Detainees released – hundreds including opposition leadeship remain locked up – “over 98% have suffered physical abuse”, Nabeel Rajab BCHR

Bahrain releases more than 140 detainees
By the CNN Wire Staff – August 8, 2011

(CNN) — Bahraini authorities have released more than 140 detainees, including two ranking former opposition members of Parliament and a prominent opposition lawyer, government officials said.

The two former MP’s are members of the largest Shiite opposition group, Al-Wefaq, which resigned from Parliament in February over the killing of pro-reform protesters, most of whom were Shiites.

Former Al Wefaq MPs Matar Matar and Jawad Fairuz were “tortured” while in the custody of Bahraini national security forces, Matar said. Following an interrogation with a military prosecutor, Matar said he, Fairuz and a few others were taken to what he believes was a military site. They were brought to an open area outside and told to raise their hands. Approximately five men began to beat them with sticks for about 30 minutes, Matar said.

The beating took place after Matar said he had completed answering questions from a military investigator. The security forces “didn’t want information.” They wanted to “send a message that we have a green light,” to do whatever they want, Matar said.

Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said he believes — based on what people previously in detention have told him — about 98 percent of people in custody had suffered physically abuse, including beatings, elect shocks and sexual assaults. “No one was immune… very rarely will you find someone who was not abused,” Rajab said. There have other been credible allegations of torture by Bahraini security forces from human rights groups, including Physicians for Human Rights. …more