Bahrain Mirror: The Head of the Human Rights and Liberties Department of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, Hadi Al-Musawi, revealed that 188 torture took place during a period of six months, pointing out that the Bahraini courts have issued sentences amounting up to 2,783 years in prison against 340 suspects over cases having political backgrounds.

Al-Musawi held a press conference (Wednesday, October 14, 2015) to announce the report on the human rights situation during the second and third quarters of 2015.

Al-Musawi explained that the cases of torture or ill-treatment during this period are divided into five kinds: 188 torture cases, 38 disappearance cases, 22 cases of medical treatment deprivation, and 166 cases of preventing contact.

He further pointed out that most of these torture cases were related to the Jaw central Prison unrest (March 10, 2015).

"The authorities are still preventing the opposition forces from staging any protest or holding any peaceful event since the end of 2014," he added, also highlighting that "56 citizens were stripped of their Bahraini nationalities during the second and third quarter of 2015 over cases having political backgrounds, either by royal decrees or court sentences."

He stated that the department documented 18 violations linked to religious freedoms committed by Bahraini authorities, in addition to 769 cases of arbitrary arrests during this period.

Al-Musawi further stated that this period witnesses 2,804 protests, 767 of which faced crackdown with shotguns and tear gas canisters which led to 121 injuries.
He also pointed out that there were 8 women were arrested and 122 children as well out of 769 arrests...and most of these cases monitored by the department were arbitrary arrests, based on the standards set by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

Al-Musawi concluded that this report only covers what the Human Rights and Liberties Department of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society managed to monitor and document, highlighting that during the period between April 1st and September 30, 2015, many complaints were raised by Jaw Central Prison detainees about ongoing torture and ill-treatment.

Arabic Issue