VOA标准英语2014--Prominent Bahrain Activists Face Jail Time

 

Prominent Bahrain Activists² Face Jail Time

LONDON— 

Two prominent Bahraini human rights activists face prison sentences at trials this week for activities that Amnesty International and other groups call the peaceful expression of their rights.

Three years ago during pro-democracy protests in Bahrain, Nabeel Rajab argued with policemen, while Zeinab al-Khawaja, at the back of the crowd, texted and posted on social media.

This week they are both on trial. Al-Khawaja is charged with tearing a picture of Bahrain’s king, which she did for a second time, in a courtroom, while on trial for doing it once before. Her father is in prison for his role in the 2011 protests.

Rajab, the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, faces up to three years in jail for two tweets he sent that the government says insulted public institutions. He only got out of jail in May, serving two years on a similar charge, and was rearrested just after returning from a speaking tour in Europe.

Said Yousif AlMuhafdha, Rajab’s deputy, spoke³ via Skype from exile in Germany, and said, “It’s not about the tweet. We believe it’s a reprisal⁴ for his peaceful activities. No human rights activists right now in Bahrain can speak out about what’s happening in Bahrain.”

Amnesty International’s Said Haddadi calls Rajab and al-Khawaja “prisoners of conscience.”

“From an international law perspective, there is no basis for the Bahraini authorities to detain Nabeel or any other person who is critical of their policies, who are peacefully expressing their opinion,” said Haddadi.

Bahrain’s embassy in London did not respond to an interview request, but the government says it has implemented⁵ a series of reforms since 2011. Amnesty International says the impact has been very limited.

“We have a double-sided picture, one with some positive, though limited, legal and institutional reform, but at the level of the openness of the authorities and their acceptance of criticism is at a very low position at the moment,” said Haddadi.

Activist¹ AlMuhafdha said in practical terms, the situation is “worse than ever.”

“What’s happening on the ground is no reform at all. The number of people being arrested is more," said AlMuhafdha. "The number of people being killed is more. There is no freedom at all. There was no reform at all."

Efforts to pressure the Bahraini government are complicated by its close relations with western countries, its participation⁶ in the anti-Islamic State coalition⁷, and its role as host of a U.S. naval⁸ base.

Still, the United States has criticized the prosecution⁹ of Rajab, and has called for fair treatment of al-Khawaja.

1 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

2 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 reprisal   

n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠

参考例句：

• There is no political alternative but a big reprisal.政治上没有旁的选择只能是大规模报复。
• They bombed civilian targets in reprisal.他们炮轰平民目标作为报复。

5 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

6 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

9 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。