Bahrain Women Protesters ‘Tortured by Regime’

Bahrain Women Protesters ‘Tortured by Regime’
9 February, 2012 – By Anissa Haddadi – International Business Times

The Bahraini government has been accused of increasing the use of torture of women activists in prison as it hardens its stand against pro-democracy protesters.

With the first anniversary of protests approaching on 14 February, fresh accusations have surfaced about the government’s treatment of opponents in the small island state. Activists said that the government has failed to implement most of the recommendations set be the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BCIC) into alleged human rights abuses.

Teachers, doctors, athletes and others seens as enemies of the regime continue to be arrested or are banned from work. A media blackout has been enforced ahead of the anniversary with numerous journalists refused visas.

More than 1,000 Bahrainis have been detained – 11 percent of them women – since a state of emergency was declared in March 2011 in response to the protests and stories of the torture of female prisoners continue to emerge.

“The use of torture is ongoing; we are still receiving reports of torture from detainees that are in prison,” Maryam al-Khawaja, a Human right activist working for the BCHR told the IBTimes.

Among the victims are:

Bahiya Abdulrasool al-Aradi, a 51-year-old woman who went missing in March 2011. She was last seen driving her car and was on the phone with her sister when she heard gunshots. Aradi disappeared and her family were called by the authorities a few days later. and told that she was in a Bahrain military hospital on life support. The authorities said she died of “brain injury” but the BCIC said she had been shot from behind.
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