Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
handcuffed. The police took computers and mobile phones. He was
transported to a health centre where his blood pressure was taken and he was
punched and beaten. He suffered a fracture of his coccyx. He was taken to
a detention centre where he was handcuffed and forced to stand for many
hours. He agreed to confess on the first day to anything that the
interrogators asked. The following day he was moved and subjected to
beatings with a hose on his head, shoulders and back.
On the third day he was subjected to verbal abuse that included sexual
threats and insulting his religion. From the fourth to sixth days his hands
were cuffed behind his back as well as over his head. He was subjected to
personal and religious insults and had a sign pinned to his back with the note
“Damastani Donkey”. He was deprived of sleep, threatened with
electrocution and forced to provide a confession on the sixth day. Access to
the toilet was limited during this time. He lost sensation on the soles of his
feet, which were bruised and swollen from the beatings (falaka). He was
transferred on 8 April to Dry Dock Detention Centre. Conditions improved
as he was able to sleep and had access to a toilet.
CASE NO. 42
(Examined by the forensic team)
Date of statement: 26 August 2011
Statement: The detainee was arrested at his home at approximately 03:00
on 29 April 2011. A number of police arrived, some uniformed and some
masked, shocking him at the time. He was blindfolded, handcuffed and
punched. The police took his mobile phones and laptops. He was
transported to the health centre where his blood pressure was taken. He was
punched and beaten but not as severely as some of his fellow detainees.
Detention of at least three days followed. Although he agreed from the
outset to confess to whatever was asked of him, he continued to suffer
mistreatment including being slapped, threatened with sexual assault and
death, forced to stand for long periods, and subjected to verbal abuse and
religious humiliation. He signed a confession while blindfolded. The
conditions in detention were harsh. The room was cold and had no showers.
He was blindfolded with very little sleep. The detainees slept on the floor
and often had to stand throughout most of the three days. The food was
“bad” and access to the toilet was acceptable in the mornings but “horrible”
in the afternoons and evenings. The detainee was then transferred to Dry
Dock Detention Centre.
The detainee suffers severe depression with regular crying and insomnia.
He contemplates suicide. He has lost 12 kilograms while in detention. He
asked to see a physician and psychiatrist for treatment. He currently takes
paroxetine, and his appetite and mood have improved. The conditions of
detention and the overall situation have improved.
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