Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
Annex B: Summary of Torture Allegations
This annex includes information regarding 60 of the alleged victims of
torture or mistreatment. The Commission forensic team also examined an
additional five individuals who sustained injuries during the events of
February and March 2011, possibly as a result of the excessive use of force
by security forces. Those individuals are not included in this annex as there
are no allegations that they were subjected to torture or mistreatment in
State custody.
CASE NO. 1
(Examined by forensic team)
Date of statement: 3 August 2011
Statement: The detainee was arrested at approximately 02:00 on 17 March
2011. Security forces entered his home and threw him to the ground. His
wife was sleeping without a headscarf or clothing. The security forces
ransacked the house and took two mobile phones and BD 700. They
handcuffed the detainee and placed him in a vehicle, where they beat him
and threatened him with sexual assault. He was then told to guide his
captors to the home of another individual. When they arrived at that
location, the detainee was blindfolded.
He was taken to a detention centre where he was insulted, his clothes were
ripped off and water was sprayed on his face. He had a medical examination
during which his blood pressure and temperature were recorded. He was
subsequently transferred to Al Qurain Prison and was beaten on the way.
His plastic handcuffs were cut off carelessly with a sharp knife, resulting in
a deep wound to his left wrist which is still visible.
At Al Qurain Prison he was placed in a solitary confinement cell measuring
1.5m x 1.5m. Masked men brought him a filthy mattress and blanket, and
then took him for interrogation. During the night and in the morning,
masked men banged on the doors of the cells. Cold water was poured
regularly on the detainee and his mattress. He was made to stand for several
hours while they insulted him, beat him and spat in his face. They forced
him to kiss their hands and lick their boots “like a dog”. He was stripped
naked for a long period, forced to lie down and then sexually assaulted. He
heard screams coming from other detainees. On another occasion, he heard
dogs barking nearby. He was once forced to stand on hot rocks, which
caused burns to his feet. He was not permitted to use the toilet except
intermittently and for short periods. After seven days, he was taken to an
interrogation room where he was threatened with torture until he confessed
that he was involved at the GCC Roundabout and that one of his fellow
detainees called for a republic by violent means. The next day, he was
forced to sign a confession. He was allowed to shower after 10 days.
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