Torture claims denied
Published: 18th January 2008
CLAIMS that people arrested last month during clashes with police have been tortured in custody were described as “groundless” yesterday.
Interior Ministry Assistant Under-Secretary for Legal Affairs Colonel Mohammad Rashid Buhamood said inmates are questioned by the Public Prosecution and anyone claiming to have been tortured is examined by a forensic doctor.
He added that medical tests showed no detainee had been tortured.
“Claims that detainees have been tortured are groundless,” he told AFP.
Torture claims denied
Published: 18th January 2008
CLAIMS that people arrested last month during clashes with police have been tortured in custody were described as “groundless” yesterday.
Interior Ministry Assistant Under-Secretary for Legal Affairs Colonel Mohammad Rashid Buhamood said inmates are questioned by the Public Prosecution and anyone claiming to have been tortured is examined by a forensic doctor.
He added that medical tests showed no detainee had been tortured.
“Claims that detainees have been tortured are groundless,” he told AFP.
Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa has denied allegations that police used excessive force to quell the unrest, which was sparked by the death of a protester during a demonstration on December 17.
However, authorities and medical personnel are adamant that he died of natural causes.
Accusations that prisoners were mistreated have been made by opposition groups Haq and the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre For Human Rights (BCHR).
They include allegations of sleep and food deprivation, beatings, inmates being handcuffed for weeks at a time, denied showers, made to sleep on the floor and verbally abused.
However, no evidence has been put forward to support the claims other than testimony from the men’s relatives.
On January 4, the GDN reported that 22 riot suspects were in custody, according to the Public Prosecution spokesman Abdulrahman Al Sayed.
He said those who had been temporarily released could be summoned again for further questioning.
One man has been charged with attempted murder for allegedly running over two policemen who were seriously injured.
Two others escaped unhurt when the defendant allegedly tried but failed to run them over as well.
He has denied the allegation and blamed two of his passengers.
—————————————-
© Gulf Daily News