» News

Policeman Responds to Prisoners' Request to Transfer Political Prisoner to Clinic: Let him Die

2023-04-25 - 3:02 p

Bahrain Mirror: The Director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), Sayed Ahmed Al-Wadaei, revealed that political prisoner Zuheir suffered a convulsion while prisoners of 4 cells in building 9, ward 1, in Jaw prison, were going out of their cells, which made his cellmates knock their cell's door so that Zuheir gets transferred and treated. However, a policeman called Toufic answered them: Let him die.

Al-Wadaei explained, via a tweet, that after pressure from the prisoners and knocking on the doors, the policeman opened the door of cell No. 7, where Zuheir is found, to transfer him to the clinic, but the policeman closed at the same time the door of prison aisle, which made prisoners refuse to return to their cells and protest in the aisle.

In the same context, Al-Wadaei confirmed that prisoners in Jaw prison complain of severe negligence by the prison administration, pointing out that prisoners of 5 cells are currently on hunger strike, stressing that prisoners have several demands, most notably providing treatment and stopping medical negligence against them. 

Al-Wadaei said that prisoners complained that the prison administration canceled their medical appointments in Ramadan, in particular, adding that the administration delays giving medicine to sick prisoners and prisoners who have diabetes and high blood pressure, pointing out that some of them cannot eat breakfast before taking medicine.

He pointed out that prisoners in cells 12, 11, 10, 9 and 7 on the ground floor of the prison are currently on hunger strike. 

Al-Wadaei added that due the protest, the prison administration denied prisoners of building 9 from contacting their families and did not open the cells doors of prisoners who are not on hunger strike. "Prisoners spend 24 hours in their locked cells," he stated.

He revealed that the administration sent agent Marwan Al-Hudairi to threaten the prisoners. However, one of the prisoners responded to the agent and demanded changing the working hours of police officers, including the policeman Toufic, who said about the sick detainee Zuhair Ashour "Let him die". The prisoners told Marwan: "You are also sectarian", and refused to talk to him.

Al-Wadaei confirmed that the prisoners submitted their demands written to the prison administration, which included providing treatment and medical care, and raised the issue of the medical negligence which detainee Abdulwahab Hussein is being subjected to.

Al-Wadaei mentioned the prisoners' demands which included: changing the working hours of police officers due to ill-treatment and dealing with them in a sectarian manner, specifically policeman Toufic and holding him accountable, providing guarantees of serious health care and showing non-leniency in urgent cases, and providing treatment for detained figures, on top Abdulwahab Hussein.

Arabic Version