Bahrain government under fire in advance of report on abuses

LEAD: Bahrain government under fire in advance of report on abuses
Nov 22, 2011, Deutsche Presse-Argentur

Cairo/Manama – Bahrain’s largest Shiite opposition group on Tuesday accused the government of having planned the use of ‘excessive force’ on protesters calling for greater freedoms and reforms earlier this year.

In a statement posted on its website Al-Wefaq said the government, by admitting to abuses, was trying ‘to escape its responsibility for violations leading to numerous fatalities and hundreds of injuries.’

On Monday, the government admitted to ‘instances of excessive force and mistreatment of detainees,’ during countrywide unrest earlier this year. It said that some 20 officers are being prosecuted as a result.

But according to Al-Wefaq, the ‘abuses were systematic and linked to planned government policies.’

‘Abuses could not have taken place without prior knowledge and consent of influential officials … and the ultimate responsibility falls on top decisionsmakers rather than junior officials and soldiers.’

More than 30 people were reported to have been killed when protesters clashed with security forces between February and March.

The opposition statement came a day before the planned release of a report by an independent commission of inquiry into the crackdown.

Separately Tuesday, three Bahraini human rights groups issued a shadow report criticizing the handling of dissidents, calling for reforms, and urging Western countries to halt military aid to the regime.

The 84-page report was compiled by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS), and the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR).

It detailed serious human rights violations, including extra-judicial killings, torture in custody and targeting of medics, and educational, media, and sports professionals.

The report claimed that torture was widespread and systematic, and predated the crackdown on pro-reform protesters who hit the streets on February 14th, demanding more political rights as the Arab Spring protests spread through the region.

It called on the Bahraini government to: immediately end ongoing human rights violations; unconditionally release political prisoners; end torture, arbitrary detention, and incommunicado detention; and to reduce the security presence on the streets.

It also called on the authorities to put on trial all those accused of killing, wounding and torturing protesters and detainees, as well as those who ordered and authorized such acts.

It also recommended the introduction of a new independent justice system and the reinstatement of all workers who were dismissed from their workplace for taking part in the protests. …source