Abdulwahab Hussain Ali Ahmed Esmael (; born October 9, 1954) is a Bahraini political activist, "عبدالوهاب حسين". Al Wasat. 30 April 2005. Retrieved 23 May 2012. writer, religious figure and philosopher."Updates: Harsh sentences to 21 prominent oppositional leaders and Human Rights defenders" . Bahrain Centre for Human Rights. 10 July 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012. He was one of the most prominent opposition leaders in the 1990s uprising when he was arrested twice for a total length of five years in which he was allegedly subjected to solitary confinement and torture. After his release in 2001, he supported government reform plans.
In 2001, Hussain chaired the committee which founded the now dissolved Al Wefaq, Bahrain's main opposition party. He urged opposition leaders to boycott the 2002 parliamentary election after the king issued Constitution of 2002, which he found going back on reform plans. In 2003, Hussain announced he would leave politics and stop issuing public statements and in 2005 he resigned from Al Wefaq. In 2009 he returned to politics becoming the co-founder and official spokesman of Al Wafa' Islamic Movement.
During the Bahraini uprising (2011–present), Hussain played an important role, leading protests, calling for the downfall of regime and establishment of a democratic republic. One month after the beginning of protests, he was arrested, allegedly tortured and sentenced by a special military court to life imprisonment. Later, sentence was overturned, and it was announced that he would be retried by a civilian court. The retrial began on 22 May 2012, but was postponed until May 29.
Biography
Hussain was born to a poor family in the village of Nuwaidrat south of Manama. He studied in Ma'ameer primary school and upon his graduation when he was twelve, his father died. "السيرة الذاتية: نبذة مختصرة". Abdulwahab Hussain website. Retrieved 23 May 2012. Hussain continued his study at Sitra intermediate school (then Isa Town secondary school). In 1977, he graduated from Kuwait University with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and sociology.
Upon graduation, he worked as a teacher for three years, then as a social supervisor for fifteen years before being forced to retire as a result of his activities during 1990s uprising in Bahrain. Thirteen years later, Hussain resumed his previous job for three years, before being terminated in 2008. Mazen Mahdi (26 November 2008). "«التربية» تفصل الناشط السياسي عبدالوهاب حسين // البحرين". Al Wasat. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
Role during the 1990s uprising Between December 1994 and February 2001, Bahrain saw a large number of protests and political unrest when leftists, liberals and Islamists joined forces to demand democratic reforms.
Hussain was one of the most prominent opposition leaders in the uprising. "Although the late Shaikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri was the religious leader of the Shia oppositionists at the time, Hussain's admirers claim he was the thinker behind the unrest", a leaked diplomatic cable said. He was a subscriber of the petition calling for resurrection of parliamentary life in 1992, a member of the "Petition Committee" in 1994, and of the "Initiative" in 1995. Instead of going into exile like many other activists, Hussain remained in Bahrain. He was arrested twice under the State Security Law, which allowed the government to arrest individuals without trial for a period of up to three years of administrative detention for crimes relating to state security."Bahrain: A Human Rights Crisis". Amnesty International. 26 September 1995. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
First arrest Hussain was detained for about six months between 17 March 1995 and 10 September. He and other members of the "Initiative" were released after reaching a deal with the government in which the Initiative members would calm people in exchange for the government's releasing all of those not convicted in courts. The government reportedly also agreed that at a later stage after establishment of security, the government would start a political dialogue with opposition. However, the government denied such an agreement existed, which led to worsening the situation again.
Second arrest Hussain was arrested for the second time in January 1996 along with 7 other opposition leaders including Abdul Amir al-Jamri and Hasan Mushaima. They were held in Al-Qalaa prison. This time Hussain spent about five years in prison in solitary confinement and was allegedly mistreated."Bahrain: Bahrain:Abdul-Wahab Hussain" . World Organisation Against Torture. 6 March 2000. Retrieved 23 May 2012 According to the Bahrain Human Rights Organisation, Hussain was pressured early in 2000 by three State Security and Intelligence Service personnel—Adel Flaifel and two "British officers"—to sign a pre-prepared paper apologizing to the Emir for his actions and promising "not to carry out acts calling for political reform, or incite others to do so, and not to partake in any public speaking, including religious sermons" in exchange for getting pardoned by the Emir. Hussain refused to sign.
On 14 March 2000, the High Court of Appeal issued an order to release Hussain. He was released three days later, but was re-arrested from his house only one hour after his return. According to the family, police promised that he would again be released after two days, after they completed arrangements for the release. Later, the family was told that Hussain would spend another three years in prison under the State Security Law."Bahrain: Bahrain: Abdul-Wahab Hussain released and re-arrested 1 hour later". World Organisation Against Torture. 22 March 2000. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
Release Despite getting a release verdict from the Court of Cessation on 17 November 2000, Hussain was kept in detention until 5 February 2001, when the new Emir brought several political reforms to the country. Opposition activists made intensive contacts and discussions to decide upon accepting or refusing the National Action Charter of Bahrain proposed by the Emir.
The Charter called for "a constitutional monarchy, an independent judiciary and a bicameral legislature made-up of a lower house of elected representatives and an upper house of appointed legislators. The charter also gave equal rights to men and women, with all citizens having equal political rights and being entitled to elections and candidacy according to the law"."Country Theme: Elections: Bahrain" . Programme on Governance in the Arab Region. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
On 8 February, only three days after his release, Hussain and three other prominent political leaders—Abdul Amir al-Jamri, Abdulla Al-Guraifi and Ali Rabea—met with the Emir. As a result, the opposition accepted the Emir's initiative. Hussain "worked hard" to convince people (specially Shia) to accept the National charter, which later gained 98.4% "Yes" votes.
Political activities in 2000s
Hussain was a founding member of Al Wefaq, Bahrain's main opposition party, established on 9 July 2001. He chaired the "Preparatory Committee" between 25 September and 11 November then moved to work on other areas. When the Emir (who now became a king) officially declared the Constitution of 2002, opposition considered it going back on his public promise of 2001. Hussain urged many opposition leaders to boycott the parliamentary elections, calling the participation "unethical action". "عبد الوهاب حسين: المشاركة في البرلمان عمل غير اخلاقي". Al Wasat. 28 June 2002. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
Hussain led the Islamic Enlightenment institution in 2002, before resigning in March 2003 "استقالة عبدالوهاب حسين من «التوعية»". Al Wasat. 3 March 2003. Retrieved 26 May 2012. and announcing that he would refrain from issuing public statements and leading Friday sermons in August. As a result, a number of his admirers gathered in a two-day sit in front of his house to dissuade him from his decision. Isa Qassim, Bahrain's top Shia cleric, visited him twice for the same purpose. However, Hussain kept his position, thanking all of those who stood by him. He said his decision was not due to a personal interest and that the "issue is larger than using courtesy with it"."عبدالوهاب حسين: قراري «مقاومة سلبية»... راقبوا أوضاعكم". Al Wasat. 30 August 2003. Retrieved 26 May 2012. In 2005, Hussain officially resigned from Al Wefaq after the society decided to register under the "political societies law" and participate in the elections. "عبدالوهاب يستقيل من "الوفاق"". Al Wasat. 22 September 2005. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
Return to politics
On 6 February 2009, Hussain and Abduljalil al-Miqdad, a senior Shia cleric, announced the establishment of a new opposition group: Al Wafa' Islamic Movement. They immediately began a ten-day hunger strike demanding the release of Haq Movement leaders Hassan Mushaima and Mohammed Habib al-Miqdad. According to a leaked cable, the hunger strike attracted support from a wide range of opposition and human rights spectrum including Abduljalil al-Singace of Haq Movement, a "few members" of Al Wefaq and Abdulhadi al-Khawaja of Front Line Defenders. According to the cable, the hunger strike "achieved little", but "announce[d] the return of Abdulwahab Hussein to the opposition scene"."Wafa': A new Shia rejectionist movement - Passed to the Telegraph by WikiLeaks". The Daily Telegraph. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
Starting from 6 March, Hussain, who became the official spokesman of the newly formed movement, visited a number of Shia villages holding open seminars to explain its goals and means of action. The seminars were described by many observers to be similar to those held during the 1990s by opposition leaders. Aiming to get legitimacy and support, Hussain and al-Miqdad met with Isa Qassim; however, a leaked cable reported that the latter "was not impressed".
Despite remaining small, Al Wafa' is a noted discussion topic among Bahraini politicians. It was described by a cable as having "the potential to appeal to more pious Shia" due to the "stature and credibility" of Hussain as a "conservative leader" and having the "Religious Cover" of Abduljalil al-Miqdad, which is a "must" in order to gain "popular support in the Shia community".
Role during the Bahraini uprising (2011–present)
Beginning in February 2011, Bahrain saw sustained pro-democracy protests, centered at Pearl Roundabout in the capital of Manama, as part of the wider Arab Spring. Authorities responded with a night raid on 17 February (later referred to by protesters as Bloody Thursday), which left four protesters dead and more than 300 injured.
Hussain played a leading role in first days of the Bahraini uprising. He led a protest in the early morning of 14 February 2011 in his village Nuwaidrat, which police attacked. "عبدالوهاب حسين ..رجل وقيام ثورة". Islam Times. 9 February 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012. On 8 March, Al Wafa, Haq Movement and Bahrain Freedom Movement formed a "Coalition for a [Bahraini] Republic",CNN wire staff (6 October 2011). "Bahrain announces new trial for convicted medics". CNN. Retrieved 25 May 2012 calling for the downfall of the current regime by escalation of peaceful protests and the establishment of a democratic republic. While they accepted a western-style constitutional monarchy in principle, saying it was "not very different from a republic", they doubted the regime would voluntarily implement such a radical change and argued that toppling it was unavoidable.
Arrest