The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its grave concern over the security forces’ continued practice of abducting of citizens in Bahrain. The BCHR’s Head of Monitoring and Documentation Unit, Said Yousif Al-Muhafdha, has recently documented the disturbing case of Abdulhadi Abdulla who was abducted and forced to sign confessions under duress.
On the 9th of September 2013, Abdulhadi Abdulla (23 years old) was abducted while visiting his father at Salmaniya Hospital by police officers in civilian clothing and was taken then to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) where he was reportedly tortured, deprived of sleep, deprived of food, and forced to stand for several hours. The officers threatened to arrest Abdulla’s father as well as other members of the family, if he did not sign the confessions written by the officer. He was told that if he has information about where other wanted individuals are hiding, then he would be released and financially rewarded; otherwise he would be implicated in a case. Abdulla informed the officers that he did not have any information to help them. He was reportedly forced to sign the confessions at the Public Prosecution, and he is currently being held for 60 days pending investigation under the internationally criticized terrorism law.
Based on the above, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights calls on the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Nations and all other close allies and relevant international institutions to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release Abdulhadi Abdulla and all other political prisoners in Bahrain.
- Conduct prompt and impartial investigations in the cases of abduction and mistreatment.
- Put an end to the use of torture and the use of threats as a tool to extract false confessions.
- Allow the Special Rapporteur on Torture to visit Bahrain to document the testimonies of the victims.
- End the culture of impunity and hold accountable all those accused of conducting, overseeing or enabling torture and mistreatment, including senior government officials who, if not directly supervising the violations, are involved in the protection of the violators.