Bahrain Mirror: Dutch media outlets followed the case of the Bahraini citizen who had sought asylum in the Netherlands, Ali Al-Shuwaikh, and who was sentenced to life in jail.

The "Dutch News" website said that a Bahraini asylum-seeker whose request was rejected by the Netherlands and  deported to Bahrain was sentenced to life in jail without a fair trial, Amnesty International and groups specialized in refugee affairs confirmed.

The website said that Al-Shuwaikh, 27, had fled to the Netherlands in 2017 because his brother was a political activist and he feared reprisals against him by the police. The Dutch authorities rejected his asylum request and deported him to Bahrain last October.

According to Amnesty International, Al-Shuwaikh was arrested upon his arrival and tortured.

The Dutch refugee organization and Amnesty have accused the Netherlands of committing a human rights violation by sending Al-Shuwaikh to Bahrain, while officials were well aware of how Bahrain deals with the families of political activists.

"The harsh sentence issued against Shuwaikh highlights the seriousness of the risks to Bahraini activists pursued by authorities inside and outside Bahrain," the news website said. 

The Dutch immigration service IND said it would not comment on individual cases.

Arabic Version