Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
209. According to one estimate, a total of 55 protests of various sizes took
place in Bahrain on 14 February. As noted above, some of the demands
expressed during these demonstrations included revising the Constitution,
undertaking political reform and achieving greater socio-economic justice. In
addition to the death of Ali Almeshaima and injuries suffered by other
protesters, noted above, there were reported attacks by protesters against
police personnel, vehicles and security patrols that had been dispatched to
disperse unauthorised demonstrations.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
210. Early in the morning of 15 February, small gatherings were reported
in a number of neighbourhoods, including Al Diraz and Ras Ruman. Reports
indicated that garbage dumpsters and one private vehicle were set on fire.
211. The funeral procession of Mr Ali Almeshaima was held later in the
morning and attracted the largest number of persons of any gathering on this
day in Bahrain. People began to gather at the SMC morgue at 06:30 in
anticipation of the release of the victim’s body. The number of people
continued to increase until it reached over 1,000 by 08:30, when Mr
Almeshaima’s body was released to his family. The procession departed from
the SMC morgue and headed towards the Jidhafs cemetery, where Mr
Almeshaima was laid to rest. According to some reports, the number of
mourners reached 2,500 by the time the procession reached the cemetery.
212. As the procession moved down the Salmaniya Road, some of the
mourners noticed two police patrol cars parked beside the Sana Department
Store. The first of these vehicles had broken down, while the second had been
dispatched to secure the location while police prepared the first vehicle to be
towed away. At 08:47, a group of mourners, reported to be around 400
people, approached the police and started assaulting them, at first verbally and
then by throwing rocks and metal rods. Some of the police suffered minor
injuries, and a patrol car and tow truck were slightly damaged.
213. As the situation worsened, the seven police personnel at the location
began responding to the mourners using sound bombs, tear gas and rubber
bullets. Then, according to MoI reports, the mourners became more
aggressive and came within metres of the police patrol to the extent that they
managed to seize and destroy one of the police’s tear gas launchers. At this
point, and after all other ammunition had been exhausted, police are reported
to have fired two shotgun rounds at the mourners, after which they evacuated
the location.
214. Fadel Salman Ali Salman Matrouk was struck in the back by one
shotgun round at very close range, estimated to be one metre. 239 He was
immediately taken to SMC, where attempts to resuscitate him failed and he
was pronounced dead at 09:30. He was the second fatality of the
February/March events. The MoI ordered an investigation soon after.
239 The facts of this case are discussed in detail in Chapter VI, Section A.
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