Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Chapter VI — Allegations of Human Rights Violations Against the Person
to signal the SUV. The vehicle failed to stop and the soldier manning the
machine gun fired at the front and the wheels of the SUV. The vehicle then
stopped and the BDF unit advanced and ordered the passengers to disembark.
The passengers were Western citizens and were intoxicated. The soldiers
noticed that another vehicle was facing the opposite direction on the other side
of the road. The unit approached the vehicle and found an injured woman in
the driver’s seat bleeding from the head. She was transferred to a hospital and
was pronounced dead. An ordnance report was conducted which concluded
that the deceased was killed by parts of a .50 calibre bullet. The report
concluded that it is not possible that the deceased was the target of the
shooting because the calibre of the gun used by the BDF unit would have
caused far more extensive damage due to the velocity and calibre of the bullet.
In addition, the material uncovered from the deceased’s head during the
autopsy was of damaged parts of the bullet. Those parts confirm that the
bullet had hit a hard surface at high speed, splintered upon impact and
subsequently entered the head of the deceased. The BDF investigation
concluded that the BDF personnel acted in accordance with the applicable
laws and regulations and that there was no indication of a criminal offence.
954. The death of Ms Alaradi is attributable to BDF. However, the
available evidence is not sufficient to conclude that the death resulted from an
excessive use of force. The Commission has found no evidence to support the
family’s belief that the deceased was shot by a sniper.
Death Caused by Physical Injury
Case No. 13 - Isa Radhi Abdali Ahmed Alradhi
955. At 18:00 on 16 March 2011, Mr Isa Radhi Abdali Ahmed Alradhi
was pronounced dead. The death certificate states that the cause of death was
a fractured skull and internal bleeding in the brain caused by head trauma.
The death certificate also states that respiratory and circulatory failure
contributed to the death.
956. A forensic report confirmed the cause of death and concluded that
bruises and wounds consistent with impact were evident on the face, head,
legs, left arm, chest, stomach, torso and back of the deceased.
957. The Commission received information that on 15 March 2011 a large
operation by plain clothes police and military personnel was launched in Sitra.
The operation began between 10:00 and 11:00, and lasted until after the
evening prayers. There were clashes between residents of the area and
security forces throughout the day. At some point during these operations, the
deceased disappeared. On 17 March, the deceased’s family began to actively
look for him. They visited Sitra police station and Isa Town police station and
submitted a complaint about his disappearance. A relative of the deceased
received a telephone call from the police on 19 March asking him to identify
the body of the deceased at the hospital. Another witness stated that on 15
March he saw the deceased being beaten by 15 police officers for
approximately 20 minutes.
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