Abbas Abed-Ali Husain, a maintenance worker at the Ministry of Interior, was warrantlessly arrested from his father’s house in Al-Eker, tortured during investigations, and sentenced on various charges. He is currently serving his sentence at Jau Prison.

Abbas was arrested in 2012 following the pro-democracy demonstrations. He was sentenced to one year in prison on a charge of illegal assembly and rioting. An appeal was submitted to the appeals court, and the sentence was reduced to six months. However, the sentence still caused him to lose his job at the ministry. Consequently, Abbas was released in July 2012. Later, during the years 2015, 2017, and 2018, he was sentenced in absentia to a total of 10 years in prison in three cases. Charges in the first case included intentional destruction, illegal assembly and rioting, and possession of flammable substances and explosives, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison. In the second case, he was charged with illegal assembly and rioting, arson, and manufacturing and possession of explosives, for which he received a one year sentence. And finally, he was charged in a third case with arson, illegal assembly and rioting, and intentional destruction, for which he received a seven year sentence. He did not turn himself in, despite receiving multiple summons, out of fear that he would be convicted in more cases if he were imprisoned.

However, on 28 November 2019 at 1:30 A.M., masked civilian officers and officers from the Ministry of Interior raided Abbas’s father’s house in Al-Eker. Without presenting arrest or search warrants, they proceeded to confiscate electronic devices belonging to family members, and to arrest Abbas once again. He was immediately taken to the village cemetery to search for weapons they claimed Abbas had hidden there. An officer proceeded to slap him in the face and ordered other masked officers to kick him in the genitals. Once nothing was found, Abbas was returned to the police vehicle, where he was beaten again, and was taken to the Central Investigation Directorate (CID), but the authorities did not release his location. Once he was at the CID, Abbas called his family, telling them his location. After that, there was no further contact until he was transferred to Jau Prison.

Abbas was arrested a week after his brother Moosa, who is an activist residing in London, filed a formal complaint against the Bahraini embassy in London regarding the attempt on his life during his demonstration on the embassy roof in July.

Abbas’s interrogation lasted seven days. He spent two days at the CID, where he suffered different forms of physical and psychological torture. He was blindfolded and handcuffed with chains connected to his legs, left in a cold room, and forced to stand until the start of the interrogation. He was deprived of sleep and was banned from accessing the restroom and praying. During interrogation, some officers took turns beating him. Abbas was severely beaten with batons, punched, and kicked. Officers also delivered electric shocks to his genitals and back. He was told his mother and wife were arrested and would be sexually assaulted if he did not confess to possessing weapons and sheltering fugitives. They also made threats to his brother Moosa, stating that the British would not be able to protect him forever and asking whether Abbas believes that Moosa would be punished the same way for opposing their king if he were in Bahrain. After spending two days at the CID, on 29 November 2019, he was taken to Building 15 of Jau Prison where he stayed for five days. During this time, he was also taken to the Royal Academy, where he was once again torture.  He was mistreated on the basis of sect and political opinion. Throughout the interrogation, Abbas did not have any legal counsel and could not meet his family, and he was forced to sign a statement without knowing its content. Authorities also prohibited him from assigning an attorney until after he was interrogated and imprisoned. He was not presented to the Public Prosecution Office (PPO) and was directly imprisoned seven days after his arrest.

As a result of the torture Abbas endured, he suffered from bruising and swelling on his back and genitals, which still cause him pain and complications. Despite persistent demands for a doctor, he has yet to receive this treatment. Abbas also suffers from severe epilepsy, but he does not receive proper medical treatment for this condition, causing his family to worry about his well-being. Following the interrogation, he was directly transferred to Jau Prison, where he remains.

On 11 December 2019, Abbas was sentenced in a fourth case in absentia to 10 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 Bahraini dinars on charges of joining and funding a terrorist group, which made his total sentence 20 years in prison. The court of appeal upheld the sentence in the fourth case on 24 February 2020, while no appeal was allowed for the other cases because the deadline had already passed. On 12 March 2020, the Fourth Lower Criminal Court sentenced Abbas to two extra months in prison based on Illegal Assembly and Possession of Incendiary Bottles charges. After submitting appeals related to his fourth case, his total sentence was reduced to 18 years and 2 months.

Abbas’s warrantless arrest, torture and unfair trial go against the Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which Bahrain is party to. As such, Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to release Abbas, who was denied a fair trial and due process rights and tortured into confessing and to ensure that any retrial meets international standards of a fair trial. We additionally urge the authorities to investigate claims of torture and ill treatment by CID officials, to hold those officers accountable for their illegal actions.

The post Profile in Persecution: Abbas AbedAli Husain appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Ahmed Abdulla Marhoon Rashed is a 34-year-old Bahraini from Diraz, who was the goalkeeper for Al-Itifaq club and the Bahraini national football team. He was warrantlessly arrested from his home, charged in the terrorism case known as “Al-Ashtar Brigades,” and is currently detained at Dry Dock Detention Center awaiting the court verdict.

Ahmed was initially arrested  on 7 August 2012 by armed officers. They raided his house at dawn and arrested him under the pretext that he was wanted by the police. Following his arrest, his family called the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID), the Public Prosecution Office (PPO), and the Roundabout 17 police station, who all reported that Ahmed was not with them.  Two days after his arrest, Ahmed called his family asking for clean clothes to be brought to him at the Dry Dock Detention Center. After this, he was transferred to the CID where the officers there tortured him. They prevented him from sleeping, forced him to stand for more than 6 days, and falsely accused him of a role in the “Diraz explosion” case. 

One year after his arrest, he was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months imprisonment. However, this sentence was increased after the events of 16 August 2013 at the “ward 10” of Dry Dock Detention Center, where prison officers attacked the prisoners and severely harmed them. This coincided with a government security crackdown against demonstrations occurring across the country. After the August 16th attack, the prisoners didn’t receive any medical care, but were instead falsely accused of assaulting police officers. As a result, Ahmed was sentenced to an additional 3 years in prison bringing his total sentence to 8 years and 6 months. He spent 7 years in prison and was released under alternative sentencing on 18 March 2019.  He worked for 6 months at Al-Aarin reserve as an alternative punishment.

On 22 November 2021, in the early hours of dawn, a group of officers in civilian clothing raided his house and arbitrarily arrested him for the second time. During transport in a police bus, officers beat Ahmed and threatened to rape him. Hours after his arrest, he was allowed to call his family to inform them that he was at the CID but then not allowed calls with them for about 2 more weeks. During interrogations, officers tortured Ahmed, beating him to the point of death and threatening to electrocute him. Moreover, he was denied access to his lawyer during the interrogations and forced to sign a pre-prepared interrogation report under the threat of death and without reading its contents. Authorities then transferred him to Dry Dock Detention Center and prevented him from place phone calls and visitation rights.

Ahmed was charged with joining a terrorist cell, possession of explosive devices, weapons and ammunition, military training, and receiving and delivering money from the terrorist cell, but his sentence will not be issued until January of 2023 in a mass trial. 

Ahmed’s warrantless arrest, torture, and unjust trail constitute a direct violation of International Convention Against Torture (CAT), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which Bahrain is party to. Thus, ADHRB  demands that Ahmed be immediately and unconditionally released and that his torture be impartially investigated to hold perpetrators accountable. 

The post Profile in Persecution: Ahmed Abdulla Marhoon Rashed appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Husain Ali Al-Sahlawi was a 26 year-old Bahraini bus driver at  a private company when he was arrested by Bahraini authorities in 2012  on fabricated charges and sentenced in absentia. He was subjected to multiple human rights violations during his arrest, trial, and imprisonment. He is currently serving the remainder of his sentence at Jau prison where he continues to face ill-treatment and negligence.

In March 2010, while Husain was leaving his grandmother’s house in Karzakkan, he was ambushed by Bahraini security forces and  wounded by three shotgun blasts. His father secured him transfer to the Salmaniya Medical Complex where he was in a critical condition. During his stay in the medical complex, security forces tortured him and denied him adequate treatment. They confined him to a hospital bed and refused to let him use the bathroom, forcing him  to urinate into a bottle.

After that, he was transferred to a military hospital with bullet shrapnel still in his jaw, and about 70 other pieces of shrapnel scattered all over his body. He was then transferred back  to the Central Investigation Department and detained pending investigation, where he was subjected to various means of torture and humiliation. After extracting the confessions, Hussain was released pending trial.

In February 2011, Hussein was convicted and sentenced in absentia in two separate cases. The first case was the burning of Karzakkan farms in which he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, but after appeal, was reduced to 7 years. In the second case, he was charged with killing a policeman and was sentenced to 16 years in prison which was also reduced to 10 years after appeal. During this time, Hussain went into hiding until 23 May 2012, when he was arrested for a second time. 

On May 23, 2012, a large number of security and anti-riot vehicles surrounded a cafe in Roundabout 1, where Husain was with his friends, and arrested him after they publicly beat him. They denied his request to call his parents and inform them of his arrest. Additionally, they confiscated his car which contained all his personal papers and passport. They did not return any of his property or personal documents that they took at the time of his arrest to his family, despite the family’s repeated requests to return them. Husain was transferred to the Central Investigation Department (CID) in Adliya, then in the morning he was transferred to Jau Prison.

During his imprisonment, Husain was subjected to torture and beatings by prison officers. He was electrocuted, deprived of sleep, and subjected to verbal abuse. Authorities constantly insulted him, his religious sect, and his parents. In addition, Husain was again denied treatment for shotgun wounds and a scabies infection. 

On March 10, 2015, after the incident of the Jau Prisoners’ uprising  protesting  torture and ill-treatment happening at the prison, Husain was again subjected to more intense and continuous torture, especially after he was accused of killing a policeman, and sent to solitary confinement five times. Four months after the prison incident, he obtained permission for a family visit. However, his family was suffered  humiliation and degrading treatment by prison officials , as they were forced to strip naked and undergo full body searches. When his family met him, Husain was very thin and weak, and his features visibly changed.

During the last decade, from 2012 to 2022, Husain was subjected to many violations in Jau Prison. He was forced to sleep under the stairs and was not allowed to sleep in the cell. At other times, he was handcuffed to the prison door throughout the day. Moreover, officers would put him  cells with prisoners convicted of violent crimes like murder and rape and who did not speak or understand Arabic. Husain received verbal insults and death threats from prison guards and from  prisoners sentenced on charges relating to Al Qaeda and who are from foreign nationalities. He has stated in several communications that he is at risk of death due to the many threats directed at him, whether from prisoners or the prison police and even Ombudsman staff.

Because of his continuous demands for transfer, better treatment, and speaking up against verbal insults and threats, one of the guards filed a case against Hussain, and was charged in 2018 with assaulting a Pakistani policeman, which I added time to his sentence. He protested to the judge and complained that it was a false charge. Currently, Husain is still suffering from constant harassment on several levels: whether on the health or personal level, and depriving him of his clothes and cleaning tools, which are confiscated. In 2021, Husain was infected with Covid-19, which led to infections in the sinuses and chest. This caused difficulty in breathing, and he is still suffering from shortness of breath and suffocation until now.

Husain stated in May 2022 that medical negligence practiced by authorities against him and the rest of the prisoners still exists. He described this as a slow death policy used by the Jau Prison administration. He is currently suffering from swelling and increasing redness in the eye and poor vision. There is also broken cartilage that prevents him from speaking and eating because his nose was previously broken, and the condition of his tongue allows bacteria to enter into his throat and cavity. For these reasons, Husain needs immediate operations in his eyes, nose, and mouth. He also needs to take medications, but the prison administration has refused to give him the necessary treatment, and to schedule appointments for him to perform urgent operations so far. He is also forbidden from family visits.

During the years 2017 and 2018, Husain’s family submitted several complaints to the Ombudsman, all of them about torture, ill-treatment, and his lack of access to appropriate health care, but  to no avail. On Monday, 23 April, 2018, after his parents called the Ombudsman, an employee came to Husain, did not ask any questions but told him to sign a paper. When Hussein asked to see it before signing, the employee told him that it was the sentence sheet issued by the military court, so he signed it. His situation did not improve, but rather worsened, and he is constantly threatened with death by Prison officers if his family continues to contact and send complaints to the Ombudsman. 

Husain’s arbitrary detention, torture and unfair trial are a violation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bahrain is a party. Moreover, the medical neglect he is subjected to is in violation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules, endorsed by the United Nations. As such, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Hussain, and to impartially investigate his torture to hold the perpetrators to account, and unconditionally release all other political prisoners. ADHRB also calls on Bahrain to end the practice of medical negligence and provide all prisoners, including Husain with the required and adequate medical treatment.

The post Profile in Persecution: Husain Ali Al-Sahlawi (Updated) appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

Hasan Ali Rashed is a 18-year-old Bahraini from Karrana, who is charged along with 20 others in a terrorism case known as “Al-Ashtar Brigades”. He was arbitrarily arrested, prevented from completing his studies, and tortured during investigations. He is currently serving his sentence at Jau prison.

At approximately 5:00am on 26 November 2021, a group of Bahraini masked riot police, including some in civilian clothing stopped his dad while he was heading out to pray at the front door. They asked him, how many children does he have, he answered he only has one called Hasan, so they replied then it’s him. They raided his home presenting a warrant, but didn’t let his father read it. They scattered inside his house without presenting a search warrant, entered Hasan’s room on the second floor and inspected it while filming. They refused to allow them to pray or even use the bathroom while they were searching. They handcuffed him, confiscated his ID and cell phone before taking him without informing his family about their destination.

Hasan was brought to the Central Investigation Department (CID) and remained there for four days. The day after his arrest, he called his family to inform them where he was and hung up shortly afterwards. He also called his family on the third day and informed them it was his last day at the CID. His mother tried to call many times to check up on him and ask about the reasons for his arrest. However, they did not answer the phone. During investigation, the officers physically tortured him. They beat him in the investigation building to the point of death, and threatened him with electric shock and rape. The officers also forced him to sign the pre-prepared interrogation report under the threat of death without reading it. During his torture and interrogation, Hasan was denied access to a lawyer, and they didn’t let his family be present although he is still a minor.

He was transferred on 30 November 2021 to the Public Prosecution Office (PPO) which ordered his transfer to Dry Dock Detention Center, specifically to the tenth ward. At the center, he was also deprived from calling his family and informing them about his whereabouts. Approximately a week after, he was able to video call his family for the first time, where they did not notice any signs of torture. After that, he didn’t contact his family at all leaving them worried and waiting for his next call. After some days, Hasan contacted his family with the help of his cellmate who asked his family to link Hasan’s family in their call. Hasan asked for clothes and money, and his family informed him that the Prosecution had ordered his detention for 60 days. He didnt state the details about what had happened with him at the Public Prosecution Office (PPO), but neither a lawyer nor a guardian were present with him. When his dad went to deliver his clothes and money to Dry Dock Detention Center, the management accepted the money but refused to take the clothes. Even Though the money was delivered to Hasan, he didn’t call. His family got worried, so his mom called again and asked them to allow her to talk to her son, but they answered yet again that the number of detainees is large, because of that the calls had been delayed. After some days, Hasan called and told her about the torture he endured during his 4 days stay at the CID, but didnt go into details, afraid to hurt her feelings.

While he was detained at Dry Dock Detention Center, Hasan asked the management to appoint a lawyer, but he waited even though some of the detainees were allowed to sign a power of attorney. Moreover, he has not been allowed to see his parents so far, except for one video call. During the call, the police officer was sitting close so he was unable to speak freely and violated his privacy. Additionally, he has been deprived of his right to continue his secondary education.

Hasan was charged with joining a terrorist cell, possession of explosive devices, weapons and ammunition, military training, receiving and delivering money from the terrorist cell, and arson.

On 15 January 2023, the First High Criminal Court sentenced Hasan to 3 years in prison in a mass trial involving twelve defendants in a case known as “Al-Ashtar Brigades”. The sentence was upheld by the court of appeal on 29 May 2023.

Recently, Hassan, along with several other political prisoners, has been suffering from scabies due to the policy of medical negligence. He has also contracted the coronavirus three times and is experiencing the spread of warts on his hands and toothache. Despite that, he has not received proper medical treatment.

Hasan’s treatment by the Bahraini authorities through his arbitrary arrest and torture violates international law, particularly the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), of which Bahrain is a party. Additionally, the lack of medical care during his imprisonment is a violation of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners or the Nelson Mandela Rules. In this regard, ADHRB calls on Bahrain to fulfill its human rights obligations by releasing Hasan unconditionally. ADHRB also urges the authorities to investigate allegations of torture and ill-treatment that he has faced at the hands of prison officials and hold them accountable. We also call on Bahrain to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners.

The post Profile in Persecution: Hasan Ali Rashed appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Ahmed Jasim Mohamed was warrantlessly arrested in 2017, tortured, and sentenced to life imprisonment in an unfair trial. He is currently serving his sentence in Jau Prison and has been held incommunicado since August.

On 13 July 2017, Ahmed’s house was surrounded by at least 10 armored jeeps at 3 a.m., and riot forces and officers in civilian clothes forced an entry into the house with no search or arrest warrant. They videotaped the search and confiscated personal belongings. They arrested Ahmed and his cousin, later releasing his cousin only. Two hours after his arrest, Ahmed called his family to tell them that he was at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).

Ahmed was placed in a cell with other detainees, and they were all forced to take off their clothes. Officers proceeded to beat, kick, and insult them. Ahmed’s lawyer was not permitted to attend the interrogation, and Ahmed eventually confessed under torture, with his confession being broadcasted on state TV. He had been forcibly disappeared for two weeks following his arrest, after which he called his family and informed them that he was transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Center. Two months after the arrest, Ahmed was able to meet his family for the first time, and traces of torture were still evident on different parts of his body.

Ahmed was sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of financing terrorism. During his transfer to Jau Prison, he was beaten and spit on by the prison guards during his entry. In prison, Ahmed has suffered from medical negligence during a scabies outbreak in 2019, where prisoners would be threatened upon their request to be taken to the clinic and would not receive effective medication even when taken to the clinic. The administration did not allow for hygienic products and cotton clothes to be brought in for him to alleviate his condition. While he was healthy before his imprisonment, he now suffers from different conditions. Since 25 August 2022, Ahmed’s contact with his family has been cut off, where his family has no knowledge of his situation despite pleas to authorities.

Ahmed’s warrantless arrest, torture, and unjust trial constitute a direct violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention Against Torture, which Bahrain is signatory to. Thus, ADHRB demands that Ahmed be immediately and unconditionally released and that his allegations of torture be impartially investigated to hold perpetrators accountable.

The post Profile in Persecution: Ahmed Jasim Mohamed appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Sheikh Abduljalil Al-Muqdad is a prominent 62-year-old Bahraini religious cleric and political activist who has been serving a life sentence at Jau Prison since 2011, when he was warrantlessly and violently arrested in relation to pro-democracy demonstrations in the country.

On 27 March 2011, security officers who did not identify themselves raided Sheikh Abduljalil’s house at 3 a.m., raising their weapons at him. They took him from his room, threatened him and tied his hands behind his back in the hall of the house while they searched it. The officers did not present the arrest and search warrants. Next, they took him outside barefoot despite a pain in his left foot due to an injury. Sheikh Abduljalil was placed in the car, blindfolded, and taken to an unknown location.

When he was taken out of the car he was slapped and then officers interrogated him late into the night. In the morning, they brought him to Al-Qurain Prison. He was not permitted to contact a lawyer, and was only allowed to call his family for new clothes.

At the prison and during interrogation, officers brutally tortured Sheikh Abduljalil. They beat him, insulted him, put him on the ground, and whipped him with a leather belt or a sole after they poured water on him. One of the officers forced him to open his mouth, spat in it, and forced him to swallow. These  violations continued at the Military Prosecution, where officers blindfolded him and punched him in the head. At the National Security Agency, officers also verbally abused Sheikh Abduljalil, blindfolded and sexually assaulted him, and insulted him, his family, and his religious sect.

On 22 June 2011, the National Safety Court sentenced Sheikh Abduljalil to life imprisonment for attempting to overthrow the regime. Both the military and civilian Courts of Appeal upheld the sentence on 28 September 2011 and on 4 September 2012, respectively.

During imprisonment, officers continued their abuse, mainly through intentional medical negligence. Sheikh Abduljalil, still suffering from pain in his leg, has also been forced to endure back pain and has not received serious treatment or obtained an accurate diagnosis despite constant demands. Furthermore, Sheikh Abduljalil has suffered from severe and persistent headaches which also have gone untreated.

Recently, in September 2022, Sheikh Abduljalil was transferred to an external medical facility in a vehicle that was not equipped with air conditioning despite the extreme temperature at the time. He suffered from a headache, had difficulty breathing, and feared that he would lose consciousness.

On 27 September 2022, Sheikh Abduljalil was due to be transferred again from Jau Prison for an external medical appointment. However, just before the appointment, an officer informed him that a doctor will not be present. Consequently, Sheikh Abduljalil refused to go to the appointment. Officers told him that he had to sign a statement declaring that he is rejecting medical treatment, something which Sheikh Abduljalil refused to do. His refusal was met with an aggressive response from some officers who verbally assaulted him; approximately 4 to 5 officers attempted to beat him but were stopped by other officers.

When this incident was publicized, with supporters inside and outside prison expressing solidarity with Sheikh Abduljalil, authorities sought revenge against Sheikh Abduljalil instead of launching impartial investigations to hold the officers accountable. Sheikh Abduljalil was taken to the Public Prosecution office to be questioned as the assailant rather than the victim. A wooden board he usually sleeps on to alleviate pain was also taken away as a form of reprisal.

The medical negligence and abuse that Sheikh Abduljalil has endured during imprisonment represent a violation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners upheld by the United Nations. Furthermore, Bahrain has also violated international treaties which the country has ratified, including the Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which stipulate that prisoners be treated with dignity. Finally, Sheikh Abduljalil’s initial arrest and imprisonment in connection to his political activism, alongside the violations he suffered during interrogation and trial under military court, render him arbitrarily detained.

Under these circumstances, ADHRB calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Sheikh Abduljalil and other political prisoners. Furthermore, ADHRB urges the authorities to provide proper medical treatment and sanitary conditions in prison, in addition to effectively investigating incidents of mistreatment and reprisal.

The post Profile in Persecution: Sheikh Abduljalil Radhi Maki (Al-Muqdad) appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Husain Ali Khairalla was only 16 years old when officers from Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior arrested him on political motivations in 2015. He was consequently tortured and convicted in several unfair trials. He is currently serving his sentence in Jau Prison.

On 24 May 2015, Husain, still a high school student, was arrested in Bani Jamra, where riot police surrounded him and threw him to the ground, mocking him after his fall. At midnight, riot police and masked officers in civilian clothing raided his house, threatening his family members at gun point. Neither a search warrant nor an arrest warrant was presented throughout this. He had been wanted for two years prior to his arrest on the basis of political cases.

Husain was taken to AlKhayyala police station where he was subjected to torture that lasted for two weeks and was so severe to the point where Husain had blood in his urine. His other physical injuries from his arrest also went untreated. During this process he was either completely prevented from communicating with his family or was only granted brief calls of a few seconds. He was only allowed to see his family one month after his arrest. At no point in the interrogation process was he allowed access to a lawyer or, at any other point during his initial court sentencing.

Husain was sentenced to a prison term of more than 100 years in several cases. He was not allowed to adequately prepare for trial, meet him lawyer, or challenge evidence raised against him, and he was promptly brought before a judge. For the first four years of his imprisonment, Husain was kept in New Dry Dock Prison for young convicts. After turning 21, he was transferred to Jau Prison.

After this transfer he was again denied visits with his family, this time under the pretext of the Coronavirus pandemic. He tested positive for the Coronavirus when it spread in prison, and he informed his family of the infection. He was in Building 12 and was moved to Building 20. At this time, he demanded, along with other prisoners, to be moved to a different ward; they were being kept with prisoners with contagious diseases and psychological disorders and wanted to be with other political prisoners. This demand only resulted in prison authorities denying them phone calls and yard visits for 22 days.

Husain’s basic human rights were violated by authorities throughout his arrest, trials, interrogation, and imprisonment. His warrantless arrest, disappearance, torture, and denial of access to his lawyer and family constitute a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention Against Torture, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, considering the fact that he was a minor at the time of his arrest. As such, ADHRB demands that Husain be immediately and unconditionally released and that his allegations of torture are impartially investigated to hold perpetrators accountable.

The post Profile in Persecution: Husain Ali Khairalla appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Jaafar Habib Kadhem, a 16-year-old Bahraini student, was arrested and sentenced to one year in prison for participating in peaceful demonstrations against Bahrain’s normalization with the Israeli occupation. Despite being a minor, officers arrested and interrogated him alone. He is currently serving his sentence at the New Dry Dock Prison.

Before his arrest, Jaafar was summoned various times due to his participation in peaceful protests. In February or March 2022, officers from Hamad Town Roundabout 17 police station summoned Jaafar by phone several times to interrogate him over charges of participation in peaceful demonstrations and writing on walls and roads. After going to the station, he was transferred to the Public Prosecution Office, where he was questioned without the presence of a guardian or lawyer. He was released later that day at 11 pm. He was summoned again a couple of days later to the Roundabout 17 police station where he was questioned about his participation in a peaceful demonstration in Manama, also without a guardian or lawyer. Later, he signed a pledge and was transferred to AlQudaibiya police station where he signed another pledge. His father also signed pledges to bring him in when he is summoned.

On 16 June 2022, his parents received a call from Al-Khamis Police Station requesting that Jaafar be brought to the station for investigation only. The officers said he would not be detained and there is no arrest warrant for him since he is a minor, and they only want to talk to him. Jaafar’s father took him to the station at around 8 am where he was questioned alone. The officers then asked his father to leave, indicating that they will call him later. At about 2 pm, Jaafar called his father and informed him that he had been transferred to the Public Prosecution and AlQalaa for examinations, after which he would be detained and transferred to New Dry Dock Prison.

Jaafar had been convicted on 31 May 2022, in absentia, on charges of possessing and manufacturing flammable or explosive canisters to be used in endangering people’s lives as well as public and private funds and participating in a public assembly of more than five people intended to commit crimes and disturb public security. He was sentenced to one-year imprisonment and a five-hundred-Bahraini-Dinar fine.

The arrest of a minor, without an arrest warrant, as well as their interrogation without a guardian or lawyer constitutes a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which Bahrain is a party. It also constitutes a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.. As such, Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain calls on the government of Bahrain to release all political prisoners, including Jaafar, since he has been arbitrarily detained in connection to his exercise of the right to freedom of assembly. ADHRB also calls on the government to uphold its responsibilities towards minors and abide by international law and conventions.

The post Profile in Persecution: Jaafar Habib Kadhem appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Sayed Ali was an 18-year-old student when he was arrested in a house raid in June 2022, and he had been previously arrested multiple times, for participating in a peaceful demonstration condemning the normalization agreement between Bahrain and the Israeli occupation. He was denied his due process and fair trial rights, and he is currently serving his sentence in New Dry Dock Prison.

Sayed Ali had been arrested for the first time at 17, on 7 October 2021, when multiple army vehicles raided his house. He was transferred from his house to Hamad Town Roundabout police station, and he was questioned from the morning until late at night without his lawyer or guardian, as he was still a minor, and he was not allowed to present any evidence. He was interrogated regarding a peaceful demonstration against normalization in Aali, where he lives. He was released after signing a pledge not to participate in assemblies or riots again.

Sayed Ali was arrested again on 13 June 2022, when officers in civilian clothing and riot police raided the house at 4:30 am. Some spread on the rooftop of the house, while others were knocking on the door violently. When the door was opened, an officer in civilian clothing grabbed Sayed Ali by his hand and neck. They did not present an arrest warrant and when asked about the reason for his arrest, stated that he had been sentenced in a rioting case.

The next day, Sayed Ali called his mother and told her that he was in Khamis police station and would be transferred to the 17^th Roundabout station for detention and then to the New Dry Dock Prison for young convicts. There, he was held in a cell alone for two days, then other defendants in the same case were brought into the cell. He would be allowed out of his cell twice a day for one hour. His family has not been able to visit him on the pretext of COVID-19 regulations.

On 31 May 2022, Sayed Ali had been sentenced, along with five other youths from the same area, to a year in prison and a fine of 500 Bahraini Dinars in absentia, on charges of manufacturing and possessing flammable canisters and participating in an illegal assembly. He was convicted in absentia because neither he nor his lawyer attended the court sessions. This case was in connection to the demonstration protesting the normalization agreement in Aali.

Bahrain’s imprisonment of Sayed Ali for practicing his right to freedom of expression and assembly in opposing the normalization agreement violates international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Bahrain is a party to. ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by releasing all individuals imprisoned for peaceful political activism, including Sayed Ali, immediately and unconditionally.

The post Profile in Persecution: Sayed Ali Mustafa Hasan appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Jasim Mohamed AlAjwaid is a 25-year-old Bahraini who was arrested at the age of 18, tortured, forcibly disappeared, and sentenced in several unfair trials. He is currently serving a 37-year sentence in Jau Prison.

Jasim was arrested in the early hours of 22 February 2015 when officers in civilian clothes arrived  in civilian cars to the farm where he was sleeping with his friend and proceeded to torture him with beatings and electric shocks for two hours until riot police showed up and put him on a 16-passenger bus. No arrest warrant was presented. Jasim had been wanted for 3 years, and his house was raided repeatedly throughout this period. His sister was threatened with arrest for objecting to the house raids .

Jasim was forcibly disappeared for an entire week where he lost contact with his family who was not informed of his whereabouts despite their communication with the CID, which denied knowing his location. However, during the interrogation, Jasim was in fact taken to the CID and subjected to torture for a whole week without the presence of a lawyer. He was beaten severely, forced to stand for long hours and deprived of sleep. He was completely undressed, and they chained his legs from top to bottom. Furthermore, interrogation officers threatened to harm Jasim’s wife. He was subjected to electric shocks in sensitive places, in addition to constant insults and cursing. Since the torture during his arrest and throughout the interrogation, Jasim was being forced to confess to the charge of hiding weapons. Everytime Jasim would be taken to the PPO, he would deny the charges against him and would be returned to the CID to be tortured; this occured three times. Jasim ended up confessing in only one of the many cases against him.

Jasim was sentenced to a total sentence of 45 years, which was reduced to 37 years after appeal due to his age. He was convicted in a number of cases with a political background, and some judgments were issued in absentia. Jasim had informed the judge during one of the trials that he was coerced into confessing under torture, but the judge threatened to send him back to interrogations. Jasim was first held in New Dry Dock Prison then transferred to Jau Prison once he turned 22.

In prison, Jasim has been denied proper health care for a multitude of issues.  He suffered from chest pain as a result of the torture and being hit with an object on his chest. Jasim also contracted Coronavirus twice but did not receive the required care, products, or medication. Moreover, for the last four years, Jasim has been suffering from glands which began to appear on his feet and eventually spread to his thighs and back due to neglect, to the point where Jasim cannot sit down. Despite Jasim and his family’s demands, he has yet to receive proper medical treatment.

Furthermore, Jasim has been subjected to physical and psychological mistreatment in prison. In one incident, he was beaten for three consecutive days, whereby officers would check his body routinely, and when they would not find any marks, they would continue beating him. When he was transferred to Jau Prison upon turning 22, an officer threatened to drug him. Additionally, over the years, Jasim has been denied visits without reason, with an officer threatening to deprive him of visits according to his mood.

Bahrain’s actions against Jasim violate international law, including the Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, in terms of his arrest without warrant, torture, and interrogation without a lawyer. ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by annulling Jasim’s convictions and ensuring that any subsequent retrial is consistent with due process and fair trial rights. ADHRB additionally urges the authorities to investigate claims of torture and ill-treatment by prison officials, to hold those officials accountable, and to provide Jasim with adequate and timely medical care.

The post Profile in Persecution: Jasim Mohamed AlAjwaid appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Yusuf Ahmed Kadhem, a 21-year-old political prisoner, has been arrested several times on various charges pertaining to his political activism and participation in peaceful demonstrations. He was last arrested in June 2022 and is currently serving his sentence at Jau Prison.

Yusuf was first arrested on 23 September 2018, and he was detained for three months. He faced charges of illegal assembly, rioting, and manufacturing explosives and was sentenced to one year in prison. However, the execution of the sentence was suspended, and he was released after the trial. On 12 February 2019, Yusuf was arrested a second time from his house. He was detained in the Central Investigation Department (CID) for 20 days, after which he was transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Center. He was tried in two different cases with the first being illegal assembly and rioting, and the second a Highway bombing. He was sentenced to one year for the former case and two years for the latter. He was imprisoned for two years and two months and released under alternative sentencing in April 2021.

Yusuf was arrested for the third time on 7 October 2021. Officers summoned Yusuf on the evening of October 6 through a phone call to appear at the 17 Roundabout police station for questioning without mentioning the reasons. However, he was detained for one night and taken to Dry Dock Detention Center on the next day, where he was detained for three months on charges of opposing the normalization agreement between the Bahraini government and the Israeli occupation. He was then released as the trial continued.

The fourth and final arrest took place on 13 June 2022. At 4:30 in the morning, security forces raided the house, along with officers wearing civilian clothes and two women in civilian clothing. Some of the arresting forces were wearing masks in green jackets which read “Security accompanied by riot forces”. When the parents opened the door, they told Yusuf: “Come with us. You know you’ve been sentenced to a year in prison. You served 3 months in custody, and there are 9 months left. You can apply for alternative sentencing.” They handed over the arrest warrant to his father. This occurred after the First High Criminal Court had sentenced him in absentia to one year’s imprisonment on 31 May 2022 on charges of illegal assembly and rioting on 7 October 2021 and possession of flammable devices in an attempt to object to the normalization agreement between the Israeli occupation and Bahraini government. Yusuf missed court sessions because he couldn’t leave his job out of fear of being fired. The family filed for an appeal on 26 June 2022.

Yusuf’s family believes he did not mention the details of his torture and mistreatment out of fear for their feelings. Furthermore, Yusuf did not have access to a lawyer at any point of the interrogation, investigation, and trial.

Bahrain’s conviction of Yusuf for practicing his right to freedom of expression and assembly by opposing the normalization as well as the previous legal procedures against him on the grounds of illegal assembly violate international law, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Bahrain is a party to. Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners, including Yusuf. ADHRB also calls on the government of Bahrain to take the necessary measures to ensure that all prisoners have a fair and impartial trial.

The post Profile in Persecution: Yusuf Ahmed Kadhem appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Sheikh Mohamed Habib al-Miqdad, a prominent Bahraini-Swedish social activist and religious figure, is currently still serving his prison sentence at Jau prison. He is a member of the prominent Bahrain 13, a group of activists who were arrested for their participation and leading role in the 2011 pro-democracy protests. Sheikh Mohamed was tortured and abused following his arrest and is still suffering the repercussions to this day.

Sheikh Mohamed was first arrested in August 2010, prior to the 2011 protests, for criticizing the government. He was facing charges for practicing his right to freedom of expression. During the arrest, officers tortured Sheikh Mohamed severely. They electrocuted him and left him in solitary confinement for 2 months. During the trial, he was able to show more than 50 traces of electric shocks on his body and presented evidence that a member of the royal family also tortured him. He was also forcibly disappeared and wasn’t able to contact his family or lawyer.

Sheikh Mohamed was later released in late February 2011, only to be arrested a month later, on 1 April 2011, for criticizing the government during protests. Between 50 to 60 National Security officers in civilian clothing arrested Sheikh Mohamed from the house he was staying in, without presenting an arrest warrant. They dragged him, stripped him naked, and beat him all over his body while he attempted to protect himself. They also verbally abused and insulted him. He was then transferred to the al-Qalaa Prison, an underground prison. During his transportation, officers also abused and insulted him.

During interrogations, officers abused and severely tortured Sheikh Mohamed further. They hung him upside down and beat his legs and the soles of his feet with hoses for many hours. They also made him sit naked for extended periods of time and deprived him of sleep. They sexually assaulted him with sticks. Officers also forced Sheikh Mohammed to gargle with his own urine after he was taken to a hospital for treatment. Moreover, they electrocuted his whole body and his genitals. Prison officials spat in Sheikh Mohamed’s mouth and forced him to swallow. They also forced him to kiss their shoes and pictures of the king. Due to the intensity of the torture, he used to lose consciousness. When that happened, officers would spray him with water so he would wake up. Sheikh Mohamed  would wake up terrified and surrounded by officers.

Sheikh Mohamed was able to identify some of the officers who tortured him. He also stated that a member of the royal family participated in the torture. On the second day after his arrest, he was handcuffed and blindfolded, when Nasser Bin Hamad, the king’s son, beat him and tortured him. He beat him violently on the right side of his head and dropped him to the ground. When fell to the ground, officers would lift him and beat him “until blood ran all over his body”.

Before his court hearing, officers tortured Sheikh Mohamed to force him to remain silent about the ill-treatment he was subjected to while held in detention. He was not allowed to meet with his lawyer before the trial, and during the court session, he was not permitted to speak. Furthermore, his request for an interview with the judges beforehand was dismissed.  On 22 June 2011, Sheikh Mohammed was sentenced to a total of 68 years in prison on charges of inciting attacks on policemen during sermons given in the Pearl Roundabout, plotting to overthrow the Bahraini monarchical government, and establishing a terrorist organization abroad. The Swedish government has tried to meet with Sheikh Mohammed, but Bahrain does not recognize his dual citizenship.

In 2013, Sheikh Mohammed was admitted to the hospital due to severe stomach pains as well as difficulty ingesting food. The symptoms began a year prior to the hospitalization, but the authorities reportedly refused to provide him with proper medical treatment. The doctors ruled that the pain was a direct result of the severe torture and injuries to his abdomen and stated that he must undergo further testing. His stomach pain was left to worsen for years due to medical negligence. In 2018, it was reported that the pain in his stomach was severe and led to vomiting.

Furthermore, Sheikh Mohamed is also still suffering from complications in his head and leg due to the torture. However, officers have neglected his condition and he has not yet received the proper treatment. As of February 2021, Sheikh Mohamed was in urgent need of an operation for his hernia, heart surgery, and a urology examination. However, authorities have denied him the needed treatment, using the Covid-19 pandemic as an excuse. After two years of suffering, he finally underwent these surgeries on 24 February 2021.

The torture and abuse Sheikh Mohamed endured during interrogation is a clear violation of the Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which Bahrain is a party to. Moreover, he is arbitrarily detained since his arrest and sentencing are the direct result of his exercise of the right to freedom of expression and assembly. Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Sheikh Mohamed. ADHRB also condemns the torture that political prisoners endure and calls upon the government of Bahrain to respect international law and standards and hold perpetrators accountable. Finally, ADHRB demands the government to uphold its responsibilities and provide Sheikh Mohamed with the required medical treatment.

The post Profile in Persecution: Sheikh Mohamed Habib al-Miqdad appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Salman Ali Hassan, a 20-year-old student at an industrial school, was arrested without a warrant in September 2021. After being tortured and forced to confess under duress to the charge of burning an ATM, Salman was sentenced in an unfair trial. Salman is currently serving his sentence in New Dry Dock Prison.

On 12 September 2021, after leaving a funeral procession, civilian vehicles intercepted the car Salman was in, at a red light. Armed individuals in civilian clothing who did not indicate that they belonged to the Ministry of Interior exited the vehicles, opened the doors of the cars, and forcibly removed Salman and others from the car, without presenting an arrest warrant. They placed each individual in a separate car and took them to the plainclothes officers’ assembly point, after which they took them to an unknown location. The individuals arrested were distributed on different buses that headed to their respective homes which were then subjected to raids.

Plainclothes officers and riot police forces raided Salman’s house without presenting a search warrant. Salman’s parents were not informed of the reason for his arrest. They searched his room while video recording and confiscated 2 bags with his clothes, some books, and pictures of Sheikh Ali Salman and Sheikh Isa Qassem. After the raid ended, they took Salman to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) in Adliya and then to AlQalaa Hospital to undergo some routine examinations.

Afterward, he was returned to the CID where officers handcuffed and blindfolded him. They only allowed him to use the bathroom with handcuffs on. Officers prevented him from praying and beat him with their hands and feet. The interrogator threatened to frame Salman in more serious cases if he did not confess to the charges against him. They tortured him psychologically and physically by holding him for long hours. Salman was supposed to be taken to AlHidd police station in the evening to sleep and rest, but they only took him there for a few minutes to sign in and would be taken back to the investigation building. Officers put him in a very cold closed room, with the air-conditioning on all the time. The tiles in the room were ceramic, and he slept on them without a mattress, handcuffed and blindfolded. Under torture, Salman confessed to the charges against him, and, at the Public Prosecution Office, he was told to only repeat what he had confessed to.

Salman was interrogated without his lawyer. While he was allowed to call his family on the first day of his arrest to inform them of his whereabouts, he was threatened not to tell them anything else, and contact was cut off for the rest of the interrogation period. His family has not been able to visit him under the pretext of the Coronavirus pandemic, despite the fact that preventive measures are not being taken in the overcrowded and closed cells Salman was held in. After the investigation, Salman and the rest of the accused were taken to the ATM in AlDair, which is the alleged crime scene. Under threats of weapons as well as death threats, they had to act out the charges they were accused of, which is the burning of the ATM. The prosecutor witnessed this coercion.

On 28 February 2022, the First High Criminal Court sentenced Salman to 15 years in prison, with a fine of 100,000 Bahraini dinars, on the charges of burning the ATM of the National Bank of Bahrain and practicing terrorist activities by receiving funds and tools. Salman had no access to his lawyer and was not allowed to adequately prepare for trial. He had asked to see a doctor as a result of the torture he endured. The authorities provided a doctor, who lightly examined him for no more than a minute.  While a complaint was raised to the SIU regarding the torture he was subjected to, there was no outcome. The confession Salman gave under torture was used to convict him.

During his imprisonment at the New Dry Dock Prison for juveniles, authorities placed Salman in Building 16 which is the quarantine building. Officers mistreated him when he asked the prison administration when they would be transferred to Building 17. They threatened to keep him in quarantine for his entire sentence. Moreover, since visits are suspended, prisoners can have video calls with family members. However, prisoners are not able to have any privacy during these calls, since the guards can see the screen and hear what is being said. When Salman asks officers not to look because a woman is on the video, they refuse and yell at him.

Salman’s arbitrary detention and torture are clear violations of the Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which Bahrain is a party to. As such, Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Bahraini authorities to release Salman, who was denied a fair trial and due process rights and tortured into confessing, and ensure that any retrial meets international standards of a fair trial. Furthermore, ADHRB urges the relevant authorities to effectively and impartially investigate Salman’s allegations of torture and mistreatment.

The post Profile in Persecution: Salman Ali Hassan appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Fadhel Sayed Abbas Radhi, a 30-year-old political prisoner, is currently serving a life sentence in AlQurain Prison, Bahrain. He was arbitrarily detained, forcibly disappeared, and sentenced to death; this sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment. In prison, Fadhel is suffering from mistreatment and various violations.

On 26 September 2016, at dawn, Bahraini riot police and security officers in civilian dress arrested Fadhel from his home in Hamad Town. The officers searched his house and arrested Fadhel without presenting any warrants. They did not even provide the reasons behind his arrest. He was then forcibly disappeared for a year and two months during which he was only allowed to make six phone calls. Officers closely monitored the phone calls, and Fadhel was not allowed to disclose his location. During his pretrial detention, officers physically and psychologically tortured Fadhel and kept him in solitary confinement. Moreover, authorities refrained from providing his family with the charges he’s facing, only saying he is accused in a terrorism case.

Fadhel was among the 17 civilians tried before the Bahraini High Military Court for the first time since 2011. The military courts are known for the lack of fair trials, opacity, and acceptance of torture-induced confessions. The defendants were charged with forming a terrorist cell and plotting to assassinate a military official, the Bahrain Defense Forces’ Commander-in-Chief. Some defendants in the trial were prevented from meeting with a lawyer until the third hearing in November 2017. The court rejected the defense counsel requests to re-examine suspects, question anonymous witnesses, and allow the defendants to speak during the initial appeal.

On 25 December 2017, the court found Fadhel guilty and sentenced him to death for the assassination attempt, along with 15 years of imprisonment. He was also stripped of his nationality. On 21 February 2018, the High Military Court of Appeals upheld Fadhel’s death sentence and prison term. Finally, on 25 April 2018, Bahrain’s highest military court, the Military Court of Cassation, rejected the final appeal to overturn the sentences. However, the King commuted Fadhel’s sentence to life imprisonment.

While in prison, Fadhel has faced many violations and has been denied medical treatment. Although in good health during the first 3 years, Fadhel started feeling pain in his back resulting from the abuse during his arrest. Despite the pain he was suffering, officers refused to attend to his medical condition, violating his right to medical treatment. After his continuous demands, Fadhel was taken to the military hospital where he was diagnosed with a herniated disc and underwent surgery. However, the administration has denied him the required medical treatment after his surgery, including a medical bed and medication. Furthermore, his condition requires physiotherapy sessions, or it could deteriorate further. Authorities denied him this treatment, and only after continuous demands and follow-ups did they agree to take him, two years after his operation. Fadhel underwent only one session, and authorities have not yet taken him to another session. As a result of this maltreatment, Fadhel announced a hunger and contact strike to protest the abuse and medical negligence on 22 March 2022, during his last call with his family.  The last visit he received was on 24 February 2022, and the family has not received any call from him since March, meaning that his strike is currently ongoing.

Fadhel’s arbitrary arrest, forced disappearance, torture and trial in the military court are clear violations of the Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which Bahrain is a party to. The government’s actions also explicitly violate recommendations that Bahrain accepted as part of its United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, which called on the authorities to ensure that civilians are never again tried in military courts. Additionally, Fadhel’s denial of medical treatment in prison constitutes a violation of the Mandela Rules.

Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) urges the Bahraini government to repeal the constitutional amendment allowing the trial of civilians before the military court and hold a retrial for Fadhel before a civilian court, adhering to international standards of a fair trial. Moreover, ADHRB calls for an independent investigation into Fadhel’s allegations of torture and enforced disappearance, to hold perpetrators accountable. Finally, ADHRB demands that authorities meet Fadhel’s demands for adequate medical treatment so that he ends his strike.

The post Profile in Persecution: Fadhel Sayed Abbas Radhi appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Mohamed AlMutaghawi is a 33-year-old political prisoner who had been arbitrarily arrested at a protest in 2017, forcibly disappeared, and sentenced to death, later commuted to life imprisonment, in an unfair trial before the military court. He is currently serving his sentence in AlQurain Prison, where he continues to suffer from mistreatment.

On 23 May 2017, Interior Ministry police forces arrested Mohamed without presenting a warrant during a peaceful protest in Duraz. His family only learned of his arrest the following day when the Ministry of Interior published a statement regarding the suppression of the protest, sharing Mohamed’s pictures as one of the individuals arrested. In fact, Mohamed was only able to contact his family on 27 July 2017, in a call that lasted a few minutes, where he seemed apprehensive and did not disclose his whereabouts or wellbeing. As a result, Mohamed was forcibly disappeared for seven months, as his whereabouts were unknown until the trial. During his detention, officers allegedly subjected Mohamed to torture.

Mohamed was among the 17 civilians tried before the Bahraini High Military Court for the first time since 2011. The military courts are known for a lack of fair trials, opacity, and acceptance of torture-induced confessions. The defendants were charged with forming a terrorist cell and plotting to assassinate a military official, the Bahrain Defense Forces’ Commander-in-Chief. Some defendants in the trial were prevented from meeting with a lawyer until the third hearing in November 2017, and the court rejected defense counsel requests to re-examine suspects, question anonymous witnesses, and allow the defendants to speak during the initial appeal.

On 25 December 2017, the court found Mohamed guilty and sentenced him to death for the assassination attempt as well as 15 years of imprisonment. He was also stripped of his nationality. On 21 February 2018, the High Military Court of Appeals upheld Mohamed’s death sentence and prison term. Finally, on 25 April 2018, Bahrain’s highest military court, the Military Court of Cassation, rejected the final appeal to overturn the sentences. However, the King commuted Mohamed’s sentence to life imprisonment. Additionally, in 2019, Mohamed was sentenced to 10 years in prison in relation to his participation in the Duraz demonstration, on charges of inciting hatred against the government, unlawful assembly for the purpose of committing crimes, and attacking a public servant

In AlQurain Prison, Mohamed is only allowed one weekly phone call and one monthly visit. Although, from February 2020 until July 2021, visits were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Officers monitor the visits and calls closely. Mohamed is not allowed video calls but only regular voice calls. This falls within the authorities’ efforts to isolate Mohamed and his cellmates. They have no access to Television or any other form of connection with the outside world. Mohamed’s interaction is also limited to his cellmates, and they are not allowed to interact with other inmates.

Mohamed’s arbitrary arrest, forced disappearance, torture and trial in the military court are clear violations of the Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which Bahrain is a party to. The government’s actions also explicitly violate recommendations that Bahrain accepted as part of its United Nations (UN) Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, which called on the authorities to ensure that civilians are never again tried in military courts.

Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) urges the Bahraini government to repeal the constitutional amendment allowing the trial of civilians before the military court and hold a retrial for Mohamed before a civilian court, adhering to international standards of a fair trial. Moreover, ADHRB calls for an independent investigation into Mohamed’s allegations of torture and enforced disappearance, to hold perpetrators accountable. Finally, ADHRB demands that Mohamed is guaranteed all rights granted to prisoners and is allowed to engage with other inmates and the outside world through different forms of media, as stipulated in the Mandela Rules.

The post Profile in Persecution: Mohamed AlMutaghawi appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Dr. Abduljalil AlSingace is a prominent Bahraini human rights activist and former university professor and engineer, serving his life sentence in Jau Prison since 2011. Dr. Abduljalil was arrested and tortured by security officers following his participation in the 2011 pro-democracy protests at the age of 49 and charged with plotting to topple the government. Dr. Abduljalil is currently on a hunger strike which has lasted over 9 months, protesting the unjust and inhumane treatment in prison.

On 17 March 2011, around 48 officers, some masked and in civilian clothing, arrested Dr. Abduljalil from his house without presenting an arrest warrant. Some of the officers were heard speaking in a Saudi accent. They dragged him in his “underwear and without his glasses”, holding him at gunpoint. Officers reportedly beat him inside his house and on the street. Then, they took him to a police station for a few hours, and then moved him to AlQurain military prison where he was detained.

During his interrogation, Dr. Abduljalil was subjected to physical and psychological abuse. He was blindfolded and handcuffed, and officers brutally beat him. They hit his head with their fists and batons, and sexually assaulted him. Officer also forced him to lick their shoes and stand for long periods despite his medical condition. Dr. Abduljalil has suffered from several chronic illnesses since his youth, including post-polio syndrome and a musculoskeletal condition, which has required him to use a wheelchair or crutches to walk. Officers would force him to stand without crutches and kick him on his good leg until he fell. He was also placed in solitary confinement for 2 months and was given very little food, which caused him to lose 10 kgs. His cell was very small, with no light and cold temperature. Moreover, officers would  verbally abuse him by cursing and degrading him, telling him he does not deserve to live. They also threatened him and threatened to rape his daughter and wife.

As a result of the torture, Dr. Abduljalil gave a false confession and was sentenced to life imprisonment by the military National Safety Court in June 2011 on the charge of attempting to overthrow the government. He was imprisoned in Jau Prison where his health has deteriorated due to mistreatment.

During his imprisonment, Dr. Abduljalil continued to experience discomfort in his left shoulder and pain in his left rib due to the beating he endured from the officers. Furthermore, his carpal tunnel syndrome further deteriorated because he was forced to stand on his leg with his hands raised and cuffed. His vision also deteriorated after being deprived of his glasses for over a month.  The prison administration has  denied him access to the appropriate medical treatment. This medical negligence included withholding his prescriptions including medical devices. In June 2021, Jau Prison administration refused to replace the rubber padding on his crutches, and therefore, he was forced to use the worn-out ones that are uncomfortable and made him slip repeatedly  . Only after much international advocacy did the authorities accept to replace the paddings.

Dr. Abduljalil’s health has been further jeopardized by the hunger strikes that he has gone on throughout his imprisonment, to protest against the degrading and harsh practices and restrictions implemented by authorities. On 8 July 2021, Dr. Abduljalil started a hunger strike to protest the confiscation of a book he had been working on for four year, which focused on Bahraini culture and dialects.

After 286 days, Dr. Abduljalil’s strike is still ongoing, and his health has deteriorated significantly. He was taken to a hospital then transferred to Kanoo medical center. In the center, he is experiencing headaches, vertigo episodes, and shortness of breath. His hands are unusually cold and swollen, and he had to be given an oxygen mask after his oxygen levels dropped. He has lost over 20 kilograms, and his blood sugar level has dropped to 2 mmol/L. Dr. Abduljalil’s hunger strike currently involves drinking tea, milk, and sugar, along with salts and water. However, authorities have further reduced the portions of sugar provided to him under the pretense of a shortage. Doctors have neglected his situation, visiting him only once per 2 or 3 weeks, and his request for painkillers was being delayed.

Dr. Abduljalil has refused to end this strike, even after the officers said they would return the book if he does. He has agreed to end the strike only when authorities meet his demands, which include giving his family his new passport and ID, allowing him to have a video call to meet his newborn grandchild which he is being denied, providing him with medication prescribed by doctors which are available outside Salmaniya Hospital and AlKanoo Center, handing over the MRI images taken at the military hospital, providing him with crutches and a warm water bottle for his back, allowing him to receive pictures of his family, and handing over the research to his family.

The arbitrary arrest of Abduljalil, the torture and abuse he endured, and the restrictions imposed in prison are clear violations of the Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), both of which Bahrain is party to. His right to life, enshrined in Article 6 of the ICCPR, has been undermined not only by the medical negligence he has faced over the years, but also by his worsening situation as the administration continues to refuse to meet the demands of his hunger strike. Furthermore, the treatment and conditions in prison are a clear violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain calls on Bahraini authorities to engage with the United Nations Special Procedures Offices in light of the Joint Allegation Letters issued in November and December 2021 and meet their requests. Furthermore, ADHRB demands that authorities immediately and unconditionally release Dr. Abduljalil, who was imprisoned due to his peaceful human rights activism, investigate allegations of torture and mistreatment to hold perptrators accountable, and ensure that Dr. Abduljalil receives adequate and timely medical treatment.

The post Profile in Persecution: Dr. Abduljalil AlSingace appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

AbdulHadi Al-Khawaja, a prominent Danish-Bahraini human rights activist, has been serving his life sentence at Jau Prison since 2011. AbdulHadi, who was 50 years old at the time of his arrest, was tortured and then tried in relation to his human rights activism and criticism of the government. During his imprisonment, he has been facing unfair prison regulations and different forms of reprisal.

AbdulHadi was arrested on 8 April 2011, in light of his participation in the pro-democracy demonstrations which erupted in February of that year. Around 20 police officers and masked officers in civilian clothing attacked Abdulhadi and beat him after breaking into his daughter’s house. They dragged him by his neck and inflicted many injuries, leaving a trail of blood behind. The arresting forces also attacked other members of the family.

After the arrest, Abdulhadi received a hard blow to the face, which broke his jaw. As a result, he was taken to the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) Hospital where he underwent major jaw surgery for four broken bones. Abdulhadi spent a week at the hospital, during which security personnel threatened him with sexual assault and execution, also making threats toward his wife and daughters. During the entire period, Abdulhadi was handcuffed and blindfolded.

Abdulhadi was then taken to AlQurain Prison, where he was held in solitary confinement for two months. Officers began regularly beating him only eight days after his surgery. He was subjected to severe methods of physical and psychological torture, and when he went on a hunger strike to protest this treatment, he was threatened with a nasogastric tube. He would also be beaten before and after interrogation by masked individuals in civilian clothes. As a result of these conditions, he had begun to lose sensation in part of his face, his surgical wounds were swelling, and he had lost consciousness on at least one occasion.

On 22 June 2011, the military court sentenced AbdulHadi to life imprisonment on charges of “organizing and managing a terrorist organization”, “attempt to overthrow the Government by force and in liaison with a terrorist organization working for a foreign country” and the “collection of money for a terrorist group”. When Abdulhadi had informed the judge that he was tortured and sexually abused, he was beaten, kicked, and left blindfolded in the sun for 45 minutes with his hands raised.

In Jau Prison, Abdulhadi has been denied the proper medical treatment, despite his deteriorating health. In January 2022, officers took him to the hospital for an appointment where he had to sit for 3 hours in the car and then was taken back to prison. After his constant follow-up with the officers, they took him to another appointment without informing him. On the day of the second appointment, they came 15 minutes before its scheduled time and informed AbdulHadi that it was too late for him to go. In addition, the multiple hunger strikes which AbdulHadi has gone on during his imprisonment as a result of his mistreatment have led to severe weight loss which aggravated his health conditions, leading to inflammation in his spine as a result of joint problems. The doctor has informed officers that AbdulHadi requires physiotherapy sessions. However, the officers stopped his physiotherapy sessions abruptly which also worsened his condition. Furthermore, when the doctor ordered blood tests to check for magnesium deficiency after the spasms in his leg were getting worse, officers kept delaying these tests, using COVID as an excuse.

As a result of the torture and medical negligence he has been subjected to, AbdulHadi suffers from extreme back pain because of the beating. He reported that he cannot sleep on his back for too long due to the pain. He was also left with several other health complications including vision impairments, barely being able to see in his right eye. A doctor has warned that these symptoms could lead to blindness.

Furthermore, officers in the prison have been practicing strict restrictions that were meant to isolate the prisoners, which include confiscation of belongings, and restricted access to television, radio and books. Even newspapers were limited to pro-government ones. All these are efforts to further isolate and cut the prisoners of outside information. When prisoners ask about their confiscated belongings, the officers say that they are still under investigation. They were also monitoring phone calls and canceled daily activities. AbdulHadi has complained about the strict and unfair measures and sent a letter to the Ministry of Interior. The ministry however ignored this letter and retaliated by denying him the right to make phone calls for a period of time.

The circumstances of AbdulHadi’s arrest, the severe torture he was subjected to during interrogation, and his deprivation of liberty as a result of his peaceful activism render him arbitrarily detained, as declared by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, in violation of the Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Bahrain is a party to. Moreover, the conditions of his imprisonment constitute a violation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners upheld by the United Nations. As such, ADHRB calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and other prisoners of conscience. Furthermore, ADHRB urges the authorities to provide adequate and timely medical care and allow Abdulhadi and all prisoners proper contact with their families. Finally, Bahrain should guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Bahrain are able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

The post Profile in Persecution: AbdulHadi Al-Khawaja appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Ahmed Fadhel Hobail was only 15 years old when he was summoned and then arrested in 2021. He was subjected to threats and other forms of violence throughout the process of interrogation. Ahmed is currently serving his one-year sentence in a center for orphans or children with unknown parents.

When Ahmed was first summoned in July 2021, his father went to the director of the Sitra police station, who told him that they would “shake the boy a little.” Ahmed was interrogated alone without the presence of his father or lawyer regarding charges of illegal assembly and rioting. The interrogation lasted for around 8 hours, during which he was yelled at and threatened before his release. Ahmed was later summoned several other times, and on 30 October 2021, the PPO ordered his detention for a week, but he was detained for two days, only released after his father signed several pledges.

Afterward, Ahmed’s family would receive around seven callssummoning him to appear before the prosecutor. He would be interrogated from morning until evening, without the presence of his lawyer or parents. Ahmed was threatened and yelled at, with a strong large man standing behind him to intimidate him into confessing.

On 26 December 2021, Ahmed’s father was summoned to present his son before the PPO on the next day. On 27 December, when Ahmed was taken there, he was arrested along with a group of children, and his detention was ordered for a week. Ahmed’s father went to Sitra police station three times before he was informed that his son was detained in Dar AlKarama, although he was not informed of the reason behind the arrest. On 5 January, Ahmed was transferred to Batelco Home. On 1 February, a statement issued by the Family and Child Prosecution indicated that he, along with five other children, was accused of manufacturing and using flammable devices, illegal assembly, rioting, and assaulting public and private property and persons.

Ahmed’s father was able to visit him for the first time a month and a half after his arrest on 13 February, after much campaigning and mobilisation. The entire meeting was filmed, and the father could see that Ahmed was not doing well psychologically and physically.

Ahmed did not have the chance to properly prepare for the trial nor was he allowed to have his lawyer with him during the interrogation process. The lawyer only attended the last two sessions. He was also not able to prepare evidence nor challenge the evidence presented against him. On 13 March, Ahmed was sentenced to one year in detention in a child welfare facility.

Bahraini authorities’ detention and psychological torture of Ahmed violate international law, including the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Bahrain is a party to. Additionally, Bahrain violates Articles 68 and 69 of Law No. (4) of 2021 Law on Restorative Justice for Children and Protection from Abuse which stipulates that the guardians of the detained child must be informed of every decision taken and that children who are aged 15 and under should not be held in pre-trial detention. For this reason, ADHRB calls on Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by releasing Ahmed to be with his family and continue his education, which is in his best interest and investigating allegations of mistreatment.

The post Profile in Persecution: Ahmed Fadhel Hobail appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Updated: Abduljabbar Isa Mohamed was a 20-year-old Bahraini worker at a McDonald’s when he was arrested without a warrant in November 2021. He was sentenced in a mass trial lacking fair trial procedures for a duration of ten years. Currently, Abduljabbar is suffering, along with many political prisoners, from the escalating policy of medical negligence in Jau Prison, which poses an imminent danger to the prisoners’ health.

On 22 November 2021, officers in civilian clothing and riot police arrested Abduljabbar from the street after the end of his shift in the Juffair region without presenting an arrest warrant or providing a reason for his arrest. Abduljabbar was not summoned prior to his arrest nor wanted by the authorities. His arrest was part of a series of arrests conducted by authorities on the same day in several areas such as Al-Aker, Duraz, and Nuwaidrat.

Abduljabbar was taken to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID). He was held there for two weeks, during which time he would call for a few seconds to tell his family he was in the CID and that he was alright before the call would be cut off. During interrogation, Abduljabbar was interrogated without the presence of his lawyer, and officers subjected him to severe beating, threatened to arrest his brothers, and was threatened by electric shocks and raping. They forced him to sign the investigation record prepared in advance without reading it under death threats. They also subjected him to discriminatory treatment on the basis of his sect. He was told, “let Iran benefit you.”

On the same day of the arrest, the family learned of AbdulJabbar’s transfer to  Salmaniya Hospital from a photo that circulated on social media, stating that a political prisoner was in the hospital. The next day, on 23 November 2021, Abduljabbar called his family to inform them that they transported him to Salmaniya Hospital due to the deterioration of his health after he had fallen over, and then they took him back to the CID. His treatment ended without any medications being given to him on the pretext that they were not available at the hospital. Abduljabbar had undergone an operation prior to his arrest, so he also asked the prison administration to give the medicines prescribed to him. The administration refused his request on the grounds that it was too expensive, and they also refused to allow the family to bring them in.

On 28 February 2022, a session was held in the Public Prosecution, but Abduljabbar was not taken there. He was not even aware that he had a session until he heard about it from his family at the time of his call. The family found out from the lawyer, who was denied entry to the prosecutor’s office and had to wait outside for the decision to renew Abduljabbar’s pre-trial detention for another 30 days.

In November 2022, ADHRB received reports about several political prisoners in Dry Dock, including Abduljabbar being subjected to further violations and torture methods. They were being subjected to late-night inspections and denied visits. In addition to being deprived of proper medical treatment for their health conditions, they were also being prohibited from bringing in clothes from the outside despite the clothes they get from the prison canteen causing them allergies.

The authorities charged Abduljabbar with 1) organising terrorist groups, 2) illegal assembly and rioting, 3) arson of tires in the street, and he was interrogated about training in Iraq in 2015, when he had gone there to commemorate the fortieth of Imam Husain. Abduljabbar is currently in Dry Dock Detention Center awaiting his trial.

On 15 January 2023, the First High Criminal Court sentenced Abduljabbar in absentia to 10 years in prison in a mass trial involving twelve defendants in a case known as “Al-Ashtar Brigades”. The verdict was upheld by the court of appeal on 29 May 2023.

In May 2023, as the authorities escalated their policy of medical negligence against prisoners, Abduljabbar was among the inmates whose deteriorating health conditions were documented. Abduljabbar suffers from several ailments, including kidney and gallbladder stones, colitis, and stomach discomfort. Additionally, as a result of a previous surgery, he still requires special dietary needs and regular monitoring, which he is currently deprived of. When he demanded access to proper treatment, he was transferred to solitary confinement and denied visitation rights.

Bahraini authorities’ actions against Abduljabbar, from his arrest without a warrant, to his coerced confession under torture and his arbitrary detention, violate international law, including the Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which Bahrain is a party to. Furthermore, his denial of medication and adequate medical treatment constitutes a violation of the Mandela Rules.

As such, ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by releasing Abduljabbar and all political prisoners.l. ADHRB additionally urges the authorities to investigate claims of torture and ill-treatment by prison officers to hold themaccountable, and to provide Abduljabbar with adequate medical treatment.

The post Profile in Persecution: Abduljabbar Isa Mohamed appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Updated – Faris Habib Husain, was an 18-year-old student when he was beaten and arrested without a warrant in a house raid. He was consequently tortured and subjected to fair trial violations. He is currently serving his 10-year sentence at Jau prison.

On 9 February 2021, Faris was summoned by a call to his father requesting that he be brought to the CID in Adliya. When they attended on the next day, his father was asked to sign papers without reading them and told that he and his son should go to the headquarters of the Supreme Criminal Court on the next day.

Faris and his family went to the court building on 11 February, and there, the court held its first session. Four charges were brought against him in connection with the February 2020 protests. Faris denied all the charges and was arrested on the same day then held for a month in Dry Dock Detention Center.

During his detention, Faris was subjected to several violations, including threats of raping his parents. He was interrogated and brought to the prosecution without the presence of his father or a lawyer. He was also threatened by a police officer that he would be re-arrested after he turned 18 in case he was released, as reprisal for his family filing a complaint against the police officer after he cut Faris’s hair without his consent and assaulted him. Due to the mobilization of activists and international human rights groups, Faris was released and was sentenced to 6 months of agricultural work as an alternative sentence on 11 March, on charges of illegal assembly, riots, possession of Molotov cocktails, and burning tires on 14 February 2020.

However, on 12 July 2021, the family received a summons for investigation from the 17th roundabout police station in Hamad Town, where Faris was interrogated regarding his participation in a demonstration. After an investigation that lasted hours, he was released.

On 26 November  2021, after Faris turned 18 years old, security forces, masked officers in civilian clothing, and an officer wearing official clothing without an emblem raided Faris’s house at 5 a.m. When his little brother opened the door, they entered suddenly and quickly, spreading around the house in great numbers. With the house surrounded from the outside in large numbers as well, officers entered all rooms despite the presence of his veiled mother. Officers searched the house and destroyed its contents. They entered Faris’s bedroom, woke him up straight away, and shackled him. His mother could hear the sounds of her son being beaten from behind his bedroom door but could not do anything. Faris was arrested without being presented with a warrant or a reason for his arrest, and the family was told he would be taken to the CID. Faris called on the same day at sunset for a few seconds saying that he was at the investigations and then directly hung up the phone. On the second day of his arrest, at approximately 2 a.m., riot police and officers in civilian clothing searched Faris’s house without presenting a search warrant.

At the CID, Faris was interrogated for a week and tortured by beating and intimidation, without the presence of his parents or lawyer. He did not mention the details to his mother for fear of her feelings. Furthermore, he was threatened that his family would be raped and with electric shocks. This was done in order to force Faris to confess to the charges against him, and he ended up signing a confession to having received funds and incitement. As a result of the torture, Faris suffers from chronic headaches and leg pain, so a doctor in the detention clinic has prescribed medication for him.

On 15 January 2023, during a mass trial with 20 other defendants in a case known as Al-Ashtar Brigades, Fares was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 100,000 dinars. He was charged with working for a terrorist group, receiving and transferring funds to support terrorist activities between 2020 and 2021. On 29 May 2023, the verdict was upheld by the Court of Appeal.

On 17 June 2023, six juvenile prisoners, including Fares, announced a hunger strike in protest against the lack of proper treatment for scabies, which they had contracted four months earlier. They were also deprived of visitation rights since their sentencing, and they were only transferred to the hospital once without receiving adequate treatment. As a result of the hunger strike, they experienced a drop in blood sugar levels, posing a risk to their health.

Bahraini authorities’ arbitrary detention and torture of Faris violate international law, including the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Bahrain is a party to. Additionally, the lack of medical care during his imprisonment violate the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, or the Nelson Mandela rules. As such, ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by immediately and unconditionally releasing Faris,. ADHRB additionally urges the authorities to investigate claims of torture and ill–treatment by prison officials, to hold those officials accountable, and to provide Faris with adequate and timely medical treatment.

The post Profile in Persecution: Faris Husain Salman appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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

Sayed Ali Moosa Jaafar, was a 34-year-old court porter when he was arrested without a warrant in October 2014. He was consequently tortured and convicted in an unfair trial. Sayed Ali is currently serving his sentence in Jau Prison.

On 25 October 2014, at around midnight, officers in civilian clothing and riot police broke into Sayed Ali’s house, taking him out of his room and beating him. He was taken to the bus, where he was subjected to electric shocks. Officers returned to his house and confiscated two phones. This was all done without any warrant and without indication of a reason. Sayed Ali was not summoned prior to his arrest.

Sayed Ali was forcibly disappeared for a week, during which he was being interrogated at the 17th Roundabout Police Station, and after that, he was transferred to Dry Dock Detention Center, where he called his family to tell them he was arrested. His family was able to visit him a month after his arrest, he couldn’t walk normally or sit. His face was discoloured as a result of torture.

During interrogation, Sayed Ali had been subjected to severe beatings, insults, sexual assault, and electric shocks. His lawyer was not present, and Sayed Ali was forced to confess to the charges against him. He was not treated for the injuries sustained from torture, including a knee injury. A week after the arrest, Sayed Ali was presented to the prosecution, without a lawyer, where he was shown birdshot pellets and told they belonged to him, an accusation Sayed Ali denied.

On 22 September 2015, Sayed Ali, along with nine other defendants, was convicted of arson, possession and acquisition of flammable and explosive devices, and illegal assembly and sentenced to ten years in prison. The Court of Cassation reduced the sentence to three years on 22 November 2016. Sayed Ali was also sentenced to 8 years for assaulting officers and bearing arms at a public assembly, meaning the total of his sentence reached 11 years after appeal.

The Bahraini authorities’ actions against Sayed Ali, from his arrest without a warrant to his coerced confession, violate international law, including the Convention Against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which Bahrain is a party to. Furthermore, his denial of treatment for injuries sustained under torture constitutes a violation of the Mandela Rules. ADHRB calls upon authorities to urgently investigate allegations of ill-treatment and torture of the victim with a view of holding perpetrators accountable.

The post Profile in prosecution: Sayed Ali Moosa Jaafar Husain appeared first on Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain.

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