Detained poet 'beaten across the face with electric cable'

[cory777]

Source: The Independent

Bahraini security forces beat the detained poet Ayat al-Gormezi across the face with electric cable and forced her to clean with her bare hands lavatories just used by police, members of her family said yesterday in a graphic account of the torture and humiliation suffered by those rounded up in the Gulf nation's crackdown on dissent.

The 20-year-old trainee teacher, who spent nine days in a tiny cell with the air conditioning turned to freezing, is due back in court this weekend on charges of inciting hatred, insulting the king and illegal assembly, and her family fear she may suffer further mistreatment in custody amid threats of another round of interrogation.

Masked police arrested Ayat at her home on 30 March for reciting a poem criticising the monarchy during a pro-democracy rally in the capital Manama in February. Her family were able to talk to her by phone from prison, but they only learned about her mistreatment, amounting to torture, when she spoke to them at her arraignment earlier this month.



Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/detained-poet-beaten-across-the-face-with-electric-cable-2296137.html

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[RandomThoughts]

1. "insulting the king"

That is only a crime if they have some kind of claim to that, and most of the time in society, they don't.

And that can be shown.

And there will be a day when the field will be level, and they won't know anything, nor have many friends.



I don't insult monarch systems, I show they are false claims.


And the use of 'king' in many older texts is becuase of social bias of the time. Do you really think any functioning long lasting system would survive on a non sustainable model like monarchy or plutocracy?

[Diclotican]

2. RandomThoughts

RandomThoughts

It depend of whitch type of kindom you are talking about.. It all depend of how the governance in the single country are.. And Bharin are more like a despoti, leaded by a familiy who are ruling it all with an iron fist... In most MODERN Kindom's the kings and queen have not the same power as the one in Bharin...

In few, of the more modern nations, it exist laws who could be used against the pepole, when it came to insulting the king.. Even if the laws exist, they are not used, as the whole consept of been arrested, and put into prison for joking about your king, is little 1700s... Of course, common curtisy is given our royals - but for the most part the kings and queens in the modern world, is treated according to what they act as...

But then, in the few country's in Europe who still HAVE royal houses, are not in the same position as Bharin, ruled by a tyrann and a despot.. Few of the modern kings and queens would be able to rule like that.. They have a parlament, who are desiding most of what th royals do.. For the most part they are the highest servants of the country.. They might live wel, in a palace, but in reality they are maybe less free to do their own things, than even the junky in the streets are.. Everything they, or not are doing is been scrutinized and if they do a woopper, everyone know it, even if the wooper is totaly innocent... Im glad Im not a royal, even tho it would give me less headace as the bills are coming in every months...

Oh, wel, you can't have it all I guess...

But You are right about one thing.. If this Kindom dosen't reform it can, and wil more than posible blow up in their face.. No government ruled by despoti and tyrannery wil survive for long.. Even the antiq greeks learned that many times over, when many of the old tyrants got overtrown.. Even the cradle of our idea of government, Athen had their despots and tyrants - who managed to get their necks broken, and overtrown by others when they rule was making life to horrible... And even when Bharin is ruling by the iron first, everyone know, that they rule becouse of the iron fist - not becouse the royals is respected and loved by their peopole...

I guess they could have making it far better, if the country have reformed, and started the long way to democracy, and a limited role for the Kings and queens.. The few country's who managed this, have and wil have kings and queens long into the next century with ease.. And mostly becouse most of us, respect and maybe even love our royals...

Diclotican

[RandomThoughts]

7. My comment is for those that think they are kings by divine right.

Or think that kingdoms and monarchies are the way people 'are ruled' in divine teachings.

Specifically I ask,

if the divine was a kingdom, why did 1/3 revolt, and 2/3 defend. If they were a monarch the numbers would match what you see in unjust areas.

if it is about monarchy, why were the people of the temple worried that they were all following the person they unjustly persecuted.

If it is about monarchy, why was Saul worried that many were following David, and not Saul

If it is about monarchy, why is the instruction for the older to serve the younger, not the other way around.

If it is about monarchy, why does the older wash the feet of the younger.



Rule and concepts of democracy are better system, that are more sustainable, only desire for lack of justice, and rule for a few, can defend divine right being about rule by monarchs.


In that the 'face' doctrine has some reality, but when it is done by deception and smear, it has to be countered becuase of the use of those magicks.


And I am due beer and travel money, and many experiences.

[Diclotican]

8. RandomThoughts

RandomThoughts

Few modern country, have today kings, or Emperors who rule by divine right, or by divine teachings.. Its something that in most modern country got out with the tubwater when the French Revolution happend and ruined all shance of kings ruled by divine right or teatchings.. Specailly in Europe where im living.;)...

IN Japan, after world war two, every chance of an emperor ruling by divine right ended when the emperor was, for the first time speaking public about affairs of state.. Even tho it happend after a world war and two nuclear bombs.. And even tho Japan is still ruled by their emperors, the fact is that the emperor have little power to rule.. He is a respected elder, and a leader to look up to, but no ruler by name..

In most other country, the kings and queens have the posibility to make their marks of their reig, but they are also bounded by customs, by laws, and in any cases by the Parlament who have the last word in matter of state anyway.. Some country's do let a Royal have their share of responsibilitys, and duties, as custom in the country.. But for the most part, they are just a king, or Queen, far less powerfull than any of the ancestors they might have had - and depended by laws and customs as said before...

In the Middle east, and in North Africa (and also south of Shahara) the kings have divine rights, and rule often by divine teatchings to boot.. For the most part, the kings are shifteins, rulers who managed to get on the top of the power-pyramide under the great discovery of Afrika by Europeans.. Or by wars before, and after the independece of the different colonies was a fact by 1965.. Mostly of them, are just rulers of small parts of a modern country, often let be in power, where tribal tradtions was sutiable to the modern country - and as long as the taxes get in, and its safe and sound, few of them are making any fuzz about this kings..

In the middle east, the fact is that the kings are repressive, tyranical and also despotic to boot.. And they are also in the front of a lot of tribal traditions, becouse most of the Middle east are NOT by any standards like a modern nation, but rather a congolormate of tribal communites, who even often are on different side of the religious rift who have allways been a pain in the ass to understand the Middle east.. Even as in Bharin, where the rulers are on one side of the religious rift, most of the peopole are on the other side. And its verry important to understand the difference between Shia and Sunny, to understand why things are as they are in the Middle east, and have been that for a long time.. To be honest, the middle east is a horrible mess of different borders, and religious tradtions, going back millimeniums.. Far longer than just to 600.. It goes back as long as the written history goes.. When the rulers was indeed goods on earth...

The theory behing a king, is many, some says it is becouse of divine right - others said they managed to fight down the rest of the gang, who once was making their way to power, and many, like the Kings and Queens of England, Schotland, Wales, and Northen Irland, more by accident, and by marrige going back to AD 800... In Uk it worked wel out, even tho they had their experience with a republic - who lastet 16 year, and then it was over.. And Charles 2 of England got back, was crowned as a King, and merry times was here again.. In the few places where kings was smart enough to work WITH the peopole, and with the Parlaments (as in UK) a the royal houses is on solid ground.. In places where they was not that smart ,it ended in bloodshed and lost heads... And a few revolutions who messed it up really big...

Bharin is despoty, no doubt about it.. So are the rest of the UAE and Sudi-Arabia.. They have newer known democracy, just the strong man.. And the history goes back 6000 year.. Or more it depend of how long you are willing to dig I presume...

Diclotican

[Javaman]

3. isn't it nice that the US is supporting theses thugs?

saudi arabia bombs the protesters in Bahrain with US made f-16's so they won't have protests of their own. The US supports the bombing of the protesters so the US can keep getting oil from the saudi's.

Like I said in the past, some protests are more equal than others.

U.S. says Saudi forces in Bahrain "not an invasion"
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/us-bahrain-usa-invasion-idUSTRE72D6RB20110314

Bahrain crown prince visits US
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/06/201167212647437406.html

The U.S. and Bahrain: How to Talk Just Tough Enough with an Ally
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20110610/wl_time/08599207655900

Many Bahraini Protesters Angry With United States
http://www.npr.org/2011/03/21/134738662/many-bahrain-protesters-angry-with-united-states

[pmorlan1]

4. Thanks for the links

We keep making the same mistakes over and over and over again and then wonder why people in other countries hate us. They hate us for what we do not for our freedoms. They hate us because we assist brutal regimes who trample on their freedom. They hate us because we are hypocrites. We talk about democracy but if it interferes with us we support the anti-democracy forces. We talk out of both sides of our mouths and I don't blame these people for hating us.

[yurbud]

5. Did she write free verse or something?

[defendandprotect]

6. Torture is about controlling one's own population -- something Americans should keep in mind!

This is horrendous and hope that her family and odthers will be able to

help her -- !!

And that maybe Obama will speak out?