Rights group can visit riot prisoners
By SARA SAMI
Published: 24th January 2008
A HUMAN rights group has been given the green light to visit a group of prisoners who claim to have been abused in police custody. The independent Bahrain Human Rights Society will conduct its own inquiry into allegations that Bahraini inmates have been tortured.
It follows claims by the men’s relatives that they have been deprived of sleep and food, received beatings, been handcuffed for weeks, denied showers, made to sleep on the floor and verbally abused, among other things.
Rights group can visit riot prisoners
By SARA SAMI
Published: 24th January 2008
A HUMAN rights group has been given the green light to visit a group of prisoners who claim to have been abused in police custody. The independent Bahrain Human Rights Society will conduct its own inquiry into allegations that Bahraini inmates have been tortured.
It follows claims by the men’s relatives that they have been deprived of sleep and food, received beatings, been handcuffed for weeks, denied showers, made to sleep on the floor and verbally abused, among other things.
The allegations centre on a group of suspects detained following violent clashes between demonstrators and police last month.
However, police have already denied the allegations and described them as “groundless”.
Interior Ministry assistant under-secretary for Legal Affairs, Colonel Mohammad Buhamood, has said anyone alleging abuse is examined by a forensic doctor.
He added medical tests showed no detainee had been tortured.
The society has now been given permission to visit the men in jail, where they are being held while they await trial.
It says it will visit three men next week, but also hopes to meet another 15 due in court on February 3 charged with hurling Molotov cocktails at a police car and stealing police weapons.
Chief public prosecutor Ahmed Bucheeri announced yesterday that the rights group would be given access to the men within the next two weeks.
“There is no law that forces the Public Prosecution to allow the society to visit the defendants, but the decision comes as a result of our faith in the role of civil societies and an extension of our ongoing co-operation with them,” he said.
Meanwhile, society assistant secretary-general Dr Abdulla Al Durazi told the GDN that he welcomed the decision.
“This is the right direction to start with and I am glad that they have given us a chance to visit the detainees,” he said.
He added that the society had requested visitation rights on December 24.
“We wanted to meet the detainees after several claims came out about them being mistreated and tortured during and after the arrests,” he said.
“We heard several claims from families who had visited their sons and husbands, that the men were being tortured in custody.
“That is why we have asked the prosecution several times to meet the detainees since December, but were rejected and told to wait.”
However, Dr Al Durazi said the decision has come too late, explaining that any signs of torture could have disappeared by now.
“We do hope that by meeting them we can find out the truth,” he added.
“We will be taking a team of doctors, lawyers, members of the society and a psychiatrist with us to the meetings so that we can investigate the situation.
“We will start off by meeting three detainees next week and hopefully will get a chance to meet others charged with attempted murder for burning police patrol vehicles and stealing weapons from police cars.”
The Public Prosecution’s decision to grant access follows calls for an independent investigation by international rights group Human Rights Watch.
The men were arrested during violent clashes with police, which were sparked by the death of a protester during a demonstration on December 17.
However, security authorities and medical personnel are adamant that Ali Jassim Maki died of natural causes.
One man has already appeared in court charged with trying to set fire to a police car and attending an illegal gathering.
Two others are accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at Hamad Town Police Station, causing minor damage. sara@gdn.com.bh
—————————–
© Gulf Daily News
