GDN:Probe jail claims call by activists

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Probe jail claims call by activists
By BASMA MOHAMMED
Published: 4th February 2009

HUMAN rights activists are demanding an independent investigation into allegations of abuse at a Bahrain prison, which is said to have prompted inmates to riot on Sunday.

The GDN reported on Monday that there had been a disturbance at the Dry Dock Detention Centre.

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Probe jail claims call by activists
By BASMA MOHAMMED
Published: 4th February 2009

HUMAN rights activists are demanding an independent investigation into allegations of abuse at a Bahrain prison, which is said to have prompted inmates to riot on Sunday.

The GDN reported on Monday that there had been a disturbance at the Dry Dock Detention Centre.

Bahrain Human Rights Society general secretary Dr Abdulla Al Deerazi claimed the unrest took place after 30 prisoners, 19 suspected of murdering a policeman and 11 suspected of torching a farm belonging to a member of the royal family – were transferred to the facility the same day.

“The rioting apparently happened after the prisoners were asked to take off their clothes for inspection,” he told the GDN yesterday.

“They refused and this caused riot police to start hitting them and beating them with sticks.”

He claimed the society received an anonymous call on Sunday afternoon from someone who claimed to have witnessed two prisoners being assaulted by several riot police.

“The ministry cannot deny this,” he said.

A judge previously ordered the men to be transferred to the facility from the Criminal Investigation Directorate’s detention centre, in Adliya, following allegations of abuse there.

“This order was two months ago, but they were not moved until Sunday and have not been allowed any visitors,” said Dr Al Deerazi, who demanded immediate access to the inmates.

However, he claimed the men had now been returned to the CID facility in Adliya as a result of Sunday’s incident.

He is demanding an independent investigation into allegations of torture in Bahrain’s prisons, but admitted his organisation had no evidence to support claims that the prisoners had been assaulted and tortured as their relatives say.

“We have trained people and doctors qualified to carry out such investigation,” he added.

However, Interior Ministry legal affairs assistant under-secretary Rashid Bu Hamood yesterday accused inmates at the Dry Dock Detention Centre of being involved in acts of sabotage and chaos on Sunday.

“The suspects were moved from the General Directorate of Crime Detections and Forensic Science headquarters by a Public Persecution order,” said Mr Bu Hamood.

He said officers on duty instructed inmates to respect prison rules and return to their cells, BDF special forces intervened when they continued to riot.

“The suspects were taken back to the General Directorate of Crime Detections and Forensic Science headquarters and the Public Persecution was notified,” he added.

Nineteen of the prisoners are accused of murdering Pakistani policeman Majid Asghar Ali Kareem Baksh, 24, when his patrol was ambushed in Karzakan last April.

The other 11 prisoners are standing trial for allegedly torching a farm belonging to a senior member of the Royal Family in Karzakan. Two men standing trial in the murder case are also implicated in the arson. basma@gdn.com.bh

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