The Bahrain Center for Human Rights has received numerous complains from the families of inmates in Jau Central Prison, particularly from Buildings 6, 7, and 9, reporting a severe deterioration in the living and humanitarian conditions faced by detainees participating in a sit-in within these buildings. This sit-in began in April, with detainees protesting against harsh detention conditions. Unfortunately, their suffering has been exacerbated by a series of deliberate punitive measures imposed by prison authorities, which constitute a noticeable violation of their basic rights.
These punitive measures include cutting off electricity in the buildings where detainees are holding the sit-in, worsening their living and health conditions and leaving them in urgent need of lighting, especially with the approach of winter and colder weather. Families have reported that power remains cut off in Buildings 6, 7, and 9 since the start of the sit-in; electricity was disconnected from Building 6 on October 7, 2024, while power was cut in Buildings 7 and 9 in mid-October. Additionally, drinking and bathing water is frequently interrupted in these buildings, threatening the health of detainees and making it difficult to maintain necessary personal hygiene to prevent the spread of disease.
Moreover, despite the colder winter weather, the prison administration refuses to operate water heaters, making it challenging for detainees to bathe or access hot water, exposing them to harsh and inhumane living conditions. Families of detainees have also noted a complete cut-off of all means of communication between them and their loved ones, placing detainees in total isolation and increasing families’ concerns about the well-being of their relatives inside the prison.
Reports indicate that detainees are also subjected to harassment and provocation during food distribution, with meal portions purposely reduced, seemingly as a punitive tactic aimed at pressuring them to abandon their sit-in, putting their health at risk due to inadequate nutrition.
Nedal Al-Salman, Director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, emphasized the need for immediate improvements in prison conditions, stating, “It is essential that Bahrain commits to respecting the dignity and human rights of all detainees in accordance with the Nelson Mandela Rules. We call upon authorities to ensure humane treatment, proper nutrition, access to basic needs, and protection from punitive actions. The international community is watching, and Bahrain must adhere to these standards without delay.”
the Bahrain Center for Human Rights calls on the relevant authorities to take immediate action to ensure the protection of the rights of detainees participating in the sit-in at Jau Central Prison. This includes restoring electricity to the affected buildings, ensuring continuous access to drinking and bathing water, operating water heaters to counter the colder temperatures, and reopening communication channels between detainees and their families to alleviate families’ concerns. We also urge the cessation of harassment during food distribution and the provision of adequate food quantities to ensure the proper nutrition of detainees.
These violations represent a serious breach of the human rights of detainees, placing them in inhumane conditions that threaten their physical and mental well-being. We call for an immediate and transparent investigation into these circumstances and the implementation of necessary measures to guarantee the rights of detainees and ensure a humane living environment in accordance with international standards and human rights laws.