Targetting activists
I should have done this a long time ago. As Nido points out, Abdullah Mohsin, an activist and a blogger, is one of several people who have been locked up by the government since December on charges of “stealing weapons”. There have been serious allegations of torture of the detainees. Abdullah has been suffering from kidney problems, having to be admitted to hospital briefly.
As Nido points out, Abdullah would not hurt a fly, and the charges against him are clearly cooked up. I got to know him at the countless protests and demonstrations he attended, always in his dark suit and white shirt (no tie), quiet, very polite, and an extremely nice guy.
Another regular activist who has been detained is Hassan Abdulnabi. I have only met him once, but always saw him at the protests. He was always at the frontlines doing his best to prevent any conflict between the riot police and the demonstrators. He has been in and out of jail because of his activities with the Unemployment Comittee, and was seriously injured at least once after being attacked by riot police in 2005, leaving him on crutches for several weeks.
Once again he faces state violence.
Obviously, the men have been rounded up not because there is any evidence against them, but because they dared to speak out. They will hopefully be released eventually — but not without first giving them, and other potential activists, something to think about before speaking out again.