Justice for Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace
Nottingham Students for Scholars at Risk (SAR) have campaigned for the release of Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace, a scholar and human rights defender currently imprisoned in Bahrain.
Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace is an award-winning blogger, activist and retired professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Bahrain. He has dedicated his life to advocating for democracy and human rights in Bahrain at both the domestic and international levels.
In March 2011, following his participation in a pro-democracy protest, dozens of security officers raided Dr Al-Singace’s home, arrested him, and took him to a police station where they beat and threatened him. Dr Al-Singace was held incommunicado until June 2011, when a military court sentenced him to life imprisonment for allegedly “plotting to overthrow the government.”
Both [his] detention and the ill-treatment [he has] suffered in prison violate the rights to free expression, opinion and assembly that must be guaranteed to human rights defenders.
The present case [of Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace] follows the pattern of numerous other cases brought before the Working Group in recent years concerning the arbitrary deprivation of liberty in Bahrain. The Working Group notes that many of the cases involving Bahrain follow a familiar pattern of arrest without a warrant, pretrial detention with limited access to judicial review, denial of access to lawyers, forced confessions, torture and ill-treatment and denial of medical care. The Working Group recalls that, under certain circumstances, widespread or systematic imprisonment or other severe deprivation of liberty in violation of the rules of international law may constitute crimes against humanity.
2023/24 Student Advocacy Group
- Sophia Cookson, BA Liberal Arts
- Benjamin Davies, Law LLM
- Bethlehem Gebregherghish, BA Philosophy
- Regina Petersen, Law LLM
- Ria Ryan, LLB Law
- Caitlin Vasey, LLB Law
The 2023/24 student advocacy group has continued advocacy on behalf of Dr Al-Singace. Over the course of the academic year, they held various events aimed at raising awareness of SAR's work and Dr Al-Singace's case.
Raising Awareness and Collecting Signatures
In February and March 2024, Nottingham Students for SAR held two awareness drives at the Portland Building, in support of Dr Al-Singace. The students distributed leaflets and campaign materials, and discussed the case with interested students and staff.
Over 60 signatures were collected on an action letter calling for Dr Al-Singace's release, hosted by SAR.
Sign the letter and take action for Dr Al-Singace
Academic freedom means the ability to share ideas and think freely without censorship, a fundamental right we must uphold. It is shocking that scholars, like Dr Al-Singace, can face such consequences as torture and imprisonment as a result of exercising this right.
Amnesty Event
On 18 February 2024, Nottingham Students for SAR presented information on their campaign for Dr Al-Singace at a meeting of University of Nottingham's Amnesty International Society.
Following the presentation, there was a discussion session where students engaged in dialogue about effective strategies for running advocacy campaigns. They shared ideas on how to raise awareness, mobilise support, and amplify the voices of individuals like Dr Al-Singace who face injustice and persecution.
View the presentation slides here
2021/22 Student Advocacy Group
- Al-Fayad Qayyum, LLB Law with European Law
- Elwira Slowinska, BA Law with German and German Law
- Katie Bohl, BA History and Politics
- Lorien Lambert, LLB Law
- Sophie O'Connor, BA Politics and International Relations
Over the course of the 2021/22 academic year, the student advocacy group held various events aimed at raising awareness of SAR's work, and the case that they chose to represent.
Download our PDF campaign poster
I have always been adamant about using my voice to make a difference. Progress can only be made when we challenge the status quo. I hope that our campaign can make a difference for Dr Al-Singace and other political prisoners.
Amnesty Event
On 2 March 2022, the students attended an event hosted by University of Nottingham's Amnesty International Society and presented information related to their campaign for Dr Al-Singace.
Following the presentation, the SAR Seminar Group participated in a collaboratory task with Amnesty Society students, which involved creating campaign posters to spread awareness of Dr Al-Singace's continued imprisonment and mistreatment in Bahrain.
As students, it is vital that our professors can speak and teach freely without harsh repercussions, which is why I believe the work SAR does is so important.
Protecting Human Rights Defenders and Prisoners of Conscience in Bahrain
On 13 May 2022, Nottingham Students for SAR arranged and hosted a panel discussion on human rights defenders and prisoners of conscience in Bahrain, with a specific focus on Dr Al-Singace. During this event, the HRLC was joined by:
- Khalid Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights;
- Sue Willman, Senior Consultant at DPG and founder of the King's Legal Clinic; and
- Josie Thum, Research and Policy Associate at the Bahrain Institute for Research and Democracy (BIRD).
You can watch a recording of the event here: