Hunger striking detainees reported to be in poor health
Media Contact
1 Sep 2011
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) calls on the Kingdom of Bahrain to ensure that court proceedings for detained medical professionals adhere to international legal standards and remain open to observers. PHR has also received new reports of detainees in poor health and on hunger strike and calls for the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) to immediately investigate their condition.
Hunger striking detainees reported to be in poor health
Media Contact
1 Sep 2011
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) calls on the Kingdom of Bahrain to ensure that court proceedings for detained medical professionals adhere to international legal standards and remain open to observers. PHR has also received new reports of detainees in poor health and on hunger strike and calls for the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) to immediately investigate their condition.
Medical professionals who were arrested for treating protesters face trial September 7 before a hybrid military court. The Kingdom of Bahrain reintroduced the military trials last week, despite earlier promises to abolish them and try the medics in civilian courts.
“The government’s use of a military trial for these cases raises serious doubts about how the rights of civilians can be adequately protected,” said PHR Deputy Director Richard Sollom. “PHR has heard from defendant’s families that the medics began a hunger strike this week in protest of their unlawful detention and trial in military courts. PHR is calling for BICI to investigate the treatment of those in detention.”
According to their families, the striking defendants are demanding:
– Immediate release from detention
– Fair trials in a civilian court with the presence of a human rights committee
– New interrogations in the presence of the defendant’s lawyers and a human rights committee
Additionally, PHR has received word that many detainees are in poor health. One woman reports that her husband is suffering from severe depression and suicidal thoughts, but is not taking his antidepressants during the hunger strike. Others are reportedly at a high risk of suffering from deep vein thrombosis, uncontrolled diabetes and other ailments.
“If these claims are true, these detainees are in severe need of medical attention and should immediately be seen by independent health professionals,” said Sollom.
In April, PHR released Do No Harm, a report which documented extensive human rights violations by the Bahraini government and casts doubt on the legitimacy of the charges against the defendants.