Bahrain Mirror: The Freedoms and Human Rights Department at Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society expressed its concern, regarding the recurrent news it has been receiving from Jaw Central Prison since April 2016 about overcrowding issues in the prison, particularly block 4.

The department said that it received information, stating that the services and basic needs of the prisoners are not being met and ill-treatment is being practiced. It further highlighted that block 4 can only hold 460 prisons, yet it comprises more than 680 now.

The department added that according to the statements of some prisoners and their relatives, a number of blocks are suffering from overcrowding, which leads to more indifference towards the needs of prisoners and their main necessities. Some prisoners complained about being prevented from performing prayers and practicing their religious rituals, as well as being beaten and insulted.

The Freedoms and Human Rights Department noted that the prisoners filed a number of complaints to the prison's administration and they stressed that every time they were promised by the administration to improve the prison's conditions. However, none of the promises have been met yet. Some of the prisoners expressed their concerns regarding the worsening of these conditions which will only cause more serious problems.

According to the department, the Bahraini authorities' ongoing imprisonment of hundreds of citizens over criminal charges, for exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of opinion, expression and peaceful assembly, is the reason behind the overcrowding in Jaw Prison.

The department further called on the authorities to immediately release all the prisoners who were arrested for solely exercising their freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly, investigate all the torture and overcrowding cases and hold all the perpetrators accountable.

Arabic Version