Bahraini rights groups release "shadow report" on right violations

Bahraini rights groups release "shadow report" on right violations
Bahraini human rights groups released a report Tuesday on the right violations during the country's unrest, a so-called "shadow report" before the much- anticipated issue of an official report by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).

The 84-page report, compiled by the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS), now-defunct Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, and some other local nongovernmental organizations, was issued at a press conference at the BHRS premises in Manama's Adliya district.

"Our investigative report supports the rights of victims, no matter their political or religious background. It is unaffiliated with the Bahraini government or any foreign government, and is firmly centered on domestic civil society advocacy of human rights, " the report said.

According to the report, the BCHR have documented 45 deaths, 1, 500 cases of arbitrary arrest, 1,866 cases of torture, 500 prisoners of conscience, the destruction of over 40 places of worship, 2,710 sackings, 500 people in exile, three men on death row and 477 students expelled.

It said that the National Safety Court have sentenced 208 civilians to long-year imprisonment, including 20 doctors sentenced to up to 15 years of imprisonment.

"We have collected the names of at least 50 security officials who were identified by the victims as either carrying out the act of torture directly or who oversaw authorized ordered the act of torture," it said.

The report called the Bahraini government to immediately end the violent repression of protests, to release political prisoners, to ease the tension by removing checkpoints from villages, hospitals and schools, to reinstate all workers dismissed from their jobs during the unrest, and to end the impunity of those in power.

The BICI is expected to issue a report on right violations on Wednesday. The report will be submitted by the commission head, Mahmoud Bassiouni, to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at a ceremony to be held on Wednesday at the Al Safriya palace.

The Bahraini government said in a statement Monday that it had started investigations into the "excessive force and mistreatment of detainees" during the unrest.

"The government expects such criticism. There will be no impunity. All those responsible for abuses will be held accountable," it said.

Editor: Deng Shasha

English.news.cn   2011-11-22 21:37:35 FeedbackPrintRSS
MANAMA, Nov. 22 (Xinhua)