Call to Save Prisoners in Bahrain amid Crackdown

The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) has led several other human rights organization in urging the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to urgently visit Bahraini prisons and witness the deplorable situation of prisoners. The rights groups have also called on UN Special Rapporteurs and relevant UN working groups to submit new applications to visit Bahrain.

The Human rights organizations have also urgently appealed to the international community and international human rights organizations to pressure the authorities in Bahrain to stop their grave violations against detainees and prisoners and to work on immediately release prisoners of conscience.

According to documented statistics, the number of detainees and prisoners in Bahraini prisons has reached 4,000 prisoners, including 12 women. Since 2011, the total number of arbitrary arrests has reached more than 12,000 including 330 women, 968 cases of children including 3 female children, where more than 4000 citizens were subject to torture or abuse and ill-treatment.

Protest rallies in Bahrain have continued on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising started in the kingdom in 2011. The protesters are demanding that the Al Khalifah dynasty relinquish power.

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured in a harsh crackdown which is backed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.