Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa

Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa (Arabic: الامير ناصر بن حمد آل خليفة) (born 8 May 1987) is a member of the Bahraini royal family, commander of Bahrain's Royal Guard[1][2] president of the Bahrain Olympic Committee and the head of the government’s Supreme Council for Youth and Sports. He has been connected to several severe acts of human rights abuses, including personally torturing pro-democracy activists during the Arab Spring protests in Bahrain.[3][4][5]

Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Born (1987-05-08) 8 May 1987
Riffa, Bahrain
SpouseShaikha bint Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum
HouseAl Khalifa
FatherHamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
MotherSheia bint Hassan Al Khrayyesh Al Ajmi
Military career
Service/branch Royal Guard
Years of service2006–present
RankMajor general
UnitBahrain Royal Guards
Commands heldCommander of the Royal Guard
Styles of
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Reference styleHis Highness
Spoken styleYour Highness
Alternative styleSheikh

Early life and education

Nasser is the fourth-born son of the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa with Sheia bint Hassan Al Khrayyesh Al Ajmi, his second wife.[6] Nasser was educated in Bahrain at Ibn Khuldoon National School and then attended Sandhurst Military Academy in the United Kingdom, graduating in August 2006. He is currently serving in the Bahrain Defence Force and leads the Bahrain National Endurance Team.[7]

Military service

Nasser is the commander of the Bahrain Defence Force Royal Guard, an elite unit that is deployed in the war in Yemen. Despite Shi'ites making up more than half the population, not a single shia works in the guard.[8] Nasser himself fought in coalition missions accused of war crimes.[9]

Endurance racing

He has participated in many regional and international endurance races and won many medals.[10]

In December 2006, Sheikh Nasser led the Bahrain National Endurance team in the Doha Asian Games. He won a silver medal in the individual race and the six-member Bahraini squad came second in the overall team event.[11]

In September 2007, Sheikh Nasser led the Bahrain National Endurance team in the European Open held at Portugal. He came in 8th place in the individual race and the Bahrain team came in second place and won a silver medal.[10]

Nasser has been coached by Milan Erzen, a former professional cyclist.[12] Erzen is now under suspicion of having organized doping at team Bahrain-Merida, where he is a managing director.[13]

President of the Olympic Committee

Nasser is the president of the Bahrain Olympic Committee.[14] As such he created a special commission that prosecuted 150 members of the sporting community for peaceful demonstrations.[15]

Charity

Nasser is chairman of the board of trustees of the Royal Charity Organisation (RCO), through which he is directly involved in charity work with many local and international community projects.[16]

Allegations of torture

Nasser became the subject of allegations of torture after anti-government protests in 2011.[17] During the Arab Spring Bahraini uprising, three unnamed individuals reported to human rights groups that they had personally been beaten by Sheikh Nasser. One was granted refugee status in the UK and has since sought his arrest by Scotland Yard.[18] Several NGOs criticized his participation at the 2014 FEI World Equestrian Games in Normandy, France.[19] These accusations have earned Nasser the label "torture prince".[20][21][22]

Personal life

Nasser married in Dubai on 28 September 2009 (nikah ceremony) and 2 October 2009 (milcha reception) to Shaikha bint Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, a daughter of the Emir of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.[23] They have one daughter and three sons.[6]

Honours and awards

Ancestry

References
  1. "Captain Shaikh Nasser promoted to colonel and appointed BDF Royal Guard Commander". Bahrain News Agency. 19 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  2. "Colonel Shaikh Nasser To Head Royal Guard". Bahrain Tribune. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  3. "Commentary: Bahrain prince's torture allegations too big for cycling to ignore". Cyclingtips. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  4. "Thousands of Ramadan bags to be handed out". BBC. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  5. "Activists ask US to suspend Bahrain prince's diplomatic visa". AP News. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  6. "Bahrain: Birth of Nasser Bin Hamad's son Hamdan". Gulf States Newsletter. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  7. "Kuwait: 2009 Shk Nasser bin Hamad Al Kalifa Endurance Cup". Endurance. Retrieved 25 December 2010.
  8. "Bahrain Royal Guard Special Force marks 10th anniversary". Bidec News. 3 July 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. "Bahrain's intolerant prince is now poster boy for regime whitewashing". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  10. "Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa's CV". Al Furrsan. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  11. "Crown Prince congratulates Shaikh Nasser". Bahrain News Agency. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  12. Culp, Brad. "The Latest Doping Scandal's Link to Triathlon". Competitor. Triathlon Magazine. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  13. Farrand, Stephen. "Bahrain-Merida's Milan Erzen under UCI investigation for doping links". Cycling News. Cycling News. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  14. "Bahrain Olympic Committee". Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  15. "Bahrain's intolerant prince is now poster boy for regime whitewashing". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  16. "H.H. Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa". www.nasseralkhalifa.bh. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  17. "Pressure Builds On Sheikh Salman to Respond to Human Rights Allegations". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  18. Aboulenein, Ahmed (7 October 2014). "Bahrain prince does not enjoy immunity over torture claims, UK court rules". Reuters. London. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  19. "Un prince bahreïni accusé de torture, pas inquiété par la France". Libération.fr (in French). 1 September 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  20. "High Court grants JR on immunity of 'torture' prince". Gazette. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  21. "In Bahrain, the two-faced nature of impunity: Oppressors rewarded, activists suffer". IFEX. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  22. "Why Bahrain's 'torture prince' can still visit the U.K. despite calls for his arrest · Global Voices". Global Voices. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  23. "Sheikh Mohammed". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2010.
  24. "Le onorificenze della Repubblica Italiana". www.quirinale.it. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
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