Bahrain: Two Women Reportedly Beaten While in Police Custody and Threatened with Electric Shocks to Sign Confessions

01 May 2013
The Bahrain Center for Human rights expresses grave concern in regards to the well-being and safety of two women who are in detention since 20 Apr 2013; they have been denied family visits, and reportedly tortured to extract confessions.
Rayhana Al-Mosawi informed her lawyer, Manar Maki, in a short phone call on 29 April 2013 that she was beaten in detention, threatened with the arrest of her relatives, and threatened with electric shocks to force her into signing confessions.
Nafeesa Al-Asfoor informed her husband in a short phone call on 29 April 2013 that she was beaten during interrogation at the criminal investigation department, threatened with arrest of relatives and with electric shocks by masked men.
Both detainees have not been allowed to consult with a lawyer about their situation, or to receive visits from family members, since their arrest on 20 Apr 2013 from the Bahrain International Circuit where the Formula1 race was taking place. The lawyers for the two women submitted requests to the public prosecution to formally represent the detainees, but they have not received a response. The lawyer Entisar AlAsfoor said that the authorities ordered a visitation ban on the two detainees for 60 days.
The two women are being charged with terrorism acts after one of them was caught with a pillow under her dress, according to the Ministry of Interior statement (http://www.policemc.gov.bh/news_details.aspx?type=1&articleId=14173).
The BCHR renews its calls to the international community to apply pressure on Bahrain to stop the practice of systematic torture to force confessions on falsified charges. The BCHR calls for the immediate release of Nafeesa Al-Asfoor and Rayhana Al-Mosawi, and the dropping of all trumped-up charges against them.
For More information about the case please read: http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/5715