Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
interrogated and accused of possessing a firearm, initiating an organisation
aiming to overthrow the King and having unlawful connections with foreign
countries. He was forced to sign a confession of about 40 pages without
reading it. He was subsequently transferred to various different locations
and at each one he was subjected to physical and mental torture.
The detainee suffered bleeding from his left ear as a result of the physical
torture and his hearing has been damage. He also experienced oedema of
the right thigh and the calf area, numbness in his right foot and pain in the
sacral region and coccyx area.
CASE NO. 55
Date of statement: 03 August 2011
Statement: The detainee was arrested at his home at approximately 20:30
on 2 May 2011 by a group of masked civilians. The masked civilians
videotaped his arrest. He was blindfolded and taken to an unknown location
where he was interrogated for two hours while still blindfolded. The
interrogator did not introduce himself or the institution for which he worked.
After the interrogation, masked men took photographs of the detainee and
then put him in an isolated cell (2m x 1.5m). He was interrogated again the
following day and threatened with physical torture and electrocution. He
was later cursed and insulted while being examined in a medical clinic. On
4 May, they began to torture him in his cell. He was deprived of sleep as he
was forced to stand with his hands raised. He was threatened that he would
be subjected to physical torture if he sat down. This process lasted until
midnight.
On 5 May, the detainee was transferred to the NSA where he was kept in an
isolated cell for 45 days and interrogated regularly. Based on the questions
asked during interrogations, the detainee concluded that he had been arrested
because of his political views and activities and because he was a member of
Al Wefaq.
The detainee and several others were taken to the Military Prosecution on 18
May. While waiting to enter, he was beaten and mocked by the guards. The
investigation at the Military Prosecution lasted 10 hours. He did not consult
with a lawyer. He was then taken to a military facility where he was kicked,
punched and severely beaten with metal sticks. The guards took the detainee
to a man called the “Al Sheikh” who cursed him, insulted his sect and beat
him using a metal rod on his face, ears and back. On the way back to the
NSA, one of the guards beat the detainee again and threatened him with
rape.
On 29 May, the detainee was allowed a five-minute telephone call to his
family but he was not allowed to say anything about his location or the
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