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Abuse claims by doctors refuted
By MOHAMMED ASLAM
Published: 17th April 2008
SEVERAL Bahrainis arrested over rioting last December were beaten in custody, according to court-appointed medical examiners. The doctors’ report, submitted as 15 Bahrainis appeared in the High Criminal Court amid tight security yesterday, was immediately disputed by the Public Prosecution.
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Abuse claims by doctors refuted
By MOHAMMED ASLAM
Published: 17th April 2008
SEVERAL Bahrainis arrested over rioting last December were beaten in custody, according to court-appointed medical examiners. The doctors’ report, submitted as 15 Bahrainis appeared in the High Criminal Court amid tight security yesterday, was immediately disputed by the Public Prosecution.
Riot police ringed the court building as the case resumed, after an earlier hearing was adjourned for three doctors to examine all 15 defendants, following complaints by some that they had been beaten in custody.
An international human rights observer attended the hearing in a court packed with relatives and supporters of the defendants.
The defendants are facing charges related to rioting on December 20, in one of several violent clashes with police over the Eid and National Day holidays.
Two of the men are accused of stealing guns, while two are accused of stealing two ammunition magazines.
One has been charged with obtaining and possessing a gun, and 14 are accused of torching a police car with Molotov cocktails.
A panel of three doctors was set up by Health Minister Dr Faisal Al Hamer to examine all 15 defendants, under an order from the court.
The doctors said in their report that some of the defendants were subjected to beatings and harsh treatment while they were in police custody.
Public Prosecution head Haroon Al Zayani objected to the report and demanded that the doctors be summoned for cross-examination.
Mr Al Zayani told the court that the Public Prosecution would also submit a report detailing its many objections to the medical report.
Items allegedly seized from defendants, including an ammunition magazine with bullets inside it, were produced in court yesterday by the prosecution.
The items also included mobile phones belonging to the defendants, a number of CDs and clothes allegedly belonging to one defendant, who later denied in the court that they were his.
Defence lawyer Fatima Al Hawaj asked the court where the guns were, which the police alleged they had seized from two of the defendants.
The defence lawyers demanded time to study the case file and prepare their defence arguments.
They also demanded to study the medical report and that more witnesses be summoned for cross-examination.
The High Criminal Court presided over by Judge Shaikh Mohammed bin Ali Al Khalifa adjourned the case until May 11 to give time to the lawyers to prepare their defence arguments, to summon the doctors and other witnesses for cross examination.
International Federation of Human Rights delegate George Asaf, based in Lebanon, attended the hearing.
“I have come to Bahrain to attend this trial as an observer and I was invited by Bahrain’s human rights societies,” he told the GDN.
“I will prepare a report and submit it to the International Federation of Human Rights in Lebanon,” he said.
“I will be meeting the lawyers and some officials.”
The defence lawyers demanded once again that the 15 rioters be released on any guarantee the court deemed suitable, but this was refused and they were further remanded in custody.
The Interior Ministry has previously dismissed as groundless the defendant’s allegations that they were assaulted by the police. aslam@gdn.com.bh
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