In Bahrain, where freedom of expression and peaceful dissent are systematically repressed, Qurain Military Prison stands as a stark example of the country’s deepening human rights crisis. Although a military facility, it continues to detain civilians—tried before military courts—in violation of international standards. Their imprisonment, prolonged isolation, and lack of legal safeguards constitute a serious breach of human rights and due process.
1. Military Trials of Civilians: Legalizing Repression
In the aftermath of the 2011 pro-democracy movement, the Bahraini government expanded the role of military courts to try civilians, marking a dangerous turning point for civil liberties.
-
During the 2011 crackdown, 502 civilians were prosecuted by National Safety Courts, which targeted protestors, political leaders, doctors, and teachers.
-
The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) confirmed that at least 165 military verdicts were issued against civilians—many of them grossly unfair.
In March 2017, a constitutional amendment authorized military courts to try civilians in cases deemed threatening to national security. A subsequent amendment to the Military Judiciary Law on 18 April 2017 enabled the prosecution of civilians under the Penal Code for politically motivated charges.
Based on these changes, 13 civilians were tried and sentenced by the Military Court of Cassation on 11 April 2018.
Five of them remain imprisoned in Qurain Military Prison:
-
Sayed Alawi Al-Mousawi
-
Mohamed Abdul Hassan Al-Matghawi
-
Sayed Fadhel Abbas Radi
-
Mohamed Abdul Hussein Al-Shihabi
-
Mubarak Adel Mehna
2. Due Process Violations and the Absence of Justice
The military trials of 2018 were marred by severe violations of fair trial guarantees:
-
Confessions extracted under torture were used as evidence.
-
Secret evidence was withheld from defense lawyers.
-
The same interrogators who obtained forced confessions were summoned as prosecution witnesses.
-
Defense teams were denied full access to case files and preparation.
-
Some detainees were later retried in civilian courts, raising inconsistencies and suggesting political manipulation.
These actions contravene the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Bahrain is a signatory. Rights groups observed that the purpose of these trials was to portray protest leaders as security threats—undermining the legitimacy of the 2011 movement.
3. Harsh Detention Conditions in Qurain Military Prison
Conditions in Qurain have been described as inhumane and psychologically destructive:
-
Prisoners are held in single-person cells under 24-hour surveillance, with no privacy.
-
Daily interaction is limited to less than one hour in a 4×5 meter courtyard.
-
Military staff assigned to the prison do not rotate, fostering a climate of intimidation.
-
No mechanism exists for prisoners to record or report mistreatment.
-
International access is fully denied, despite repeated UN requests.
4. Communication Blackout: Families Demand Answers
In April 2025, the families of the detainees raised alarm over a two-week communication blackout from inside Qurain Military Prison.
Statement from the Families of Detainees:
“We, the families of Sayed Alawi Al-Mousawi, Mohamed Al-Matghawi, and Sayed Fadhel Abbas, confirm that we have lost contact with our sons for over two weeks, without explanation. We have made repeated attempts to reach the prison administration but received no response. We demand their legal right to communicate with us and urgent clarification on their health and safety.”
The families also urged authorities to:
-
Uphold prisoners’ legal rights, especially their right to family communication.
-
Ensure transparency and halt any practices conducted without oversight or accountability.
-
Respond to concerns over enforced disappearance and denial of visits.
International and local human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the lack of transparency, isolation, and temporary enforced disappearances linked to Qurain Prison.
5. The Forgotten Prisoners
Despite years of advocacy, the plight of the prisoners in Qurain remains largely ignored. As the Bahrain Center for Human Rights stated:
“المعتقلون المنسيون في سجن القرين العسكري”
“The forgotten prisoners of Qurain Military Prison are symbols of Bahrain’s silent injustice.”
Their suffering is not only a human rights issue—it reflects Bahrain’s deeply flawed justice system and the consequences of militarizing legal processes.
Recommendations
-
Immediate release of all civilians unlawfully detained in Qurain Military Prison.
-
Abolish military courts’ jurisdiction over civilians and repeal the 2017 constitutional and legislative amendments.
-
Ensure regular, unrestricted communication—including phone calls and family visits—in accordance with international detention standards.
-
Grant access to international observers and UN Special Procedures to investigate conditions and treatment inside Qurain.
-
Conduct independent investigations into torture, forced confessions, and judicial misconduct.
-
Provide full reparations and psychosocial support for victims of unjust imprisonment.