Mohammed Jawad
Mohammed Jawad is a Bahraini environmental human rights defender and musician working to highlight environmental injustice in Bahrain and particularly in his village of Al-Ma’ameer through his peaceful protest and music. Mohammed heads the Environmental Committee of Al-Ma’ameer, a Committee known for peaceful protest against pollution in Al-Ma’ameer and surrounding villages. Mohammed was arrested previously in 2013 for his work highlighting environmental injustice in Bahrain.
Following the eruption of protests in February 2011 against government corruption and discrimination of the Shi'a majority population, the situation for human rights defenders in Bahrain became even more dangerous and difficult. Human rights defenders are tried in military courts, often charged with fabricated crimes, and given hugely disproportionate sentences. Many have been ill-treated and tortured in detention, have been held incommunicado and denied access to family and lawyers, while confessions made under duress have been admitted as evidence in court in contravention of international law.
