Participants in Human Rights Seminar Hold Interior Minister Responsible for What's Happening to Prisoners

2021-04-05 - 8:38 م

Bahrain Mirror: "Coronavirus is not the only threat to the lives of our children, as there are many diseases that are spreading among prisoners, due to the cells overcrowding. We tell the Interior Minister that you are responsible for what is happening to our children who were forced to confess fabricated charges under torture," sister of prisoner Ahmad Ali Yousif said.

This came in a webinar organized by Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain to reveal a part of the abuses and violations the Bahraini government is committing against activists and detainees.

Former Bahraini MP Jalal Fairooz stressed that families of the detainees should not be afraid and should file a complaint to the Public Prosecution against the Minister of Interior, to expose all the officials and their corruption.

For his part, Sayed Ahmed Al-Wadaei said that the Interior Ministry did not reveal the number of infected prisoners in Jaw Prison and that they refused to provide families with information about the detained sons.

He also revealed that more than 20 prisoners have contracted Coronavirus, however, they were not immediately tested in a retaliation and collective punishment.

"The loss of any human being due to the Coronavirus pandemic, torture or other causes is unacceptable, thus, we demand the right of prisoners to treatment, medical care and follow-up with transparency, giving priority to prisoners with chronic diseases," said Bahraini activist and former political prisoner Ibtisam Al-Saegh. 

She continued to say that prisoners are demanding their rights and families are demanding the rights of their children. Global and international organizations should consider the issue of Bahraini prisoners.

Former Bahraini prisoner of conscience and activists Ibrahim Al-Damistani announced that the European countries are aware of the cases of thousands of prisoners. Bahrain claimed that it is taking measures to prevent the spread of virus among prisoners, meanwhile the virus has spread and infected a number of inmates.

Dozens of detainees' relatives and activists took to the streets to denounce the situation of prisoners and reveal the abuses they are subjected to.

Arabic Version