Imprisoned leadership in hunger strike as politcal detentions become intolerable

“3rd day of hunger strike of 130 detainees including doctors at “Dry dock detention center”

Jailed Bahrain doctors on hunger strike
by Hugh Tomlinson, Dubai – The Times – September 02, 2011 12:00AM

A GROUP of Bahraini doctors on trial for alleged terrorism have begun a hunger strike in protest at their treatment, amid claims they have been tortured in custody.

The 14 men began their protest on Tuesday after being denied bail last week by a military court. Relatives say the health of several of the doctors has deteriorated rapidly and they are not receiving adequate medical treatment.

“One doctor has a cerebral aneurism, another has severe injuries from torture. Another man is suffering badly from diabetes. Now they are all on hunger strike their condition will only get worse,” said a relative.

The doctors are charged with turning a hospital into a terrorist base as thousands of protesters took to the streets across the island kingdom in February, demanding democratic reforms from the ruling al-Khalifa family.

The government alleges that the men took hostages at Salmaniya hospital in the capital, Manama, hoarding guns in the building and using ambulances to run weapons to the protesters. Opponents say, however, that the authorities have been staging show trials to justify a violent crackdown.

More than 30 people have been killed since troops moved in to quash the protests in March.

With martial law in place, a military court was set up to try the detainees.

At the doctors’ first hearing, in June, the most damning evidence came from confessions signed by the defendants themselves and the testimony of “confidential witnesses”. The detainees have said their confessions were extracted under torture. Prisoners were beaten with sticks and hoses, deprived of sleep and forced to sign papers while blindfolded, they say.

One of the doctors described being hooded and made to stand for several hours in a cold room during repeated interrogations.

“Then they gave me some papers. I never saw them, I just signed everything they told me to. What choice did I have?” he said.

Tensions remain high across the kingdom, with protests continuing on an almost daily basis. …more