Husain Mohamed is a 22-year-old Bahraini citizen currently held in Dry Dock Detention Center. He was arbitrarily arrested and subjected to torture during his detention.
On 10 November 2015 at 2:30am, approximately 20 riot police officers along with other officers from the Ministry of Interior (MoI) raided Husain’s home. They searched the house and arrested Husain without presenting warrants for either action. The officers then took Husain to the MoI’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) for interrogation. He was held there for two months, during which time the authorities subjected him to both physical and mental torture.
During interrogation, the officers insulted him, beat him, and subjected him to electric shocks. As a result, Husain suffered damage to his teeth as well as pain in his back and foot. He asked that a doctor be allowed to examine him, but the authorities rejected his request. Though Husain was able to call his family the day after his arrest, the call was cut short and only lasted for several seconds. The family had no knowledge of his whereabouts for a month after his arrest. The authorities also prohibited anyone, including Husain’s lawyer, to visit him during his detention.
Husain was charged with attempting to detonate a fake bomb and participating in terrorist activities, including joining a terrorist cell, possessing and manufacturing explosives, financing terrorism, and receiving training from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces. The court sentenced him to five years in prison for attempting to detonate a fake bomb, and his trial on the terrorism charges is ongoing.
Husain is now held in Dry Dock Detention Center, where he has also been subjected to torture. Prison authorities have held Husain in solitary confinement, forced him to strip naked, and thrown objects at him.
Husain’s family has submitted three complaints to the MoI Ombudsman since 2015 concerning his arrest, incommunicado detention, torture, and denial of medical care. However, the Ombudsman never responded to these complaints.
Bahrain’s actions against Husain violate its international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Article 14 fair trial rights and Article 9 right to freedom from arbitrary detention), the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (Article 12 right to health), and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Bahrain is a party to each of these treaties. ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by providing Husain with a new trial consistent with due process and fair trial rights. We additionally urge the authorities to investigate claims of torture and ill treatment by officials and to hold them accountable for their actions. We also call upon the authorities to provide sufficient medical treatment and medication to Husain and all others in Bahraini custody.
Editor’s note: ADHRB previously wrote that he was acquitted on the terrorism charges, while his trial is in fact ongoing.
