Ali Sabah AbdulMohsen Mohamed was a 37-year-old retiree who used to work as mechanic; when Bahraini authorities arrested him without a warrant from his house in 2013. Ali is currently held in Jau Prison.

On the night of 29 December 2013, Ali was at his house when investigations and crime scene officers along with riot police conducted a raid at 10 pm. Despite not presenting a warrant or stating the reason for the arrest, officers raided the apartment and arrested Ali, his father, and his brothers. His family members were released, but Ali was taken into custody. He later learned that he was wanted for joining a terrorist group.

After Ali’s arrest, his family searched for him at Budaiya police station, where they learned he was held after the arrest, but officers denied he was at the station. Two days after his arrest, he called me and told his family that he was fine while he was in the interrogation sessions. Ali then disappeared for 11 days, during which he was interrogated.

During the interrogation, Ali was tortured by CID officers at the Criminal Investigation Directorate. He was severely beaten and deprived of sleeping. Ali was interrogated without a lawyer, as he was prohibited from contacting him after his arrest. The torture was used to extract a coerced confession in the case that Ali was accused of; he ended up confessing, and his confession was used against him in trial.

On 29 September 2014, Ali was sentenced to life imprisonment. Throughout the trial, Ali was denied access to his attorney and was not given adequate time and facilities to prepare for trial. The Appeals Court upheld the judgment in his case, and the request for cassation was rejected.

Since his arrest and imprisonment, Ali has fallen victim to various human rights violations, including medical negligence as well as physical and psychological torture.  As a result, Ali developed a number of medical conditions in addition to the worsening of pre-existing conditions, namely, irritable bowel syndrome which he has suffered from since he was 18 years old as well as allergies. In addition, Ali now suffers from facial and neck swelling, is unable to breathe, and has been denied medical care, putting his life at grave risk. His conditions have been heightened by the administration’s failure to provide him with proper medical treatment and adequate meals. His family has submitted several complaints over the years but to no avail.

Ali’s arrest, unfair trial, and torture violate both the Bahraini constitution as well as international obligations to which Bahrain is party, namely, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Since an arrest warrant was not presented and given that Ali was not granted a fair trial, Ali is arbitrarily detained by Bahraini authorities.

Accordingly, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by voiding the judgment against Ali. If serious criminal charges can be held against him, authorities must conduct a fair retrial that conforms to universal judicial standards. ADHRB urges Bahrain to investigate all torture allegations to ensure accountability and to provide all prisoners with adequate medical care while guaranteeing all their basic human rights.

The post Profile In Persecution: Ali Sabah AbdulMohsen Mohamed appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

This post was originally published on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.