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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Ahmed Isa Husain was 27 years old when he was arrested at his grandfather’s house in 2016. Since his arrest, Ahmed has been subjected to torture and medical negligence. He is currently serving life imprisonment at Bahrain’s Jau Prison while suffering numerous medical conditions.

On 19 June 2016, Ahmed was arrested by officers in civilian clothing and members of Bahrain’s riot police. He was alone at his grandfather’s house when officers surrounded and raided the property around midnight, who failed to provide an arrest warrant or reasons for his arrest. Ahmed’s family only learned about his arrest from local residents who witnessed the arrest. For an entire week after his arrest, his family knew nothing about Ahmed’s whereabouts until he called and informed them that he was being held at the criminal investigation building.

Officers began torturing Ahmed from the moment of his arrest. While on the bus on the way to the detention centre, officers sat on Ahmed until he felt like he was choking and replaced his handcuffs with dog chains. Ahmed then spent approximately 10 days at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), where he was beaten until he was coerced into signing a confession to the charges against him, which was later used in the trial against him.

Ahmed was not given enough time to adequately prepare for the trial. He did not have a lawyer, nor was he allowed to present evidence against the case. He was immediately taken to Jau Prison after the investigation, having previously been sentenced to a jail term of three years five days before his arrest.  Nearly a month after his arrest, Ahmed was taken to court where he was sentenced to life imprisonment and had his citizenship revoked.  His charges included murder, attempted murder, burning tyres, illegal assembly and rioting.

In addition to violating his right to a fair trial, the administration of Jau Prison has continuously ignored his deteriorating health condition. Ahmed was injured in November 2019 after falling while playing soccer in the prison yard, causing a laceration in the joints of the foot. In addition to that, Ahmed is suffering from a number of swollen glands in his abdomen.

Despite the fact that a doctor confirmed that Ahmed needs surgery, the administration proceeded to neglect his treatment and postpone the consultations. The delay in treatment has caused the ligaments to heal incorrectly, placing Ahmed at risk of permanent disability. Following repeated requests for treatment, on 29 December 2021, Ahmed’s family received a call from Jau Prison inmates informing them that Ahmed had been admitted to hospital. Ahmed had last called them on 26 December and was finally able to call them again on 4 January 2022, after his family complained to the Ombudsman to inform them of his appointment for the glands in his abdomen.

The actions taken by the Bahraini authorities with regards to Ahmed’s warrantless arrest, torture, denial of a fair trial and medical negligence are all in clear breach of international law. Bahrain has violated its  obligations under several international treaties, including the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

For this reason, ADHRB calls upon the Bahraini authorities to hold a retrial where international standards of a fair trial are met. Moreover, ADHRB urges Bahraini authorities to investigate allegations of torture and inhumane treatment by the officers who interrogated Ahmed. Finally, ADHRB urgently demands that Ahmed receive proper medical treatment for his foot injury and swollen glands in his abdomen, while keeping his family informed of his whereabouts and wellbeing.

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Habib AbdulHusain Hasan, a 17-year-old high school student when he was beaten and warrantlessly arrested. He was consequently tortured and subjected to fair trial violations. He is currently serving his sentence in Jau Prison.

On 5 November 2015, Habib was arrested by riot police and officers in civilian clothing.  Habib was chased and took shelter in a house in his village when he heard the sound of a helicopter. He was found and beaten along with the owner of the house and his son, while the wife of the house owner was detained in an isolated room. Habib, the house owner, and the son were consequently arrested although authorities did not present an arrest warrant or indicate the reason. Multiple summonses had been sent to his house prior to his arrest, and his house was raided multiple times although authorities never specified who they were looking for.

Habib was taken to the CID in Adliya for an unknown period of time, where he was beaten and kicked to coerce him to confess to the charges against him, without the presence of his lawyer. He was only able to call his family two days after his arrest and told them that he was fine and at the CID. After Habib confessed, he was taken to New Dry Dock Prison, as a judgment had already been issued against him.

Habib was convicted in multiple cases; throughout the trials, he was not allowed to communicate with his lawyer, and authorities would often refuse to take him to court sessions. Habib was sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison, which was reduced to 8 years through appeal, on charges relating to illegal assembly and rioting as well as possession of explosive canisters. His family was able to meet with him for the first time around 3 months after his imprisonment in New Dry Dock Prison.

Habib was supposed to be released in March 2020 under the Alternative Sentencing Law, to serve the remaining one year, 7 months, and 21 days of his sentence. However, during the release procedures, it became apparent that there was an old judgment against him from 2015 which was not executed and he had not signed on. Thus, he was returned to prison to complete the sentence. The remaining case turned out to be on illegal assembly and rioting, and he was tried according to the Counter-Terrorism Law.

In prison, Habib has been suffering from medical negligence with respect to his different conditions. He has skin conditions as is the case of most prisoners due to the unsanitary conditions. He also had a lump in his neck which was supposed to be removed in Salmaniya Hospital but ended up being removed in the prison clinic. Habib does not receive any treatment for his broken eye socket from an old accident. Although his family has submitted several complaints to the NIHR requesting medical treatment for Habib, authorities have not followed up on this matter. Habib is still suffering from pain in his knee as a result of an accident in October and has repeatedly requested treatment, which he has not received yet.

Bahraini authorities’ actions against Habib 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. As such, ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by annulling Habib’s conviction in light of the exculpatory evidence 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 keep provide Habib with adequate and timely medical treatment.

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Updated: Hasan Hameed Meshaimea was 25 years old when he was warrantlessly arrested in a pool by masked police officers. He was then subjected to physical and psychological torture and forced to confess. He is currently held at Dry Dock Detention Center where he is still awaiting the judgment of his trial.

On 1 October 2020, at around 11:00 pm, masked police officers entered a pool in Al-Malikiya and, without any justification, took Hasan to the kitchen where he was cut off from other people. He was then stripped of his clothes, except for his underwear. After that, he was physically attacked by a tall, large man who slapped him on his face. He was also threatened by two officers, one of whom was carrying a thick wooden stick and the other carrying a big metal tong.

After that, the officers took him to his house. At around 12 a.m., more than three officers entered the house with Hasan handcuffed behind his back to search the place. One of them was carrying a video camera to film everything, and the officers confiscated the family’s electronics. It is important to note that these officers neither revealed their identity nor did they state which entity they belonged to. Furthermore, the search and arrest occurred without presenting a warrant nor stating the reason for the arrest.

Hasan arrived at the investigation department (CID) at the dawn of 2 October, and was kept there for ten days. During that time, he was deprived of sleep and was tortured by being placed in a very cold area then a very hot area. Investigating officers threatened him with including his wife with him in the same case and threatened him not to talk about the torture he had been subjected to. CID officers insulted and beat Hasan, especially on his head and back. They also prevented him from praying throughout his stay in the investigation building. Moreover, Hasan faced a lot of restrictions when he had to use the bathroom. This was all done to extract a confession. Hasan was first presented to the prosecution on 7 October 2020 where he provided a statement. Nevertheless, the statement that he gave did not satisfy the Public Prosecution Office. Hence, he was forced to provide another statement. Hasan still suffers from back pain due to the torture he suffered. Rather than examining his back, he was only given painkillers.

Hasan is being charged with: 1) joining a terrorist cell, 2) possession, acquisition, and manufacture of explosive devices with the intent to commit terrorist crimes, 3) training on the use of weapon and explosives with intent to commit terrorist crimes, 4) intentional use of explosives to endanger the lives and money of individuals, and lastly 5) receiving, delivering, and transferring funds allocated to support a terrorist group. Nevertheless, Hasan still awaits his sentence as the court has not put out a judgment yet. His court hearing was last adjourned to 11 January 2021. Since his arrest, Hasan has had two lawyers. Hasan’s former lawyer was contacted a short time before Hasan’s first session at the Public Prosecution, which made it impossible for him to reach the session and attend it on time. Regarding the current lawyer, Hasan was only allowed to meet him for ten minutes after the trial had already begun, a clear violation of his right to a fair trial.

At the Dry Dock Detention Center, officers frequently enter Hasan’s cell at midnight disturbing him and his cellmates in their sleep to search the cell. They carry out the search in a very violent manner and turn the entire cell upside down. Furthermore, the Dry Dock Detention Center has very poor hygiene and sanitation. Hasan constantly finds insects in the bathroom, especially cockroaches, and has even seen mice on various occasions.  Moreover, although prison authorities do provide Hasan with masks, he is given one mask per week, making him more susceptible to infections due to the accumulation of bacteria on it. Also, Hasan is not provided with sanitizers and is rarely given gloves.

As a result of the unsanitary condition in the detention center, Hasan contracted scabies which he has suffered from for months. Instead of receiving proper treatment, he was placed in solitary confinement for a week on two different occasions. When in the solitary room, Hasan requested that he would be provided with a new mattress and blanket since the ones he had were worn out and previously used. Nevertheless, they were only provided for him while he was in the solitary room, but he did not obtain them when he was returned to the group cell. In addition, the number of beds are often less than the number of inmates in the cell, whereby there are 14 inmates and 10 beds in Hasan’s cell. These beds have a base of wide metal wires, and these wires are often broken or bent downward making them extremely uncomfortable to sleep on.

Since his arrest, Hasan has not been allowed to meet his family under the pretext of the pandemic. His wife asked to meet him after more than 8 months of detention when she was in court during the defense witnesses’ session, but she was only allowed to see him for less than 10 minutes from behind a glass barrier and in the presence of the defendants who were with him in the same case. Thus, Hasan can only see his family virtually through a video call which he is allowed once per week.

In June 2021, Hasan’s lawyer submitted a complaint to the Ombudsman Special Investigation Unit concerning the torture that he was subjected to. Hasan’s statements regarding the torture and ill-treatment he had suffered were taken, but he did not read the report that included his statements about the torture. When the lawyer reviewed the report and informed Hasan about its content, Hasan said that some of his statements were not fully recorded.

On 12 January 2022, Hasan was sentenced to ten years in prison and a fine of one hundred thousand Dinar. The court of appeal upheld the judgment on 25 April 2022.

In April 2023, Hasan was among the prisoners in Building 6 whose news have been cut off completely for almost a month. There has been no communication with him at all despite his family’s efforts to raise complaints to the Ombudsman and NIHR. Hasan and other inmates have deliberately refused to receive calls in order to pressure authorities to end the violations that they have been facing including medical negligence. Hasan has been demanding treatment for his eyes, until authorities started threatening him, and canceled his family visit which has been scheduled for about a month. Prison authorities have often delayed the prisoners’ medical appointments, as well as their transfer to the clinics or hospitals, without providing viable reasons. Moreover, they have sporadically stopped providing them with the medication or dietary meals they require.

Hasan was among three other individuals whom the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has issued an opinion in November 2022 on the case of Al-Ashtar Brigades. The opinion determined that the individuals were arbitrarily detained under different categories and in violation of international law. It also issued recommendations to the government that included the immediate release of all four individuals.

The Bahraini authorities’ treatment of Hasan, from his arbitrary arrest, his physical and psychological torture, and his denial of fair trial rights, are all in contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and constitute violations of Bahrain’s obligations under international treaties, namely the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Furthermore, the ill-treatment he is facing in the pre-trial detention center, along with its unsanitary conditions, are all in breach of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (The Nelson Mandela Rules).

Therefore, ADHRB calls on the Bahraini authorities to investigate allegations of torture that Hasan suffered and hold perpetrators accountable.  Furthermore, ADRHB urges the Bahraini government to protect Hasan’s fair trial rights by allowing him to meet with his lawyer for his ongoing trial. Finally, ADHRB calls on the Bahraini authorities to allow Hasan’s family to visit him and to improve the hygiene and sanitation in Dry Dock Detention Center.

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Sayed Mahmood Ali AlAlawi was a 21-year-old student in September 2020 when Bahraini authorities warrantlessly arrested him at his house in Hawrat Sanad. Following this warrantless arrest and subsequent detention, Sayed Mahmood has developed severe psychological problems which required a transfer to a psychiatric hospital. He is currently serving his 15 years sentence at Jau prison.

Sayed Mahmood was first arrested at the age of 15, on 29 July 2015 and was charged with 1) carrying explosives or weapons in a public place; 2) illegal gathering with the aim of committing crimes and disturbing security; 3) importing and possessing explosives, rifles or pistols without a license, and trading them; and 4) using explosives to endanger people’s lives and the possessions of others, in the fulfilment of a terrorist purpose. He was sentenced to seven years in prison on 20 December 2015 after an unsuccessful appeal. After serving four and a half years of his sentence, he was released within the framework of alternative sentencing on 17 December 2019, only to be arrested again less than a year later.

On 30 September 2020, officers in civilian clothing, accompanied by another officer dressed in a security forces uniform, raided Sayed Mahmood’s family house in Hawrat Sanad at 10:30 pm. The officers warrantlessly arrested him from the roof of the neighbors’ house, without mentioning a reason for the arrest. They searched the entire house until around 12:30 am, seizing two cars registered in the name of Sayed Mahmood’s father, which have still not been returned.

On the same night, at 2:00 am, Sayed Mahmood called his family and informed them that he was at the Central Investigation Department (CID). Following that call, contact with him was cut off for five consecutive days. Sayed Mahmood was interrogated without a lawyer for seven days, until 7 October 2020, when he was presented to the public prosecution without his lawyer. During that time, CID officers tortured Sayed Mahmood and extracted a forced confession from him. Sayed Mahmood reports that he was also taken to the City Center Mall to be filmed, and the film was presented as evidence in the court.

Sayed Mahmood has been charged with financing and joining a terrorist group and attempting to bomb the City Center Mall. He was denied access to his lawyer during court sessions, and he had not been allowed to present evidence, such as the full surveillance footage from City Center Mall, nor to challenge the evidence presented against him in court, including his forced confessions. Furthermore, edited and cropped surveillance footage was played in court, but it did not reveal the presence of explosives, incendiary balloons or any kind of weapons, nor did it appear that he carried or placed any objects as was mentioned in the confessions or prosecution record. All that could be seen in the footage was a person wearing a mask, a hat and sunglasses, walking in the mall, and not engaged in any suspicious activity.

Although Sayed Mahmood’s parents did not know the details of this interrogation at the time, they suspect it is connected to the deterioration of his psychological health. Before his arrest, Sayed Mahmood did not suffer from any mental problems. A forensic doctor examined him on 8 October 2020, and determined him to be in good health. However, a couple of months after his arrest, on 5 February 2021, Sayed Mahmood was transferred by ambulance from AlQal’a clinic to the Emergency Department of the Salmaniya Medical Complex after refusing to eat, drink, or speak ov24-hour hour period and exhibiting depressive symptoms. Clinical notes on a referral form from that date explain that Sayed Mahmood, who has no history of drug use or psychiatric medication, was not responding to questions, was staring at the roof and the walls, and asked to meet his grandfather who passed away four months earlier and tried to commit suicide. A report by his psychiatrist on 15 June 2021 also stated these issues.

On 6 February 2021, he was admitted to the Psychiatric hospital of Bahrain in Salmaniya, Manama. The next day Sayed Mahmood was allowed to call his family to inform them of his location. They reported his voice was weak and miserable and that he refused to speak any further. After the call, the family went to the psychiatric hospital where they were refused entry without a permit from the Detention Center. When they later contacted the Detention Center, the family’s request for this permit was denied on the grounds that visits to the hospital are forbidden. The only contact they have been allowed with Sayed Mahmood has been through 15-minute phone calls every Monday and Friday.

On 9 February 2021, Sayed Mahmood’s family sent out a call appealing to various organizations for help discovering his fate and to visit him at the psychiatric hospital. During the last trial sessions, Sayed Mahmood’s lawyer requested his referral to a tripartite medical committee based on the recommendation of his treating physician, as he was experiencing convulsions and hallucinations, and despite taking his medications, his condition was not improving.

Sayed Mahmood’s parents have submitted several complaints to the Ombudsman and sent a letter to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) regarding Sayed Mahmood’s warrantless arrest, the confiscation of his father’s cars, the reasons behind the deterioration of his psychological health, and requesting to visit him at the psychiatric hospital. His family was finally given permission to meet with him on 4 November 2021 after being restricted to contact through calls for over a year.

Despite his medical condition, the Fourth High Criminal Court sentenced Sayed Mahmood on 12 January 2022 to 15 years in prison and a 100,000-Bahraini-Dinar fine.

Sayed Mahmood has been kept in the psychiatric ward where his condition continues to deteriorate. He tested positive for Covid-19 on 2 February 2022 but recovered. On 12 February 2022, Sayed Mahmood escaped from the Psychiatric Hospital and was found two hours later hiding at his relatives’ house, seemingly in shock, complaining of severe headache and begging to be protected from individuals following him and wanting to kill him. Moreover, his clothes smelled of vomit. His father’s house was raided on the same day in a search of Sayed, but his family had been unaware he had escaped. On the night of 12 February 2022, Sayed Mahmood’s uncles, Sayed Jaafar AlAlawi and Sayed Radhi AlAlawi, were chained and arrested from their houses on the charge of sheltering their nephew, and prevented from communicating with their family.

His uncle’s wife was also arrested on 14 February after she was summoned to the police station on the same charge. After his re-arrest, his family was not provided with any information of his whereabouts or well-being. Upon inquiry, the family was told that Sayed Mahmood was not returned to the Psychiatric Hospital. On 14 June 2022, he was sentenced to imprisonment for 3 additional years for his escape, bringing the total of his sentence to 18 years. Additionally, his two uncles and his uncle’s wife who had been arrested and released following his escape were each sentenced to a year in prison on the charge of harboring Sayed Mahmood. On 5 October 2022, after 6 months of imprisonment, an appeal ruling was issued acquitting them and granting their release. As for Sayed Mahmood’s sentence, it was reduced to 6 months. He is currently imprisoned in Jau prison.

Bahraini authorities’ treatment of Sayed Mahmood, from his arbitrary and warrantless arrest, denial of fair trial and due process rights, torture and ill-treatment leading to a severe and ongoing deterioration of his psychological health and mental well-being, and refusal to allow his parents to meet with him, all constitute violations of Bahrain’s obligations under the Bahraini Constitution and under international treaties, namely the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

 Finally, ADHRB calls upon authorities to urgently investigate the circumstances which led to Sayed Mahmood’s mental setback with a view to holding the responsible officers accountable in addition to allowing his family to regularly meet with him and be informed about his condition.

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Ali Ebrahim AlZaki was a 20-year-old Bahraini student when he was arrested while seeking medical treatment. He was tortured from that moment on until his forced confession. He is currently held in Jau Prison, where he faces mistreatment and medical negligence.

Ali AlZaki was arrested on 19 April 2014 at AlBudaiya Health Center. Authorities surrounded the center and arrested him while he was receiving treatment for an epilepsy episode. Then, he was taken to his grandfather’s house in Muqaba, where he was beaten, and, afterward, he was transferred to the CID. He was able to call his family at 2 a.m., telling them that he was fine and held at the CID.

During Ali’s investigation, he was subjected to physical and psychological torture. National security officers from the Ministry of Interior cursed, beat, and threatened Ali with killing him. As a result, he was forced to confess to the charges raised against him, without the presence of his lawyer, and the torture only stopped once he was presented before the Office of the Public Prosecution (OPP).

Ali had been summoned before his arrest where the summons indicated that he was accused of a felony. However, he did not go because he knew he was wanted in the case of the bombing in Adliya, which authorities claimed occurred in November 2012. On 1 October 2013, the High Criminal Court sentenced Ali to 15 years in prison in absentia. While he was wanted in relation to this case, soon enough, other charges were raised against him as well. He was convicted in up to ten cases on charges of arson, illegal assembly and rioting, and possession of explosive canisters, and the total of the sentences reached 25 years.

Ali was only allowed to see his family three weeks after his arrest in New Dry Dock Prison. He was visibly in pain during the visit as a result of the torture he was subjected to.

He had asked to see a doctor but was not examined even though he suffers from epilepsy.

Recently, on 24 October 2021, Ali started a hunger strike along with a group of prisoners without any response to the matter of his treatment until six days into his strike, when the administration responded by sending him to an ophthalmologist and providing him with treatment. As a result, he ended his strike. He was suffering from inflammation in one of his eyes for around a month, but the prison authorities prevented him from receiving treatment and did not respond to his demands, and he was worried that his eye would be damaged.

The Bahraini authorities’ actions against Ali 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. ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by annulling Ali’s conviction and ensuring that any subsequent retrial is consistent with due process and fair trial rights. We additionally urge the authorities to investigate claims of torture and ill treatment by prison officials and to hold those officials accountable, as well as provide adequate and timely medical treatment to Ali and all prisoners.

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Yaser Jawad Ahmed is a 22-year-old Bahraini who was arrested without a warrant by Bahraini authorities in 2021. He faced various fair trial and due process violations and is currently serving his 3-year sentence in Jau Prison.

At 5 a.m. on 26 April 2021, officers from the Ministry of Interior attacked and raided Yaser’s house, chased him, and violently arrested him without a warrant in Khadamat street. He was accused of participating in the bombing that took place at an ATM machine belonging to the Bank of Bahrain on 3 February 2021 and sheltering a wanted individual.

Authorities disappeared Yaser for 7 days, and his lawyer was not permitted to attend the investigations. Afterwards, he called his family to inform them that he was at the CID. He was then taken to the Office of the Public Prosecution to be interrogated again without his lawyer. Officers tortured him until he confessed to the allegations made against him.

On 14 September 2021, Yaser was sentenced to three years in prison in a mass trial that included 13 defendants. He was charged with: 1- sheltering a convict in the case of the National Bank of Bahrain bombing, helping him move, and hiding him from the police 2- Knowing about the explosion and participating in it. His appeal has been postponed. Yaser was pursued from the age of 15, and he was previously arrested in January 2016 and sentenced to four years in prison, which he served in full, only to be arrested again a year after his release. He has two older brothers who are also convicted on political charges.

Yaser suffers from pain in his stomach and abdomen and has not received any treatment so far. In Jau Prison, he caught the Coronavirus and was transferred to the Dry Dock Prison, where authorities examined and quarantined him, but did not inform his family, who found out some time after when Yaser himself called and informed them.

Bahraini authorities’ treatment of Yaser, from his arbitrary and warrantless arrest, denial of fair trial and due process rights, torture, and ill-treatment, all constitute violations of Bahrain’s obligations under the Constitution and under international treaties, namely the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Therefore, ADHRB urges authorities to grant Yaser a retrial that respects international evidentiary standards and is not based on false confessions extracted under duress. Finally, ADHRB calls upon authorities to urgently investigate allegations of ill-treatment and torture with a view to holding the responsible officers accountable.

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Husain Ali Matar was a 16-year-old student in his second year of middle school when he was arrested without a warrant after being summoned by a Ministry of Interior (MoI) officer via phone call. He was then subjected to physical and psychological torture and forced to confess. Husain is currently held in New Dry Dock Prison, serving his sentence.

On 28 June 2020, Husain was arrested after he was summoned by phone. His father received a call from an individual who identified himself as belonging to the MoI and asked him to urgently bring his son Husain to Roundabout 17 police station for questioning without stating why. He insisted that the family do not enter the police station and instead call the exact number which he is speaking from so that he would come out and take his son. On the same day and after the family and Husain went to the station and the same phone number was called, someone came out in civilian clothing to get Husain. It turned out to be the same individual who always threatens Husain every time he sees him saying, “I’m always going to be behind you, and I will never leave you in peace”. He took him into the station, and Husain was detained. The family waited outside, and, after a while, a security officer went outside and gave them some of Husain’s belongings, telling them that they will call them to inform them of any new news.

Husain had been arrested on political charges back in 2018, when he was only 14 years old. He was released in 2020 through royal pardon when he only had a couple of days remaining to serve his sentence. While Husain completed his middle school education while in prison, he did not receive a diploma for it, hindering his right to education. His latest arrest occurred approximately one month after his release, revealing how royal pardons are a mere façade posing as a goodwill move on behalf of the King.

Following his arrest, communication was cut off from him for two weeks. After that, Husain called when he was in Dry Dock Detention Center to only tell his parents where he was and that he was fine. Then, after another two weeks without any communication, Husain called again just to say that he is fine.

Husain was present in Roundabout 17 Police station throughout the interrogation period where he was subjected to various violations, some of which involved being forced to stand for a long period of time, excessive beatings, handcuffing from behind, blindfolding, cutting his hair as a means of humiliation, preventing him from praying, and depriving him of water and food for a while. Husain, still a minor, was unable to contact his lawyer and family throughout this.

Around a week later, he was transferred to the Office of the Public Prosecution (OPP). Only when Husain was brought before the OPP was his lawyer allowed to be present. Nevertheless, the lawyer’s presence was a mere formality as neither she nor Husain were allowed to speak. The lawyer noticed that Husain was not able to walk properly due to the torture which he was subjected to. After his transfer to the OPP, Husain was transferred to Dry Dock Detention Center. His interrogation lasted two weeks after which Husain was forced to confess.

On 29 September 2020, Husain was sentenced, along with a group of youths, to three years in prison.  Husain was charged with 1) assaulting a police officer and 2) possession of Molotov cocktails in the village of Buri. On Friday, which is the day authorities claimed that the incident in question took place, Husain was with his mother at his grandmother’s place. Despite the aforementioned, Husain was convicted. Furthermore, Husain suffered a number of fair trial violations including his forced confession being used against him in court, as well as neither Husain nor his lawyer being allowed to speak or present evidence in the trials to challenge the allegations made against him. When he appealed the judgment, not only did the Appeals Court uphold the three-year sentence, it also added a 500-Bahraini-Dinar monetary fine.

Currently, Husain is being subjected to medical negligence in the New Dry Dock Prison. Husain suffered from a severe rash all over his body due to the unhygienic and unsanitary conditions in the cell and bathroom and the dirty water inside the bathroom. Consequently, Husain contracted scabies and was placed in sanitary isolation without being given treatment. When his condition worsened, the prison authorities gave him a cream without the consultation of a doctor, but his condition deteriorated further. Husain is not getting the sufficient medical attention that he needs despite the fact that he suffers from sickle cell anemia and favism disease. Despite all this, not only is Husain required to buy his own hygienic products such as shampoo and deodorant, but these products are also considerably overpriced in the prison canteen, as 100 or 70 Bahraini Dinars were removed from his deposit upon making a purchase. Therefore, not only has the unhygienic and unsanitary conditions in the prison placed Husain’s health at risk, but the medical negligence that he is being subjected to by the authorities has only violated his rights even further and worsened his health.

In addition, Husain has been complaining of weakened eyesight, but nothing has been done in this regard. In addition, authorities are not providing him with clothing and are refusing to give him clothes brought by his parents. The meals that are served are inedible as the meats tend to be undercooked, pushing Husain to enter a hunger strike on 17 October 2021 for 3 days, calling for improvement in the quality of the meals provided.

Up until this date, Husain’s family has not been able to meet him under the pretext of the Coronavirus pandemic. Only around six or seven months after his arrest were they allowed to video call him. Husain’s family has filed various complaints regarding depriving him of making his scheduled calls, as well as the medical negligence he has been subjected to.

The Bahraini authorities’ treatment of Husain, from his arbitrary arrest, his torture, and his denial of fair trial rights, are all in contravention of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and constitute violations of Bahrain’s obligations under international treaties, namely the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Bahraini authorities are also in violation of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

Thus, ADHRB calls on the Government of Bahrain to overturn Husain’s trial as it is marred with fair trial violations. Furthermore, ADHRB calls on the Bahraini authorities to investigate the allegations of torture and mistreatment in order to hold perpetrators of torture accountable. Also, ADHRB urges the Bahraini government to provide Husain with adequate medical treatment and to improve the hygienic and sanitary conditions of prisons, as well as guarantee the right to education for minors in prison, such as Husain.

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Ahmed Hamza AlSafi was a 21-year-old student when he was arbitrarily detained, tortured, and denied his fair trial and due process rights by Bahraini authorities. Up until now, Ahmed has been held in Jau Prison for almost four years.

On 13 December 2017, Ahmed was sleeping at his house when masked officers in civilian clothing and riot police conducted a raid at 2 a.m. Despite not presenting a warrant or stating the reason for the arrest, officers raided the apartment and Ahmed was arrested. Ahmed was wanted for several cases, including the Bahraini Hezbollah case.

Following his arrest, Ahmed was disappeared for two months, during which the investigation occurred. His family had no information about his wellbeing or whereabouts and submitted complaints to the Ombudsman and the NIHR requesting a call with him. Despite repeatedly following up on this matter, there was no outcome. They were only able to meet with him after his transfer to pre-trial detention.

During his disappearance, Ahmed was at AlQalaa Prison, where he was kicked and beaten with batons. CID officers threatened to sexually assault his family members. Additionally, Ahmed was blindfolded for most of the investigation period and was forced to stand for long durations.  He was interrogated without a lawyer, as he was prohibited from contacting her after his arrest. The torture was used to extract a coerced confession in the cases Ahmed was accused in; he ended up confessing, but his forced confession was annulled in court since it was extracted under duress. However, the court did not take into account the evidence provided stating that he was a student studying abroad in India.

Ahmed was convicted in several cases. On 16 April 2019, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and a 100,000 Bahraini Dinar fine in the Bahraini Hezbollah case, an unfair mass trial involving 169 defendants. His citizenship was also revoked but was later reinstated through a royal pardon. Throughout the investigation and trials, Ahmed was denied access to his attorney and was not given adequate time and facilities to prepare for trial. The Appeals Court upheld the judgment in the Bahraini Hezbollah case, and the request for cassation was rejected.

Since his arrest and imprisonment, Ahmed has fallen victim to various human rights violations, including medical negligence as well as physical and psychological torture.  As a result, Ahmed developed a number of medical conditions, namely, swelling in his eyes and a severe gastric infection, as well as appearing visibly stressed and exhausted when visited by his family. His conditions have been heightened by the administration’s failure to provide him with proper medical treatment and adequate sanitary meals.

Moreover, Ahmed was infected with Coronavirus after its outbreak in Jau Prison and was repeatedly refused the chance to communicate with his family while ill. His family found out he was infected when the Ministry of Health called and informed them, not knowing he was a prisoner. When Ahmed did call his family, the duration did not exceed 3 minutes, suggesting that he was under strict surveillance. During the quarantine period in one of the Buildings of Jau Prison which he was transferred to, he is not allowed to go outside, there are no adequate sanitary measures, and the prisoners are not informed about the general situation in the prison regarding the spread of the virus. The cells are not cleaned regularly, and social distancing is not ensured between prisoners in cells. In addition, there is no medical assistance to follow up on his situation, and no medication has been provided to help him recover from the virus.

Ahmed’s arrest, unfair trial, and torture violate both the Bahraini constitution as well as international obligations to which Bahrain is party, namely, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The medical negligence Ahmed has experienced while in prison and after his infection with Coronavirus also violated the Mandela Rules. Since an arrest warrant was not presented and given that Ahmed was not granted a fair trial, we can conclude that Ahmed was arbitrarily detained by Bahraini authorities.

Accordingly, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by voiding the judgement against Ahmed. If serious criminal charges can be held against him, authorities must conduct a fair retrial which conforms to universal judicial standards. ADHRB urges Bahrain to investigate all torture allegations to ensure accountability and to provide all prisoners with adequate medical care while guaranteeing all their basic human rights, amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Hasan Ali Shahdad AlBalooshi was an 18-year-old student when Bahraini authorities arrested him from his house in April 2013. Since his arrest, Hasan has suffered both physically and psychologically as a result of torture, ill-treatment and attacks on his religious beliefs. He remains in Jau Prison where he is carrying out his 15 year sentence.

On 23 April 2013, officers in civilian clothing and riot police surrounded Hasan’s family house in Isa Town, broke down the main entrance door and raided the house. Without presenting an arrest warrant nor providing a reason, they arrested Hasan as well as his cousin, Mortada Abdelhadi, who was with them at the time. Following the arrest, Hasan was forcibly disappeared for five days; his family had no information indicating his fate or location.

During those five days of disappearance, Hasan was at the CID in Adliya where criminal investigations officers interrogated him without a lawyer. Officers tortured Hasan to extract confessions from him; they severely beat and kicked him, insulted him and attacked his religious sect, hung him from his legs and pulled out a fingernail that was previously damaged and was slightly coming off. Once the interrogation was over, Hasan’s family were given the clothes that he was wearing at the time of his arrest and reported that they were covered in blood. Hasan’s family was only able to visit him 22 days after his arrest, on 15 May 2013. During their visit to Jau Prison, they noticed signs of beating and torture on his face, namely swelling near his eyes and nose.

In total, two cases were raised against Hasan: on 4 March 2014, he was convicted of arson, of a car near Roundabout 18 in Hamad Town, and was sentenced to 5 years in prison; on 25 March 2014, he was convicted of detonating a gas cylinder on Roundabout 17 and was sentenced to 10 years, leading to a total sentence of 15 years in Jau Prison. On 23 June 2014, Hasan’s judgment was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

Since his arrival to Jau Prison, Hasan has suffered ill-treatment and humiliation at the hands of the prison authorities. On 10 March 2014, Hasan and his cellmates were, for unclear reasons, all subjected to collective punishment and torture. The prisoners were prohibited from praying and from using the bathroom. If one of the inmates went to the bathroom, officers gathered all the other inmates in a line and beat and kicked them until that inmate reached the bathroom, and the same happened on the way back after the inmate exited the bathroom. As a result of neglect and inhumane treatment, Hasan suffered from pain in the teeth and damage to his gums. His glasses were broken, and his vision impairment worsened. Throughout his time in Jau Prison, Hasan was only allowed to get his eyes checked and to get his glasses adjusted once, one year after his arrest, in 2014.

Hasan’s poor health and well-being were further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the virus’ outbreak inside the prison. Family visits were suspended and replaced with irregular and short video calls which often do not last longer than 10 minutes and which are constantly monitored. On 20 March 2021, Hasan’s family received a call from another prisoner’s family, Sadeq Abdali AlAsfoor, who informed them that the prisoners undertook COVID-19 tests and their results could be viewed on the website of the Ministry of Health. When the family checked the website, Hasan’s results showed that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Following the news of the virus outbreak inside Jau Prison, all contact with Hasan was cut off, and his family’s last call with him had been on 21 March 2021. The next call he was able to make was on 5 April 2021 to inform them that he was transferred to Building 18; it was very short and Hasan was coughing. His family felt that he was not comfortable during the call, indicating that it was probably monitored. On 9 April 2021, Hasan had a video call with his family, and he told them that he had recovered and was transferred back to Building 20. In between those two calls, Hasan had been taken to the isolation ward in Hidd where he stayed for two days. He was very uncomfortable during his time there because he had to wait a long time to go to the bathroom, he did not receive proper medical care, the meal portions were not adequate, the authorities did not provide any warm drinks, nor any masks or gloves, and prisoners were not allowed to go outside to for some fresh air.

Bahraini authorities arrested Hasan when he was only 18 years old, without presenting an arrest warrant, they tortured him into confessing, attacked his religious beliefs, and deprived him of access to his lawyer and to health care. Additionally, the authorities’ neglect and failure to contain the COVID-19 outbreak led to Hasan contracting the virus, for which he later received minimal medical care.  All these actions constitute violations of Bahrain’s obligations under the Bahraini Constitution and under international law, namely the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). ADHRB urges Bahrain to grant Hasan a fair retrial that respects international judicial and evidentiary standards, to investigate allegations of torture with a view of holding perpetrators accountable, and to respect basic standards of hygiene and sanitation to prevent the situation from escalating any further.

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Updated Profile- Sadeq AbdAli AlAsfoor was only 20 years old when he was arrested. Since his arrest, Sadeq was convicted in an unfair trial and has been subjected to torture which harmed his physical and psychological health. After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Jau prison, where he is currently held, Sadeq contracted the virus.

On 6 March 2012, officers from the Ministry of Interior raided Sadeq’s house at dawn, surrounding it with nearly 60 police jeeps and civilian cars. They broke into his room, blindfolded him, and stole money from him. The officers, who also had a sheet of paper with a list of names of wanted individuals, arrested Sadeq without a warrant.

Following his arrest, Sadeq was forcibly disappeared for three days. On the fourth day, he called his family to inform them he was at the Dry Dock Detention Center. During his interrogation, which lasted three days, Sadeq was threatened and tortured into making confessions without his lawyer’s presence. He was tied to a chair, blindfolded, beaten and kicked all over his body, forced to stand for days, discriminated against because of his religious beliefs, deprived of the right to prayer, and insulted repeatedly. Sadeq sustained injuries including swelling in his eye as a result of beating and did not receive specialized treatment for his injuries. He was only given an unprescribed cream to apply to the swelling by himself.

Sadeq faced charges for the case of burning the jeep, attempted murder, and the possession of a Molotov cocktail. Sadeq was denied access to his attorney, and did not have adequate time to prepare for his trial. Despite the fact that a family member testified that Sadeq was playing at the Sitra Club when the incident took place, Sadeq was sentenced to 15 years in prison in May 2013.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country in March 2020, visits were replaced with video calls during which Sadeq did not have any privacy and would be harassed. On 27 March 2021, Sadeq contracted the Coronavirus. His family was informed that he would be transferred from Building 21 to quarantine in Building 18. Despite suffering from a cold and a fever, Sadeq was only provided with Panadol. He complained about the lack of medical care and the unavailability of healthy meals. He informed his family that the implemented COVID-19 measures only included testing the inmates and isolating those who experienced symptoms. There was no proper medical care or nutritious food. In addition, prisoners were not notified of the results of the tests they underwent, leaving them in the dark about their status and fate. Sadeq’s family also noted that his psychological state deteriorated rapidly as he was initially deprived of his right to call them. Sadeq last contacted his family on 11 May 2021. He has recuperated from the virus but still suffers from back pain.

The practices of the Bahraini authorities and the prison administration against Sadeq are violations of international legal conventions which Bahrain is party to, such as the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules).

Therefore, ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its obligations by dropping the unfounded charges against Sadeq and to investigate the allegations of torture in order to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions. ADHRB also urges the authorities to provide Sadeq with the appropriate medical treatment in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and allow regular calls where he can speak to his family comfortably.

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