NGO reports on increased abuse on political prisoners in Bahrain jail

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
21 Sep 2022 20:46

Being the country with the biggest number of political prisoners among Arab states, the BCHR rights group estimates there to be some 4,500 political activists held behind bars across the country.

NGO reports on increased abuse on political inmates in Bahrain jail

Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) has warned about the 'inhumane' conditions under which political prisoners are kept at Bahrain’s ill-famed Jau Prison, located in the South of Manama, adding that the Bahraini authorities have stepped up repressive measures against them.

The rights group noted and condemned the extensive and systematic use of physical and mental methods of torture that prisoners are enduring in detention.

According to the organization, prison officials have recently reinforced their repressive measures on political inmates, including human rights advocate Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja.

Prominent human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former president and co-founder of BCHR and GCHR, was arrested and put on trial on April 9, 2011, during a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Al-Khawaja, along with eight other activists, were sentenced to life imprisonment. Since then, he has gone on a series of hunger strikes while serving his sentence in protest of the harsh conditions he is subjected to as a prisoner.

The organization further added that Jau inmates have been put on unfair trials and given lengthy jail time for vindicating their rights and criticizing the harsh policies of the Bahraini regime.

Moreover, prison authorities have recently hired new prison guards who in the past tortured detained activists, causing outrage among inmates and prompting them to launch hunger strikes and other forms of protests.

Being the country with the biggest number of political prisoners among Arab states, the BCHR estimates there to be some 4,500 political activists held behind bars across the country.

The organization further noted that over the many reports published in the past decade, there is a clear evolution showing a worsening situation of prisoner treatment at Bahraini jails.

Since the popular uprising began in mid-February 2011 in the Kingdom, protests have been held on a regular basis.

People have been demanding that the Al Khalifa regime relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.

Manama, however, has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any form of dissent.

Former MENA Protection Coordinator for @FrontLineHRD, former President of @BahrainRights, co-founder of @GulfCentre4HR - Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja has a long history of working to promote human rights, yet he has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his work!#FreeAlKhawaja now! pic.twitter.com/mWm88vhiSn
— Front Line Defenders (@FrontLineHRD) September 21, 2022