Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
252. The distance between the BDF unit and the demonstrators was
estimated to be around 80 metres, at which point the military personnel used a
megaphone to instruct the protesters to vacate the area. When the protesters
refused to leave, the BDF unit claimed to have fired warning shots in the air
using their M16 rifles, Dilmun rifles and Browning .50 calibre machine guns.
Demonstrators dispersed for a short period but then regrouped in front of the
BDF unit. This sequence of events was repeated at least three times for
almost 90 minutes, with BDF units first using a megaphone to instruct the
demonstrators to leave and then firing warning shots to disperse the crowd.
Thereafter, police were dispatched to the scene to assist the BDF units in
clearing the area of demonstrators. Available evidence suggests that police
used tear gas and shotguns to disperse the crowd.
253. It was later discovered that one person, Mr Abdul Reda Mohamed
Hassan, had sustained a serious gunshot wound to his head during these
confrontations. He was immediately taken to SMC for treatment, but was
pronounced dead at 13:20 on 21 February. 242 A number of other
demonstrators were also severely injured at the scene. According to medical
reports, at least one person sustained gunshot wounds to his chest, while
others were injured by shotgun pellets in various parts of their bodies. Some
individuals also reported being injured by tear gas canisters.
254. That night, HRH the Crown Prince gave an impromptu interview on
national television in which he discussed recent developments and stated the
following:
a. He extends his condolences to the families of those who lost
their lives during the confrontations of the previous days.
b. This is a time for self-restraint to be exercised by the armed
forces, police and citizens.
c. He cares for the dignity of Bahrainis and believes that
immediate steps must be taken to rebuild confidence among
citizens to avoid slipping into chaos.
d. He believes that the pace of reform in Bahrain is slow and that
this was the cause of the events of the past days.
e. Dialogue is the best tool to find a solution to the current crisis,
and this requires the beginning of an immediate period of
calm.
f. Many countries slipped into civil war because moderates did
not stand up and protect stability and social cohesion. “Today
Bahrain is split”, and this must be remedied immediately
because it is not acceptable for Bahrainis to confront each
other.
g. The problems that Bahrain is facing are the product of many
years and cannot be solved overnight. Therefore, the solution
242 The facts of this case are discussed in detail in Chapter VI, Section A.
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