The Al-Amal Center for Human Rights and Justice expresses its concern over the re-arrest of human rights defender Naji Fateel in connection with financial claims arising from the case of the Jaw Prison events. These measures reflect the continued suffering of released political prisoners and threaten their family stability and their ability to rebuild their lives.
Circumstances of the Arrest
At approximately 5:45 a.m. on August 18, 2026, plainclothes police officers raided Fateel’s apartment while he was asleep with his family and took him into custody.
According to his account during a phone call with a colleague on August 20 from the detention facility, the officers did not present an arrest warrant or explain the reason for his arrest before taking him away. Fateel described what happened as “intimidation in every sense of the word,” adding: “They stormed the house, terrified the children, and frightened my mother early in the morning.”
He explained that he was given only a short time to put on his sleepwear before being taken from the house and placed on a police bus. He was then informed that his arrest was related to an outstanding financial payment in one of the cases in which he had been convicted.
His re-arrest took place despite his efforts to settle the outstanding payment. He stated that he had contacted the authorities on August 16, requesting documentation of the amount owed in preparation for seeking a settlement. He was directed instead to the relevant authorities at the Public Prosecution and the Enforcement of Judgments Department, rather than reporting to the police station.
On August 20, Fateel was transferred from East Riffa Police Station to Jaw Prison. He confirmed that three former political prisoners were being detained with him in connection with the same case: Ali Sanqour, Khalil Al-Qassab, and Hussein Mahdi. There were also reports that others had been arrested for the same reasons.
Background to the Case and Financial Claims
Naji Fateel was arrested on May 2, 2013. Between 2013 and 2016, he received sentences in three separate cases totaling 25 years and six months, based on charges related to his human rights activities. He was released on April 8, 2024, after nearly eleven years in prison.
One of these cases concerned the March 2015 Jaw Prison events, in which Fateel and 56 other defendants were convicted in 2016 in connection with protests inside the prison. The convicted individuals were jointly ordered to pay compensation for alleged property damage amounting to approximately US$1.35 million.
According to the information available, Fateel’s share of the amount was set at approximately US$23,700, under a repayment plan involving monthly installments of around US$996, with imprisonment measures being taken in the event of default.
On June 16, 2026, Fateel and a group of individuals subject to these financial claims sent a letter to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, with copies sent to the Ministers of Justice and Interior and to the Enforcement Judge.
The signatories expressed concern over the continued pursuit of financial claims arising from cases covered by the 2024 amnesty. They called for clarification of their legal status and the effect of the amnesty on these claims, an end to enforcement measures that threaten to return them to prison, and guarantees that they would not be imprisoned because of their inability to pay.
United Nations Position
In November 2022, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that Fateel’s deprivation of liberty was arbitrary in light of violations of international fair-trial standards. The Working Group called for his immediate and unconditional release, guarantees of his right to compensation and other forms of remedy, and a full and independent investigation into the circumstances of his arbitrary detention and allegations that he had been subjected to torture.
Al-Amal Center’s Demands
The Al-Amal Center considers that returning released political prisoners to prison because they have fallen behind on financial claims undermines their prospects for reintegration into society and increases the burdens placed on them and their families, particularly after many years of detention.
The Center calls for the release of Naji Fateel and all others detained on this basis, an end to the use of imprisonment for inability to pay these amounts, and appropriate measures to address the situation of those affected in a manner that safeguards their freedom, dignity, and family stability.
The Center also calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the raid on Fateel’s home and the allegations in his account concerning the intimidation of his family members. It further calls for the implementation of the UN Working Group’s recommendations regarding his right to an effective remedy and reparation.
The Center emphasizes that the freedom of political prisoners is a fundamental right and that their release should be followed by the removal of obstacles to their return to a safe and stable life.