Mohamed Albuflasa

Mohamed Albuflasa
Personal picture for Mohamed Albuflasa
Born	Mohamed Yousif Rashid Albuflasa January 1, 1975 (1975-01-01) (age 36) Bahrain
Residence	Hamad Town, Kingdom of Bahrain
Education	Bachelor's degree in Business from University of Delmon, Bahrain[1]
Occupation	poet, writer, retired BDF officer and works in Crown prince court
Years active	2010-present
Religion	Sunni Islam, follower of the fundamentalist Salafist school in Islam.[2]
Children	2 daughters and a son

Mohamed Yousif Rashid Albuflasa (Arabic: محمد يوسف راشد البوفلاسة) is a Bahraini poet, writer, former independent candidate for the 2010 Parliamentary elections and a member of youth parliament. He is also a retired BDF officer and works in Crown prince court. Albuflasa is one of the first Sunnis and protesters who have delivered speeches in Pearl Roundabout.^[3] Due to his speech, he was arrested on 15 February^[4] making him the first political prisoner in the 2011 Bahraini uprising.^[5][6][7] Albuflasa was released on 24 July.

2010 Parliamentary Elections

Mohamed Albuflasa briefly ran as an independent candidate in parliamentary elections held in October 2010, but then withdrew^[3][6] in favor of Al-Menbar Islamic Society current MP Mohamed Al-Emadi, because Albuflasa thought that Al-Emadi would be a better MP.^[1]

During his campaign, Albuflasa delivered a speech in Galali in which he expressed his ambitions for change. He said:

“

The change wave is coming. I only want to join the parliament because I have an opinion and an ambition. We as Bahrainis see the goal of parliament as monitoring and legislation, but it has been used for political conflicts between different political parties.[1]

”

Involvement in 2011 Bahraini uprising

Mohamed Albuflasa giving a speech during the 2010 Bahraini parliamentary elections campaign

Speech

External videos
	Mohamed Albuflasa speech in Pearl Roundabout on 15 February on YouTube

On 15 February, the second day of protests Albuflasa gave a speech which was described to be balanced.^[5] He explained his opinion about the public demands and the need for real political reforms.^[4][5] Albuflasa expressed support for public demonstrations that had begun the day before. He introduced himself as a Sunni and called for national unity between Sunnis and Shias, but did not identify himself as a military officer. His comments touched on numerous controversial issues, including discrimination against the majority Shia population and the "political naturalization" of Sunnis from other countries, which the Shia opposition claims is permitted to change Bahrain's demographic balance.^[3]

"Mohamed's speech was meant to reduce the fire going on where people create differences between Shiites and Sunnis. He was there to show there is no difference between them. We are all Bahraini," his brother, Rashid, said. "He is not against the royal family and government."^[4]

Arrest

On 15 February, shorty after leaving Pearl Roundabout, Albuflasa disappeared.^[3][5] It was announced later that a security agency had detained him.^[2][4]

On March 4 the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) announced that Albuflasa, would stand trial for "breaching the Bahrain Defense Force law."^[3][8] There were no other confirmation of the military status of Albuflasa who retired from the military 3 years ago (as of 2011) and who did not present himself at the Pearl Roundabout in a military capacity especially since he ran for the parliamentary elections which is forbidden on military personnel.^[6]

Ill-treatment

During a very short conversation with his family, Al-Buflasa complained of ill-treatment and humiliation. He also complained about the prison conditions, lack of ventilation and detainees there cannot even see the day light. Albuflasa suffered from depression and had requested to be seen by doctors; however, the prison administration refused.^[9]

On 1 June, Albuflasa begun a hunger strike in objection to his unfair detention and the ill-treatment he receives.^[9]

The detainee's family on his blog stated: "He met his brother and he was held in a small cell (1 meter x 1 meter) in solitary. He was tortured and he was on hunger strike and signs of exhaustion was very apparent on him".^[6]

Trial

Rashid Albuflasa, his brother said that on February 24, authorities transferred Mohamed to the military court where the two brothers met for the first time since Mohamed's arrest. During the first and only trial session which held on February 27 and was not open to the public.^[3] In around mid-March, with no access to a lawyer or witnesses the military court sentenced him to a two-month prison term.^[2][10]

On 15 April, a military prosecutor ordered that his detention be extended for 45 days until 1 June after Albuflasa served his sentence for two months as imposed by the military court in March.^[6] However, Mohamed Albuflasa has been kept in detention.^[10]

Albuflasa's family believes he is being punished because the government wants to reprimand Sunnis who had supported the pro-democracy demonstrations in Manama that were led by the island's Shiite majority. “When Mohamed came to the roundabout, it was like a surprise and a big attack for the government. They thought, ‘How could one of our guys go to the roundabout?’ Now they are making him pay the consequences,” his brother Rashed said.^[2]

Local and international responses

• Parliament of Bahrain: On 22 February, the lower room in Bahrain parliament agreed on an urgent request demanding the government to release Albuflasa. Four MP's asked for Albuflasa to be included in the royal pardon announced by the royal court to release all the political and opinion prisoners.^[5][11] This request was not answered.^[6]

• Local political parties: On 23 February, the six local political parties Al Wefaq, Islamic Action Society, National Democratic Action Society, Nationalist Democratic Rally Society, Progressive Democratic Tribune and Al-Ekha National Society called for Albuflasa immediate release and welcomed his "National stand".^[5]

On 28 February, Al Wefaq former MP, Hussain Jassim called for the immediate release for Albuflasa and said that "arresting any citizen for his political opinion is not accepted, whether they are civilians or military" and that "keeping him in jail distorts Bahrain reputation especially during current crisis".^[5]

• Bahrain Center for Human Rights expressed its "concern over the safety of the prisoner of conscience Mohamed Al Buflasa" and demanded his immediate release. They considered him as a political prisoner and called for: Allowing his family to visit him and make sure he is well especially after news of his attempted suicide, his immediate release and an investigation into allegations of torture made against him and bringing those responsible to justice as well as compensating for the mental and physical harm caused to him.^[6]

• Human Rights Watch said that "The Bahrain Defense Force should immediately make public the reason military commanders have detained Mohamed Albuflasa"^[3] "Bahrain's long silence about Mohammed al-Buflasa's whereabouts and continuing failure to explain why he's being detained suggests that authorities have locked him up solely because they did not like what he said at the Pearl Roundabout," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.^[3]

• Amnesty International said that it is concerned that Mohamed Albuflasa is being kept in detention merely for having voiced his political concerns in public and, if this is the case, would consider him to be a prisoner of conscience.^[10] “The Bahraini authorities must release Mohamed Albuflasa or immediately disclose on what basis they are holding him and charge him with a recognizable offence,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa. “He has already been jailed merely for voicing his political concerns in public, which is not a crime, and the authorities’ refusal to release him now smacks of retaliation aimed at silencing his criticism.”^[12]

Hundreds of people welcoming Mohamed Albuflasa after being released nearby his house in Hamad town on 24 July 2011

Release

External videos
	Mohamed Albuflasa giving a short speech for hundreds of people who gathered nearby his house in Hamad Town after his release on 24 July on YouTube

on July 24, Mohamed Albuflasa was released.^[7] Hundreds of people both Sunna and Shia welcomed him nearby his house in Hamad Town. They were saying "Brothers Sunna and Shia". A witness said that Albuflasa was crying and waving for people from the roof of his house. He gave a short speech in which he alerted that sectarianism might threat the political reforms and that the country shouldn't be divided to Sunna and Shia who have the same demands. Later, riot police used tear gas to disperse the gathering.^[13][14]

Role in reducing sectarian conflicts

Mohamed Albuflasa played an important role in reducing sectarian conflicts in Bahrain due to being a Salafist Sunni who supported political reforms and protests mainly lead by the Shia majority. He called for equality and unity between Shia and Sunna. Nabeel Rajab, the president of Bahrian Center for Human Rights said that Albuflasa is a symbol for unity and tolerance.^[15]

See also

• 2011 Bahraini uprising
• Politics of Bahrain

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Staff writer (24 July 2011). "Release of the first prisoner in Bahrain events, Mohamed Albuflasa". Manama Voice. http://manamavoice.com/index.php?plugin=news&act=news_read&id=7147. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Staff writer (4 June 2011). "BAHRAIN: Sunni detainee still held under mysterious circumstances". Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2011/06/bahrain-sunni-detainee-still-held-under-mysterious-circumstances-.html. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Staff writer (10 March 2011). "Bahrain: Explain Protester's Detention". Human Rights Watch. http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/03/10/bahrain-explain-protesters-detention. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Ned Parker (25 February 2011). "In Bahrain, Sunni activist's plight seen as a cautionary tale". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/25/world/la-fg-bahrain-sunnis-20110225. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Hassan Al-Madhoob (28 February 2011). "Hussain: Albuflasa is an opinion prisoner and keeping him jailed distorts Bahrain reputation". Al-Wasat newspaper. http://www.alwasatnews.com/3097/news/read/529683/1.html. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Staff writer (20 July 2011). "BCHR expresses its concern over the safety of the prisoner of conscience Mohamed Al Buflasa and demands his immediate release". Bahrain Center for Human Rights. http://bahrainrights.org/en/node/4428. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Staff writer (25 July 2011). "Authorities release activist Mohamed Albuflasa". Al-Wasat newspaper. http://www.alwasatnews.com/3243/news/read/574158/1.html. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
8. ^ "BDF: Mohamed Albuflasa committed one of the forbidden in BDF law", Bahrain News Agency, 4 March 2011, accessed 26 July 2011
9. ^ ^{a b} Staff writer (6 June 2011). "Action Alert: Bahrain – Mohamed Al-Buflasa began a hunger strike in protest at his continued detention without charge". Islamic Human Rights Commission. http://www.ihrc.org.uk/activities/alerts/9693-action-alert-bahrain-mohamed-al-buflasa-began-a-hunger-strike-in-protest-at-his-continued-detention-without-charge. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
10. ^ ^{a b c} Staff writer (15 June 2011). "Bahrain. Bahraini officer Mohamed Albuflasa detained beyond sentence.". Amnesty International. http://www.isavelives.be/en/node/7363. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
11. ^ "Urgent parliamentary suggestion to release Mohamed Albuflasa", Al-Wasat newspaper, 23 February 2011, accessed 26 July 2011
12. ^ "BAHRAIN URGED TO RELEASE FORMER MILITARY OFFICER", Amnesty International, 13 May 2011, accessed 26 July 2011
13. ^ "Bahrain release a sunni former officer who joined the protests", Reuters, 25 July 2011, accessed 26 July 2011
14. ^ "Bahrain release an officer who joined the protesters", Al Jazeera, 25 July 2011, accessed 26 July 2011
15. ^ "(..) Albuflasa is a symbol for unity and tolerance", Nabeel Rajab, 24 July 2011, accessed 26 July 2011

Persondata
Name	Albuflasa, Mohamed
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1 January 1975
Place of birth	Bahrain
Date of death
Place of death