Pic: Naji Fateel with Margaret Sekaggya

7 May 2013

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its grave concern for the information received from trusted sources that Naji Fateel – an administrative member of the BYSHR – was subjected to brutal torture in the Criminal Investigation building.

According to the information received by the BYSHR, Naji Fateel was subjected to:

1.Electrocution (in the genital, on his left leg and on the back)
2.Simulated drowning
3.Beating (by using the feet, hands or unknown tools) on the left leg – Naji had an operation on his left leg due to a work injury, he had it fixed with a metal rod – and on his head and back.
4.Threatening to spread his wife’s photos (when Naji’s house was raided his wife’s camera was confiscated and it had her personal photos in it).
5.Hanging him by his hands from the room’s ceiling (his feet did not reach the room’s floor).
6.Libelling and insult (using sectarian and political expressions).
7.Sexual harassment and threatening with rape.
8.Standing up for long hours.
9.Not allowing him to sleep, sit or lay down.

Naji Fateel was handcuffed – from the back – and blindfolded while he was in the Criminal Investigation building; the handcuffs and blindfold were only opened after he was transmitted to the Dry Dock prison.

Naji Fateel was taken to hospital twice – the Ministry of Interior hospital – while he was in a state of coma due to the torture he faced.

He was taken to the Public Prosecution at night, and before the Public Prosecutor, Naji Fateel refused to be interrogated without the presence of a lawyer, he was then returned to the Criminal Investigation building where he was beaten more severely than before because he had asked for his lawyer. When he was returned at dawn on Saturday – 4 May 2013 – he signed papers before the Public Prosecutor and he was not permitted to see what was written.

On Saturday evening – 4 May 2013 – Naji Fateel called his family and informed them that he was in the Criminal Investigation building after he was cut off since his arrest on Thursday at dawn (2 May).

On Sunday at dawn – 5 May 2013 – Naji Fateel was transferred to the Dry Dock prison where he suffers from several injuries and severe fatigue.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demands:

1.The immediate release of Naji Fateel and dropping all charges against him.
2.Immediately and independently investigate the torture allegations and hold those responsible for torture and abuse accountable, and that includes those who interrogated him in the Public Prosecution and Criminal Investigation building.

Introduction:

Royal Decree No. 14 of 2002 established the National Security Apparatus, which was an amendment of the Amiri Decree No. 29 of 1996 regarding the management of the Ministry of Interior. According to the new decree, the National Security Apparatus replaces the General Directorate for State Security that was affiliated with the Ministry of Interior. This Apparatus is headed by a manager whose degree equals that of a minister at the cabinet.

Since 2002, the notorious National Security Apparatus initiated a surveillance and wiretapping campaign on dozens of activists. It began to launch mass arrests, the most violent in 2007; the case was known as ‘burning a police car and stealing a weapon’ when many activists were arrested after Ali Jassim’s funeral. Jassim reportedly died as a result of the Security Forces use of excessive force against protestors on 17 December, which various political and human rights bodies consider ‘Martyr’s Day’. The National Security Apparatus was known for practicing numerous types of torture:

1. Severe beatings.
2. Electrocution.
3. Hanging for long periods of time in painful positions.
4. Beating the detainees’ feet with rubber hoses and/or batons.
5. Threatening the detainees with murder or rape.

In March 2008, the authorities arrested approximately 30 people from the village of Karzakan with the charge of burning property that belongs to the ruling Al-Khalifa family and killing a Pakistani officer in the village. Officers affiliated with the National Security Apparatus reportedly practiced serious violations, among them included violently raiding houses at dawn and torturing countless detainees.

In December 2008, the authorities arrested approximately 25 people and the Public Prosecution charged them with accusations related to training in Syria, preparing explosives, and attempting to carry out a terrorist act. The National Security Apparatus interrogated them using methods of intimidation and torture.
The National Security Apparatus manages people detained in the building of the Ministry of Interior – called the Fort – and in the Criminal Investigation Department building.

The names of several officials from the National Security Apparatus who practiced torture became public: Colonel Yousif Al-Arabi, Major Fahad Al-Fadhala, Major Bassam Al-Miraj, Lieutenant Isa Al-Majali and First Lieutenant Bader Al-Ghaith. ( HRW Report: http://www.hrw.org/reports/2010/02/08/torture-redux-0 )

In 2011, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa declared a state of emergency after violently cracking down on the pro-democracy protests in the Pearl Roundabout. The National Security Apparatus had obtained extensive powers, where it practiced the following:

1. Raiding thousands of houses, destroying their contents and targeting the residents.
2. Arresting thousands of citizens on political charges.
3. Abusing and torturing thousands of detainees.
4. Interrogating thousands of political detainees.

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report indicated that the National Security Apparatus is responsible for ‘interrogating and collecting intelligence information’ as well as ‘arresting people’ which confirms its involvement in the human rights violations that took place during the state of emergency (15 March – 1 June 2011). (BICI Report: http://www.bici.org.bh/BICIreportEN.pdf)

The BICI report went on to recommend that the National Security Apparatus should be limited to only collecting intelligence information and should not carry out any arrests of suspects.

Since the recommendations of the BICI report, many detainees and their families confirmed that masked men in civilian clothing from the National Security Apparatus raided their homes. Additionally, riot police cars and black cars with tinted windows (known to belong to the NSA) surrounded their homes.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) have documented that those arrested by the National Security Apparatus disappear for up to several days before contacting their families by phone.

Full Report (Here)

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern for the sentence issued from the Criminal Court (the Court of First Instance) against 17 protestors with 15 years of imprisonment. The Public Prosecution had charged them with “attempted murder of a security officer with explosives”; all those convicted are from AlEker village.

17 March 2013, the Court stated that on 9 April 2012, the accused attempted to kill security officers with explosives, they were offered first aid and their lives were rescued.

The Court issued its rulings against:

Currently in prison:

1.Ali Ridha Hassan (23 years old): he was arrested on 21 October 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he faces another case in which he has not been convicted.
2.Yousif Abdul-Kareem Al-Hindi (24 years old): he was arrested on 20 October 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he was convicted with 6 years in prison in other cases, total sentences against him 21 years.
3.Fadhel Abbas Al-Mughni (30 years old) he was arrested on 24 May 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison.
4.Abdullah Ahmed Al-Mukhtar (32 years old): he was arrested on 10 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison.
5.Habib Ayoob Al-Mughni (23 years old): he was arrested on 10 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison.
6.Hassan Ali Jawad (21 years old): he was arrested on 10 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he faces another case in which he has not been convicted.
7.Mohammed Saeed Radhi (21 years old): he was arrested on 12 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he has been convicted with 1 year in prison in another case, total sentences against him 16 years in prison.
8.Mahdi Ahmed Hassan Khamees: he was arrested on 20 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he has been convicted with 5 years in prison in other cases, and he faces a case in which he has not been convicted, total sentences against him 20 years in prison.

The Ministry of Interior claims the escape of those prisoners:

9.Hussein Abdullah Ahmed (23 years old): he was arrested on 20 October 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he has been convicted with 5 years in prison in other cases, total sentences against him 20 years in prison.
10.Ridha Hassan Jassim (26 years old): he was arrested on 20 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he has been convicted with 6 years in prison in other cases, and he faces another case in which he has not been convicted, total sentences against him 21 years in prison.
11.Abdullah Abdul-Ameer Al-Mughni (23 years old): he was arrested on 20 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he has been convicted with 7 years and 6 months in prison in other cases, and he faces another case in which he has not been convicted, total sentences against him 22 years and 6 months in prison.
12.Ahmed Yousif Jassim (23 years old): he was arrested on 21 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he has been convicted with 6 years in prison in other cases, and he faces another case in which he has not been convicted, total sentences against him 21 years in prison.
13.Abdullah Abdul-Jaleel Abdullah: he was arrested on 10 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison, and he faces another case in which he has not been convicted.
14.Jassim Mohammed Hassan (33 years old): he was arrested on 20 April 2012, he was sentenced in the case of “attempting to murder a security officer with explosives” with 15 years in prison.

They were sentenced in absentia:

15.Abdul-Sadiq Ali Habib (40 years old).
16.Salman Isa Ali (24 years old)
17.Hussein Abdali Ali (25 years old)

The lawyers and families of those convicted confirm that the accused stated to the court judge that they were subjected to brutal torture in order to confess, and the Public Prosecution did not investigate the torture allegations.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demands:

1.the immediate, urgent, and independent investigation in the allegations of torture;
2.stop targeting protestors and to allow freedom of opinion and assembly;
3.the judicial authorities must take the necessary measures to protect the demonstrators from the Authority’s arbitrariness.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) releases this report to disclose the concept of ‘impunity’ approached by the Bahraini Authorities with the ‘dead’ victims which was documented by the ‘Bahrain Independent Comission of Inquiry (BICI)’ established by King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa.

The report also includes cases that were documented by the BYSHR and other human rights organizations.

1. 8 cases of murder were referred to court out of 41 cases of death recorded by the BICI.

1-1) The security officers in 3 cases were sentenced with “7 years imprisonment in all cases”
1-2) Security officers were acquitted in two cases.
1-3) Two cases are still in court.

2. Two foreign workers were killed by the security forces and until now no investigation into their deaths was made.

3. Killing by the use of “shotgun”: 4 cases were referred to court; the court acquitted the security officers in two cases; 3 cases were not referred to court.

4. Killing by the use of “live bullets”: one case was referred to court while 4 other cases were not referred to court.

5. Death in prison: 3 incidents were referred to court, while two incidents were not referred to court.

6. Death in separate incidents: 11 cases were recorded by the BICI, however they were outside the specified timeframe, and they were not referred to court.

7. Death incidents that were not included in the BICI report: 11 death incidents that were caused by security forces, some were referred to the Public Prosecution, and the case was closed because the security forces were in the state of “self-defence”.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) assures that the report did not include death cases that were caused by the intense use of teargas in closed areas which led to the death of at least 30 people (some of them were participating in protests and the others were randomly targeted in their homes.) (refer to the statement of the BYSHR : http://byshr.org/?p=1292 )

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) confirms that the Bahraini Authorities protects the human rights violators and practices the policy of “impunity” which leads to the increase of extrajudicial killings.

Report here-PDF

Photo: Ali Aref, a Riot Police member, who assaulted a citizen

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern for the incident that took place regarding the officer Ali Aref, a Riot Police member, who assaulted a citizen by beating him in the village of Aali, and this is not a precedent where Security Forces are known for their mistreatment and torture against citizens and political detainees. The report issued by the “Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry”, which was established by the King’s country Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, confirmed that the Security Forces used torture to extract confessions or as revenge.

Video: Ali Aref, a Riot Police member, who assaulted a citizen

On 23 December, the – ill-reputed – officer, Ali Aref, was roaming with the Riot Police in the village of Aali when he questioned one of the citizens – accompanied by a child – and then slapped him on his face.

The assault against citizens in Bahrain is systematic and is carried out by individuals who work in the Ministry of Interior. The BYSHR has monitored several complaints against members of Security Forces who assault citizens in many areas, and these videos detect that:

1. Assaulting a citizen in the village of Bani Jamra, 9 November 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYVIdgv6esM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
2. Assaulting a citizen in the village of Eker, 14 October 2011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VuHVPKtk0A&feature=youtube_gdata_player
3. Assaulting citizens in the village of Maamer, 11 November 2011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps-xfboge6s

Within hours the Ministry of Interior announced that it will investigate the incident – the assault incident in the village of Aali – and that the security officer who attacked the citizen will be brought to military court (refer to the statement of the Ministry of Interior http://www.policemc.gov.bh/news_details.aspx?type=1&articleId=13229 )

This is not the first time that a statement is issued in cases of assaults by the security forces against citizens, where the Bahraini Al-Wasat newspaper (Issue 3718 – November 2012) published a photo of an assault against a citizen (refer to the newspaper http://www.alwasatnews.com/3718/news/read/714979/1.html )

On 20 November 2012, the Ministry of Interior released a statement that confirms bringing the security officer who assaulted the citizen on 9 November 2012 to military courts (refer to the statement of the Ministry of Interior: http://www.alwasatnews.com/3727/news/read/717224/1.html )

The BYSHR has until now not received the outcome of prosecuting those accused of human rights violations. The BYSHR believes that these investigations do not contribute in the criminal justice, due to the following:

1. the Ministry of Interior does not publish the names or military ranks of those accused of human rights violations;
2. the Ministry of Interior does not publish the results of the investigation or the court sentences;
3. the Ministry of Interior does not allow the victim or who represents him or her, the lawyers, and local and international human rights institutes to attend and observe the court hearings.

On 30 January 2012, the Ministry of Interior released “Code of Conduct for Policemen” in order for the policeman to protect the individuals from the abuse of using power and to promote human rights. (refer to the Code of Conduct: http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/viewhtm.aspx?ID=RINT1412)

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demands:

1. Permit the victim or who represents him or her and the local and international human rights organizations to attend the court hearings of the policemen accused of human rights violations;
2. Publish the court sentences and results of investigations with those responsible for the human rights violations in the various means of media;
3. Hold those that are directly and indirectly responsible for the human rights violations in Bahrain, and this should include all the officials in the higher ranks in the Ministry of Interior and other ministries;
4. Implement the principle of “no impunity”.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding the violations against prominent activists and opposition leaders in Jaw Prison – Central Prison – by the prison administration officials.

According to the information of the BYSHR – obtained from the families of prisoners – that prison officials have committed violations against the right of the prisoner.

” we submitted a letter to prison authorities that we will start a series of actions to protest against the violations and new restrictions, including on calls to families and lawyers, prevention from daily newspapers as well as prevention from daily exercise in the open air. The protest will include a hungerstrike” 13 prominent activists, said.

In the same context, the prominent activist Mr.Nabeel Rajab – president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights – confirmed that prison officials placed him in solitary confinement for several days and he was prevented to call his family.

Mr.Nabeel Rajab complained of psychological and physical torture to the Court of Appeal judge (court hearing Aug. 23)

Jaw Prison: BYSHR has documented numerous violations have occurred in the Jaw Prison since 2005.Many prisoners protested against the prison administration due to of torture and ill-treatment.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) demanded an immediate and independent investigation with prison officials and to hold those responsible for violations of the rights of the prisoners.

Statement of the Public Prosecution: ” A quash of judgment does not result in release of the defendants as long as they were imprisoned when presented in the first trial, because a quash of judgment brings the case to the same condition when it emerged from the Public Prosecution. Whereas a verdict to quash a judgment does not result in or potentiality of giving preference to acquittal on the conviction in the case, but the court may return it after legal error correction, which occurred in the first judgment to adjudicate with the same previous penalty, mitigate, or innocence of the defendant. It retrieves full freedom to issue judgment without being bound by verdict of the First Degree as a new case that did not receive the judgment before. However, it is prohibited to adjudicate with severe punishment as long as the defendant was the appellant before the Court of Cassation”

The Public Prosecution continue, ” In the case of re-trial and due to the previous guilty verdict from First Degree Court and the Court of Appeal, which means an agreement and persuasion of two departments’ judges on conviction, it is likely to result in a resumption of the judiciary, usually, with reconviction due to the absence of any changes in the case or in its subject or evidence”.

According to the law of its establishment, Supreme Court is specialized only to monitor and preserve legal uniformity .Its provided in the Supreme Court law that Cassation is a check on the quality of contested judgments given by the courts of appeal as regards both the application and Interpretation of law.

For further clarification:

1-Confessions of the accused before military prosecutor will not be canceled.

2-Defendants will not be released (due to the first sentence in a military court).

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) believes that the Bahraini authorities will not re-trial of 14 prominent activist but had published false information in the local media and international.

The defendants were subjected to ill treatment and torture before and after their arrest by the National Security Apparatus, the army and the police.

The BYSHR demands:

1-Immediate release and unconditional of 14 prominent activist due to accusations linked to freedom of opinion and expression.

2-Bring those responsible for torture and ill-treatment to justice.

3-To allow human rights activists, dissidents and pro-democracy demonstrators express their opinions peacefully without restrictions.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding the violations that have increased due to Formula One in Bahrain, as Bahraini authorities launched a bloody and violent crackdown to prevent protests during the race.

On April 14, the Bahraini authorities have arrested 18 protesters in the village of Bani Jamra, and detainees had been subjected to severe torture during arrest.

Witnesses confirmed that the detainees were screaming loudly after being severely beaten.Eyewitnesses confirmed that the blood was on the ground everywhere.

On April 13, security forces used live ammunition in the villages of Diraz and Sitra, and the BYSHR not received any information about casualties because of the use live ammunition against demonstrators.

Video proves the use of live ammunition (captured in the village of Sitra):

Since April 14, security forces are using birdshot against the demonstrators, and the BYSHR received information confirming wounding more than 10 people in the upper region of the body.

Video proves the use of birdshot (captured in the village of Salmabad):

Video confirms the injured demonstrator Mohamed Ahmed - 15 years – in peaceful demonstrations, and Mohammed has been transferred to the hospital between life and death, and the BYSHR has not received further information about his health condition.

Since April 15 until April 16 in the morning, security forces stormed the villages of Sitra and Ghuraifa and arrested more than 10 demonstrators from the two villages.

The BYSHR received information confirming the arrests took place in other villages also.

On 15 April, security forces arrested a member of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) Mr.Sayed Yousif Almuhafda and two employees in the Human Rights Watch.The Bahraini authorities have released them later.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) believes that the security crackdown to prevent any demonstrations against the Formula 1, and the BYSHR calling for the Bahraini authorities to stop oppression and calls for officials of Formula One to cancel the race in Bahrain to protect freedoms.

Bahraini authorities said that they installing video cameras in police stations to prevent torture and ill-treatment of detainees, But the cameras, introduced after an inquiry by Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).

BICI Report: (1722/G)- “There should be audiovisual recording of all official interviews with detained persons”

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) monitored in recent months, cases of allegations of torture took place in the informal centers of riot police, But the detainees said yesterday (March 28, 2012) that they had been tortured in the police station in Isa Town.

The BYSHR met with victims of torture and ill-treatment in the village of Nuwaidrat and confirmed that they were tortured in the “Isa Town Police Station”.

@Isa Town Police Station

“I was beaten, insulted and spit on my face by the policeman at the police station” Mr.Makki Said, Was released after interrogation.

@Mr. Makki

“During the investigation, the officer running the video camera to record the investigation, but minutes later, police closed the video camera and hit me, then he operated the camera again” Mr.Mohammed Said, Was released after interrogation.

@Mr. Mohammed

OFF-CAMERA BEATINGS:

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) documented allegations of torture of approximately 100 demonstrators informal centers of riot police.

Informal Centers:

1-Chivalry Club ( In the Budaiya)
2-Municipal building ( In the village of Demistan)
3-Sport club ( In the village of Al-Aker)
4-Youth hostels ( In the village of Sanabis)

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern due to torture of demonstrators and demanded an immediate investigation into these allegations.

In 2011, after the authorities cracked down on protests in the Pearl Roundabout, King of Bahrain announced the National Safety Law (Emergency Law), and Bahrain has gone through serious violations of human rights.

Weeks before the first anniversary of the protests, the specter of the National Safety Law – Emergency Law – back again:

1) According to information the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR), authorities arrested more than 100 people since last January, during the arrest, the security forces, and forces in civilian clothes – masked men – stormed the house and did not show the permission of the Attorney General.The BYSHR documented allegations of torture.

2) A number of prominent journalists have reported on Twitter that they have been denied access to Bahrain in the run-up to the anniversary of the pro-democracy protests on February 14.Nick Kristof and Adam Ellick of the New York Times, Gregg Carlstrom of Al Jazeera, Cara Swift of the BBC and Kristen Chick of the Christian Science Monitor are among those who have been denied entry to Bahrain.

3) A number of prominent international human rights monitors, including Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley, Physicians for Human Rights’s Richard Sollom and Freedom House, were denied entry to Bahrain.

4)The Ministry of Interior returned checkpoints in some areas.

5) The riot police using the shotgun again in the suppression of protests in some areas.

6) The Health Ministry issued a memorandum to the private hospitals require them to inform the security authorities of the injured and wounded, and will be taking legal action against the offending hospital.

7) The Army used barbed wire to close the areas near the Pearl Roundabout.