Posts from — December 2013

Al Wefaq writes to the Red Cross on the situation of Sheikh Al Mahfoodh and other prisoners
3 December, 2013 – SHAFAQNA

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Al Wefaq National Islamic Society demands the authorities to immediately reveal information on the situation of the detainees in Juw prison. The authorities must also reveal information on the condition of Secretary General of Amal Islamic Action Society Sheikh Muhammad Ali Al Mahfoodh, who is detained for reasons related to freedom of opinion.

The Authority is fully responsible for the safety of the prisoners.

Al Wefaq notes that the families of the prisoners are extremely worried because they had not being receiving any phone calls from them lately. In fact, some families have not received any information concerning the conditions of their jailed relatives since last Wednesday.

Al Wefaq has wrote to the Red Cross about the situation of the prisoners in building no.1 in Juw prison. The violations perpetrated against the prisoners in Juw prison reveal the reality behind the Authority’s claims on its implementation of the BICI recommendations. International parties and organisations have also issued reports urging for the implementation of the BICI recommendations which have not yet been implemented.

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Ali Al Taweel was recently beaten unconscious by prison guards as he resisted an attempt to take him from the General Population in what was preparation for his impending execution. A number of fellow Political Prisoners, intervened in an attempt to stop the brutal beating, many were also beaten to the point of requiring hospital. Others were put in Solitary Confinement where they are being held without proper medical attention and are being deprived of water. Others who have beaten and are in need of medical care are being held in solitary confinement. Phlipn.

Ali Al Taweel’s Death Sentence and Torture
15 November, 2013 – Bahrain – Anonymous Contribution

Ali Al Taweel is an extreme example of the illegal, violent nature of the Bahrain legal system. It also shows that torture is widespread in the prisons to degrade detainees and extract confessions.

Ali is an uneducated young man, unable to read or write and the son of a fisherman. He was picked up because he was in Sitra when the demos were going on. He was tortured for weeks including being strung up like a chicken and sexually abused. There has not been an execution of a Bahraini since 1990s, the last execution was of a Bangladeshi in 2010.

Ali was picked up by the police on April 19th 2011 and tortured for 13 hours at Isa Town Police Station. He was accused of running over a policeman. They wanted him to implicate Sheikh Moqdad, one of the eleven leaders sentenced to life.

He was forced to sign an unseen confession, which he couldn’t have read anyway and the trial was a farce with no real defence.

There were no witnesses to the accident and disagreement where it even took place. The prosecution said Sitra but the BICI report said GCC Roundabout, in Manama. ( Para 1030.)

The main prosecution witness was his torturer, who’s already in court for torturing the doctors. BICI Report mentioned its concern about the injustice of this case.

His lawyer, for some reason did not take his case on to the Court of Cessation, after being tried in a Military Court.

He was sentenced to death on 29th September 2011.

He is kept in solitary for 23 hours a day and only released once a fortnight for a family visit. This is affecting his sanity and he has had no treatment for the torture he sustained.

There was an appeal on February 10th 2013, which he lost. Lawyers are taking his case to the Court of Cessation where he might get his sentence reduced to life imprisonment. But he is innocent and needs to be helped to restart his life.

Ali was 17 when captured and should not have been placed in an adult prison like many Bahraini children. He must be released.

Bahrain is really dangerous now with young men being picked up at night and four ladies were detained, for stopping the police abducting a relative.

If this young man is executed it will lead to demonstrations and more people will be killed and detained. Please contact your Congressman/woman and ask them to help Ali.

Ref: Biased Court. 23rd August 2012. BCHR

Ref: Bahrain – Court upholds death sentence based on coerced confession. 10th Feb 2013. BCHR

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