8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

1/16

Sport Fame Tax,

Is ArrestJuly 2011

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

2/16

A B O U T

Being a famous face in Bahrain is now a sign of danger, if this face was participated

in any democratic movement the past February and March. Since the Saudi Bahraini

crackdown on the peaceful Bahraini pro-democracy movement, Bahraini authorities

have been engaged in hunting down as many democratic criminals as possible from

every single organization and institution... the easiest was to start with the famed

faces, as the athletes got a good piece of the cake... of course the sectarian nature was

not absent from this sight of the story...

This simple report is about the sport heroes who turned to become political heroes

lately, they have been suspended, arrested and tortured for the reason of participating

in peaceful protests and calling for democratic demands. Reports and articles have

been collected were the reader can get a simple comprehensive view about the athletes

situation in occupied Bahrain...

S P EC IA L T H A N K S

2

https://twitter.com/FatiHakeemhttps://twitter.com/SamchSafi

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

3/16

T A B L E OF C ON T E N T

4Top sportsmen sacked for taking part inrallies

Players role in rallies to be probed

In Bahrain, first, they came for the athletes

Aala Hubail, Bahrain Soccer Star, RemainsDetained After Arrest

Leading Bahrain players Aala andM ohamed Hubail arrested for taking part inanti-regime protests

Useful Links

5610

14

16 3

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

4/16

4

Top sportsmen sacked for taking part in rallies

Thursday, April 07, 2011

MORE than a dozen sportsmen and ofcials were sacked yesterday by their respective

clubs for their participation in the recent demonstrations around the Kingdom. In a

statement issued by Al Ahli Club, national soccer team striker Alaa Hubail and his

brother Mohammed are expelled from the clubs soccer squad.

The decision was taken after a Bahrain TV programme showed the brothers among

anti-government demonstrators.

The Hubail brothers were key members of the Bahrain national team in the recent past,

guiding the Kingdom to victories in several regional and international competitions.

Their most inspiring moments were in the 2004 Asian Cup in Beijing where they led the

squad into the semi-nals where they lost to champions Japan 34- in extra-time.

Alaa was the most inspiring gure for both Al Ahli Club and the national team. Known

in Bahrain as the Golden Boy, Alaa became the rst Bahraini to win the Golden Boot

award after scoring ve goals during the Beijing Asian Cup.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=303347http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=303347

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

5/16

5

Players role in rallies to be probed

Friday, April 08, 2011

BAHRAIN Basketball Associations president Adel Al Assomi has formed a probecommittee to look into its players participation in anti-government protests.

The probe committee is being headed by BBAs vice-president Jassim Al Sindi and

includes members Abdulla Abdulghaffar, Hameed Abbas and Talal Jassim.

Meanwhile, Sitra Clubs board have decided that its basketball team will play the

remaining matches in the Zain Bahrain Basketball League.

The club had earlier announced that it would pull out of the league due to the security

situation in Bahrain.

The board have urged its players to return for training starting today under their

new coach Vladimir. Sitra will play the remaining games in the season without any

professional players.

A lArgegroupofAthletesinthemArchofsolidAritywiththepeopleofbAhrAin

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=303415http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=303415

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

6/16

6

In Bahrain, first, they came for the athletes

Friday 22 April 2011 12.04 BST

On April 4, Bahrain state television ran a chatshow segment in which prosecutor-

journalists grilled Alaa Hubail, a member of the national football team and winner

of the 2004 Golden Boot. This public interrogation and shaming was a result of his

repeated appearances at demonstrations during the Bahraini uprising which began on

February 14.

The next day Hubail a trained paramedic who reportedly worked as a medic at

demonstrations and his brother Mohamed (also a member of the national football

team) were detained by the authorities and have remained in custody since.

Alongside these, other sporting gures have been arrested and more than 100 sports

ofcials, referees, football, handball and volleyball players from national and local clubs

have been suspended from their teams and banned from playing internationally.

A similar programme was aired on Bahrain TV on April 2, targeting the countrys only

independent newspaper, al-Wasat. The anchor presented a case le purportedly

showing that the paper had published fabricated news.

The same night, the state news agency, BNA, released a full report on its website,

announcing that al-Wasats proprietor, Mansoor al-Jamri, faced legal action for

unprofessional and unethical practices.

Al-Jamri, who claims that the stories were planted, resigned to save the paper from

being closed down. The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the Bahraini

authorities for their strong-arm tactics, which have effectively silenced the voice of

the opposition in licensed local media.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/22/bahrain-counter-revolution-televised-athleteshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgR7YnukQUo&feature=relatedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%27ala_Hubailhttp://www.foxsports.com.au/football/leading-bahrain-players-aala-and-mohamed-hubail-arrested-for-taking-part-in-anti-regime-protests/story-e6frf423-1226035763968http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/wires/04/18/2080.ap.bahrain.athletes.suspended.0159/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB6S-i-YRk0http://www.cpj.org/2011/04/bahrain-manipulates-critical-daily-attacks-in-liby.phphttp://www.cpj.org/2011/04/bahrain-manipulates-critical-daily-attacks-in-liby.phphttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB6S-i-YRk0http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/wires/04/18/2080.ap.bahrain.athletes.suspended.0159/http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/leading-bahrain-players-aala-and-mohamed-hubail-arrested-for-taking-part-in-anti-regime-protests/story-e6frf423-1226035763968http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%27ala_Hubailhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgR7YnukQUo&feature=relatedhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/22/bahrain-counter-revolution-televised-athletes

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

7/16

7

Come April 16, Bahrain television continued

its saga of public defamation, this time

focusing on Nabeel Rajab, president of the

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, who is

also chairperson of a health rights NGO,

CaramAsia, and deputy secretary general

of the International Federation for Human

Rights (FIDH).

Amid the din of dramatic violins, the shows

presenter promised to continue bearing

witness against whomsoever conspires

against the country. A lm loop showed

what appeared to be a policeman being run

over by a four-wheel drive vehicle, footage

of a smashed car, and young boys throwing

stones.

The talkshows guests, Nabeel Ansari from

the health ministry and Abdullah al-Dossary

from the social affairs ministry, claimed that

Nabeel Rajab (in his human rights capacity)

had failed to make any statements regarding

attacks on Asian migrant workers during

recent civil unrest, and had not replied to

correspondence on the issue sent to him by

Ansari.

Ansari, who is now infamous for his claim

last month that Bahraini protesters stoledrugs from the largest public hospital to

simulate the symptoms of nerve gas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gglGKwQzClQhttp://bahrainrights.hopto.org/http://www.caramasia.org/http://www.fidh.org/-english-http://www.fidh.org/-english-http://m.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=303201http://m.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=303201http://www.fidh.org/-english-http://www.fidh.org/-english-http://www.caramasia.org/http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gglGKwQzClQ

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

8/16

8

exposure for international media, accused Rajab of being a saboteur wearing the

cloak of a human rights activist to mask more sinister activities.

Rajab has already come under re more than once since the emergence of the Bahraini

uprising. He was detained by masked and armed national security personnel, beaten,

threatened with sexual assault and released on March 20.

On April 10 he was summoned to the military prosecutor for allegedly publishing a

fabricated image ofAli Isa Saqer who died in police custody on April 9, his body

showing signs of severe beating. In a story splashed across every major local newspaper,

Rajab was accused of tweeting a photo that differed (albeit only slightly) from the

ofcial photo of the deceased released by the interior ministry. Most recently, on April

18, unknown assailants red tear gas into his home.

Clearly, the Bahrain government is working hard to silence Nabeel Rajab. His former

colleague at the Front Line NGO, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, was reportedly beaten

unconscious on April 9, and is currently being held incommunicado by the Bahraini

authorities.

This escalation is especially disturbing because Rajabs voice is one of the few that have

been consistent, fair, and unequivocal in calling for human rights for all well before

the current uprising.

Where is Nabeel Rajab when these violations are being committed against migrant

workers? Arent human rights for all? asked Bahrain TV. In fact, as well as documenting

the violations of human rights by the Bahraini regime the his organisation has rightly

https://twitter.com/#!/Nabeelrajab/status/47928798792007680http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/11/bahrain-human-rights-activist-accusedhttp://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/04/19/bahrain.activist/?hpt=Sbinhttp://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/14960http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2011/04/11/bchr_safety/http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2011/04/11/bchr_safety/http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2011/04/11/bchr_safety/http://www.ifex.org/bahrain/2011/04/11/bchr_safety/http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/14960http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/04/19/bahrain.activist/?hpt=Sbinhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/11/bahrain-human-rights-activist-accusedhttps://twitter.com/#!/Nabeelrajab/status/47928798792007680

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

9/16

9

highlighted and condemned violent attacks on Asian migrant workers more than once.

In the past, Rajab has lent his voice to campaigns for Bahraini detainees at Guantnamo

Bay, migrant workers rights, womens rights (including migrant women). He has

spoken out for the victims of repressive laws, sectarianism, illegal naturalisation, and

has condemned abuse and maltreatment in Bahraini prisons, arbitrary arrests and

detention without trial.

If the walls of these prisons could talk, they would tell tales of Bahrains secular nationalist

political history and speak of the coalition of legal minds ghting for constitutional rights

and rule of law.

They might also tell us the high price of providing medical care to protesters, or being

a student participating in a national youth movement, a teacher practising the values

they teach, or a unionist in a country that doesnt value the land and sea it rests upon,

let alone the salt of its earth.

They may not even talk of politics at all, but of community service or online social

media and blogging. They might just tell you about being young, and daring to dream

aloud under the false spell of freedom during a brief Bahraini spring. With these and

many hundreds more brave Bahrainis behind bars, every day fewer are left to speak for

freedom or justice in Bahrain.

In the shadow of diminishing international media attention, if Rajabs voice is silenced

by the government, what will happen to us? And by us, I mean all the people who

are protected by his courageous words and unwavering determination to speak for the

protection and promotion of peoples rights, whatever the price he may pay.

http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3827http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3784http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3784http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3827

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

10/16

0

Aala Hubail, Bahrain Soccer Star, Remains Detained After Arrest

Thursday 21 April 2011

Bahrains most famous soccer player remains in

detention after his arrest earlier this month in the

tiny Gulf island country as authorities there crack

down on protesters demanding reforms, according

to Said Yousif, a member of the Bahrain Center for

Human Rights.

Aala Hubail, 28, the countrys leading scorer with 24

goals in 68 appearances, was arrested along with his

brother Mohammed after state television showed the pair attending a pro-democracy

protest, according to the Times of London.

They were arrested while training with their club Al Ahli and reportedly handcuffed and

frog-marched off the training eld.

Two other players, Abbas Ayaad and Mohamad Sayed Adnan, were also arrested and

detained. Both players, as well as Mohammed Hubail, still remain in detention as well,

Yousif remarked.

According to the Associated Press, the four have been suspended by their clubs and by

the national team for supporting the protests, joining a reported 150 more sportsmen

whove suffered a similar fate in recent weeks.

The Bahrain Football Association has backed the move, saying, The suspension falls

under misconduct, and the breaching of the rules and regulations of sporting clubsnot

to engage in political affairs.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/673404-bahraini-soccer-star-arrested-in-crackdown-still-in-detentionhttp://www.thenation.com/blog/159859/crackdown-bahrains-jocks-justicehttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/sportsmen-feel-heat-from-bahrain-regime/story-e6frg6so-1226035590743http://www.thenation.com/blog/159859/crackdown-bahrains-jocks-justicehttp://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/ap-source-bahrain-cracks-down-on-athletes/6841acfeb6cf4133b9386c5112b81da7http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/903928/bahrain-players-banned-for-role-in-protestshttp://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/903928/bahrain-players-banned-for-role-in-protestshttp://www.mlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf/story/ap-source-bahrain-cracks-down-on-athletes/6841acfeb6cf4133b9386c5112b81da7http://www.thenation.com/blog/159859/crackdown-bahrains-jocks-justicehttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/sportsmen-feel-heat-from-bahrain-regime/story-e6frg6so-1226035590743http://www.thenation.com/blog/159859/crackdown-bahrains-jocks-justicehttp://bleacherreport.com/articles/673404-bahraini-soccer-star-arrested-in-crackdown-still-in-detention

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

11/16

Bahrain are ranked 95th in FIFA world standings and seventh in Asia out of 43 nations.

They narrowly missed out on the 2010 World Cup, losing a playoff match to New

Zealand. The oil rich Gulf kingdom has a 10 team professional league but matches

have been suspended since protests began in February.

Bahrains Sunni government, headed by the Al Khalifa royal family whove ruled for

more than 200 years, launched a erce crackdown against the protesters demanding

more rights for the Shia population who form the majority of the countrys estimated

600,000 residents but are barred from holding key government posts and from joining

the police or army.

The Hubali brothers are both Shia, as are all the other athletes suspended. Aala had

worked as a paramedic before becoming a professional soccer player. His ve goals in

the 2004 Asian games won him the Golden Boot award as the tournaments joint top-

scorer.

Some 800 people have been arrested and detained since the protests started, according

to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. The government imposed marital law on

March15.

At least four people detained since February 14 have died in police custody, according

to New York-based Human Rights Watch. The group said one of its researchers in the

country saw signs of horric abuse on the body of one the detainees who died in

custody.

The sweeping crackdown has seen doctors, nurses, teachers and lawyers rounded up

and red from their jobs for participating in the protests.

The Sunni monarchy last month invited 1,500 troops from neighboring Gulf countries

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to join Bahrain forces in crushing the protestmovement.

11

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/04/13/bahrain-suspicious-deaths-custodyhttp://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/04/13/bahrain-suspicious-deaths-custody

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

12/16

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

13/16

13

bAhrAinschAmpionbodybuilder, tAreqAl-fursAni,AlsoArrestedAnddetAinedincrAckdown

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

14/16

4

Leading Bahrain players Aala and M ohamed Hubail arrestedfor taking part in anti-regime protests

April 08, 2011 7:40AM

Two of Bahrains leading footballers are under government investigation following their

arrest for taking part in anti-regime protests.

In a move that could leave the Gulf kingdom in breach of international rules which

separate politics and sport, Aala and Mohamed Hubail were arrested during training

with their club Al Ahli after appearing on television attending a pro-democracy rally.

Striker Aala has played 68 games for his country while Mohamed has been capped 52

times. Both took part in Bahrains 2010 World Cup qualiers against the Socceroos in

2009.

At least 28 people have died and hundreds were injured in the Sunni regimes efforts to

quell the pro-democracy movement, lead by the countrys Shia majority.

Arrested ... mohAmed hubAil (right) isknownto AustrAliAnAudiences

http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/leading-bahrain-players-aala-and-mohamed-hubail-arrested-for-taking-part-in-anti-regime-protests/story-e6frf423-1226035763968http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/leading-bahrain-players-aala-and-mohamed-hubail-arrested-for-taking-part-in-anti-regime-protests/story-e6frf423-1226035763968http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/leading-bahrain-players-aala-and-mohamed-hubail-arrested-for-taking-part-in-anti-regime-protests/story-e6frf423-1226035763968http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/leading-bahrain-players-aala-and-mohamed-hubail-arrested-for-taking-part-in-anti-regime-protests/story-e6frf423-1226035763968

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

15/16

15

The Bahraini government has also suspended some 200 sportsmen over their roles in

the anti-regime protests. All the men suspended are Shia Muslims.

Aala Hubail, 28, a paramedic before he became a professional soccer player, worked as

a nurse during the protests.

Among those suspended by government ofcials were a soccer referee and several

leading basketball, volleyball and handball players.

Bahrain Football Association ofcials admitted they were in uncharted territory as they

met to discuss the crisis. The arrested men were under investigation by the government

and their clubs.

The suspension falls under misconduct, and the breaching of the rules and regulations

of sporting clubs ... not to engage in any political affairs, the association said in a

statement.

AAlA hubAil, number9, plAyingAgAinst AustrAliAinA 2009word cupquAlifyingmAtch

8/6/2019 Sport Fame Tax, Is Arrest [July 2011]

16/16

useful links

Sport Revolution

- Facebook Page

- Twitter Page

Almosawi Blog

- Article about the most famous arrested athletes

- List of all arrested and suspended athletes

Bahrain Center for Human Rights

- Arrest, military trials, & suspension from sport activities,

for athletes who practice practice their legitimate rights

- BYSHR Report: Sports defendant in Bahrain, because

of freedom of opinion and expression

- AIPS: Bahraini sports journalist among hundreds

arrested in government crackdown

- About a quarter of the staff of BIC, host of Bahrain F1,

were arrested

- FIFA ask Bahrain to explain jail term

Youtube

- Thanks to Bahrain Athelets

- Bahrain Athelets in prison

- Bahrain Athelets in prison 2

https://www.facebook.com/pages/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6%D9%8A%D8%A9-REVOLUTION-SPORT/165653280168718https://twitter.com/#!/14febSportshttp://almosawi.blogetery.com/?p=300https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en&hl=en&key=0Alw4x1eWf8AKdHdCSG4wUG9CNC1XMmphMDFYcGpKNmc&output=htmlhttp://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4374http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4374http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3970http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3970http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3932http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3932http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4157http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4157http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4315http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdUQ9TtoKOkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGScTOpOIR4&sns=fbhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PzeeU09DDQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PzeeU09DDQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGScTOpOIR4&sns=fbhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdUQ9TtoKOkhttp://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4315http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4157http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4157http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3932http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3932http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3970http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/3970http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4374http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/4374https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en&hl=en&key=0Alw4x1eWf8AKdHdCSG4wUG9CNC1XMmphMDFYcGpKNmc&output=htmlhttp://almosawi.blogetery.com/?p=300https://twitter.com/#!/14febSportshttps://www.facebook.com/pages/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6%D9%8A%D8%A9-REVOLUTION-SPORT/165653280168718