Posted on » Thursday, October 07, 2010
BAHRAIN must grant access to detainees arrested during a crackdown on street violence, says a human rights group.
Public Prosecutors revealed earlier this month that charges had been brought against 23 suspected ringleaders accused of planning and executing a campaign of violence, intimidation and subversion.
They were allegedly part of a five-layer network that covered the supervision and planning of terrorist acts, logistical support and propaganda.
Posted on » Thursday, October 07, 2010
BAHRAIN must grant access to detainees arrested during a crackdown on street violence, says a human rights group.
Public Prosecutors revealed earlier this month that charges had been brought against 23 suspected ringleaders accused of planning and executing a campaign of violence, intimidation and subversion.
They were allegedly part of a five-layer network that covered the supervision and planning of terrorist acts, logistical support and propaganda.
The men arrested included academics, taxi drivers, civil servants, dentists, administrators and unemployed and were among hundreds of people arrested during a crackdown on street violence in the last few months.
Human Rights Watch’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa Joe Stork said the number of detainees arrested during the crackdown was too difficult to estimate.
“I’ve requested to see some specific (detainees) and that has not been granted,” he told Reuters.
“By law, lawyers are supposed to have that access and also families.”
Mr Stork said that while some relatives of the detainees had brief access to them, their lawyers had not yet been permitted to see them other than being present during interrogations.
Some family members and lawyers have alleged that the detainees have been tortured, but Stork admitted there was still no evidence to back up the claims.
During his visit, Mr Stork attended a seminar by Al Wefaq National Islamic Society and met Interior Ministry under secretary Brigadier Tariq Bin Daina.
“We discussed allegations by families of the detained men that they were mistreated,” he said.
“How true these allegations are we cannot confirm as further details cannot be obtained.”
Mr Stork did not directly answer whether HRW acknowledges the increasing violence on Bahrain’s streets by thugs seeking to destabilise the country.
“There are some organisations that are critical and use the media for their purpose,” he said in response.
Government officials have repeatedly denied there has been any form of torture in Bahrain and said the government would investigate claims earlier made by the US-based HRW.
Speaking after a meeting with Mr Stork on Tuesday, Social Development Minister Dr Fatima Al Balooshi accused him of politicising his work as a human rights official.
She also criticised his “interference” in Bahrain’s upcoming elections, saying independent monitoring had been guaranteed according to the country’s laws.
His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa and Deputy King Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa earlier said they would step up direct contacts with international organisations.
Mr Stork welcomed the initiative and said HRW communicated with Bahrain authorities on several issues.
In recent months, it has issued statements urging government to revoke an order against the now-dissolved Bahrain Human Rights Society, pursue torture allegations and lift travel bans on human rights activists Nabeel Rajab and Abdulhadi Al Khawaja.
“I will prepare a report about this trip which will go into a public document,” said Mr Stork, who left Bahrain yesterday.