have a trend so far to issue an opinion on the document". He also emphasized on "sticking to the peaceful approach and not to be drawn to violence" and "avoiding collision with other views", his son reported.

Trial

The first hearing for Hussain and twenty other activists (seven of whom were absent) was on 8 May. They were brought before a special military court called the National Safety Court, where they were able to see their families for the first time since their arrest. when the activists denied all charges against them and some international human rights organisations said they were not allowed to enter court. It was again postponed to 16 May. The other thirteen activists were given sentences between two and fifteen years. As a result, they were taken out the courtroom by force. According to witnesses, security officers in the courtroom exchanged congratulations publicly. Hussain denied news spread by one of Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry employees that they were getting good health care and said he and the other activists have disassembled their hunger strike on 4 October due to "complete medical negligence by prison administration", his son reported.

On 28 September, the National Safety Court of Appeal endorsed all the convictions and sentences in a session that only lasted for few minutes. The next hearing on 23 April was postponed to 30 April, when one activist, Al-Hur Yousef al-Somaikh was released, after his sentence was reduced from two years to six months. The remaining thirteen were supposed to stand a retrial before the High Criminal Court of Appeal on 8 May. However, the hearing was postponed to 22 May due to the health conditions of al-Mahroos and al-Khawaja who was on hunger strike; both of them had been hospitalized. On 22 May, Hussain said he was tortured in 2011 to obtain confessions and beaten when he refused to record an apology to the king. The hearing was postponed to 29 May. Rupert Colville, spokesman of OHCHR said the sentences were "harsh" and expressed his "severe concern" due to "serious due process irregularities". Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director of Human Rights Watch said the charges were politically motivated and the trials unfair.

Hundreds of protesters tried to reach the site of Pearl Roundabout, but were teargassed by security forces. In Shia villages, protesters took to the streets only to be taken back by riot police. Bahrain government said the activists were behind "bringing the country to the brink of total anarchy" and that "oday's sentencing sends a message that law and order will be preserved".

Publications

Hussain has written a number of books in Arabic including:

State and government. Sūrat al-Ḍuḥā. Reading statements of Imam Hussain revolution. Memory of the people. Quranic vision of human. Seeking refuge.

Criticism

In a leaked cable dated to 19 October 2009, the US Embassy in Bahrain described Al Wafa' as a part of the "radical opposition" that uses ideology and religious credibility to gain supporters. The same cable quoted Mansoor Al-Jamri, editor-in-chief of the independent daily newspaper Al-Wasat, saying he was "concerned" about Hussain, because he was "a religious ideologue who has throughout his life gravitated to the extreme end of the Shia spectrum".