Ahmed Mahdi Al Maqabi
19 November 2012
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) is gravely concerned about the continuation of denying access to medical treatment for prisoners of conscience in Bahrain. According to Ahmed Al-Muqabi’s written statement from prison, he was subjected to severe physical torture, including sexual assaults in the form of inserting a hose into his anus, following his arrest last year on 1st April 2011.
Ahmed Mahdi Al Maqabi
19 November 2012
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) is gravely concerned about the continuation of denying access to medical treatment for prisoners of conscience in Bahrain. According to Ahmed Al-Muqabi’s written statement from prison, he was subjected to severe physical torture, including sexual assaults in the form of inserting a hose into his anus, following his arrest last year on 1st April 2011.
Ahmed Al-Muqabi (50 years old) was sentenced to 3.5 years on charges of offering refuge to a wanted political opposition leader Mohammed Al-Moqdad who is currently serving a life sentence.
Al-Muqabi reported that he was subjected to severe forms of torture including brutal sexual assault, which involved the forced insertion of a hose through the anal passage on at least 3 occasions, electrocution of the genital area and whipping.
According to his family, Al-Muqabi now suffers from severe pain due to anal hemorrhage, bleeding hemorrhoids and infection. He has been waiting for an operation for over a year but the authorities have delayed his treatment for unknown reasons, his family suspect that the delay is intentional. He also suffers from high blood pressure, a spinal disc problem, dental pain and eye-sight problems.
In a similar case, prisoner of conscience Adnan Al-Mansi is still awaiting medical treatment. Adnan’s attorney reported that his client was “sexually assaulted by MOI officials which caused severe anal hemorrhage.” Additionally, Al-Mansi was severely beaten on the head, which reportedly caused “temporary paralysis and a permanent headache.” (Read more on Adnan Al-Mansi: http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/5506
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights holds the Bahraini authorities responsible for the life of Ahmed Al-Muqabi and his physical and psychological well-being.
The BCHR calls on the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Nations, the European Union and all close allies and international institutions to put pressure on Bahraini authorities to:
1. Immediately and unconditionally release Ahmed Al-Muqabi along with all other prisoners of conscience
2. Provide Ahmed Al-Muqabi and all other prisoners with medical treatment
3. Immediately drop all charges against Ahmed Al-Muqabi since confessions were extracted under torture.
4. To launch an impartial and independent investigation into the allegations of torture and assault made by Ahmed Al-Muqabi during his imprisonment in Bahrain and prosecute all officials involved in his torture