Professor Damian McCormack, head of the recent Irish humanitarian delegation to Bahrain rebuts the misrepresentation and inaccuracies contained in recent official statements and commentary in the Bahrain media re the visit of the delegation. He also reiterates the delegation's concern at ongoing risk of torture and ill treatment of medics in custody.
Full Text of Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
On 13 July 2011 an Irish humanitarian delegation travelled to Bahrain to offer solidarity to doctors, nurses and other health professionals currently held in prison or facing charges in Bahrain. The delegation consisted of myself Professor Damian Mc Cormack, Professor Eoin O'Brien, Ms Marion Hakin MEP, Ms Averil Power TD (member of the Irish Parliament) and Front Line representatives Deputy Director Andrew Anderson and Khalid Ibrahim.
In the course of the mission we heard repeated testimonies of torture and ill treatment, including the threat of sexual assault. One testimony stated:
“I was taken to a room blindfolded and handcuffed with my hands behind my back. After hours of standing against a wall I was verbally insulted and then placed in solitary confinement for 10 days in a small dirty cell, during which time I was tortured, sexually molested by both male and female interrogators and beaten with a hose on the back and neck. I was then moved to a gaol where I could hear other prisoners being tortured and I was interrogated repeatedly. I was filmed signing many papers the content of which no longer mattered to me, but among which was a confession that I had stolen drugs from the Hospital and that I had incited disturbance.”
This is typical of the experiences recounted to us and it should be added that all the statements given were clear, consistent and credible and on the basis of these interviews the delegation would like to reiterate our call for the release of the doctors nurses and other health professionals still in detention on humanitarian grounds pending the outcome of the Independent Commission of Inquiry and any resumption of cases in the civil courts.
I deeply regret that they have not been released in time for the start of Ramadan which would have been an enormously positive gesture. I welcome the reported comments expressed by Dr Al Balushi in relation to concerns about a suicide risk with one of the detainees that she will “consider the matter with the concerned authorities”. Since then however there have been been repeated attempts by official sources and sections of the Bahraini media to misrepresent the purpose of the mission and we are unfortunately obliged to respond to a number of untrue statements attributed to Dr Al Balushi in the media including in the Daily Tribune of 29th July.
As is clear from the letters sent in advance the delegation did not arrive in Bahrain as “tourists” and then demand meetings. It was made abundantly clear from the outset, and in advance of their arrival that the primary purpose of the mission was to meet with the families of the detained medical personnel and recently released doctors.
It is also not true to say that we have used insulting words against Dr Al Balushi. In any interviews we placed particular emphasis on warmly welcoming the undertaking by Dr Al Balushi to raise with His Majesty the King the possibility of releasing those still detained.
We have not said that Dr Al Balushi personally refused us permission to visit the detained medical personnel and we have not alleged that she was personally responsible for the charges brought against medical personnel, although we have noted several occasions on which the minister did appear to have defended such charges publicly.
It is most welcome that Dr Al Balushi refers in her reported comments to Bahrain's adhesion to the Convention Against Torture. Unfortunately it is very clear that Bahrain has not complied with Article 13 which states that:
“Each State Party shall ensure that any individual who alleges he has been subjected to torture in any territory under its jurisdiction has the right to complain to and to have his case promptly and impartially examined its competent authorities. Steps shall be taken to ensure that the complainant and witnesses are protected against all ill treatment or intimidation as a consequence of his complaint or any evidence given.”
The Special Safety Court and the Military Prosecutor who were responsible for the detention, treatment and legal process against the medical personnel during March to June 2011 refused the detainees the right to raise allegations of torture in court. They also failed to ensure prompt investigation of complaints of torture and ill treatment including by denying independent medical examination of the detainees.
We concluded and wish to reiterate our clear view that some of the medical personnel who were detained were tortured and ill treated on the basis of:
a) numerous personal testimonies received before and during our visit to Bahrain;
b) independent medical evidence received before and during our visit to Bahrain;
c) photographic and eye witness statements provided to us and to other human rights organisations;
d) the denial of access to family, lawyers or independent medical examination in the initial stages of detention;
e) the documented evidence of the torture and ill treatment of other detainees during the last months including at least four cases of deaths in custody;
f) the failure of the Bahraini authorities to properly investigate complaints of torture prior to the establishment of the Independent Commission of Inquiry.
These are matters which will now properly be considered by the Independent Commission of Inquiry and we hope that this will result in those responsible being brought to justice in Bahrain. It is worth noting that under the Convention Against Torture those responsible for and those complicit (Article 4) in acts of torture must be brought to justice, if necessary through the use of international jurisdiction (Article 5).
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Full Text of Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
On 13 July 2011 an Irish humanitarian delegation travelled to Bahrain to offer solidarity to doctors, nurses and other health professionals currently held in prison or facing charges in Bahrain. The delegation consisted of myself Professor Damian Mc Cormack, Professor Eoin O'Brien, Ms Marion Hakin MEP, Ms Averil Power TD (member of the Irish Parliament) and Front Line representatives Deputy Director Andrew Anderson and Khalid Ibrahim.
In the course of the mission we heard repeated testimonies of torture and ill treatment, including the threat of sexual assault. One testimony stated:
“I was taken to a room blindfolded and handcuffed with my hands behind my back. After hours of standing against a wall I was verbally insulted and then placed in solitary confinement for 10 days in a small dirty cell, during which time I was tortured, sexually molested by both male and female interrogators and beaten with a hose on the back and neck. I was then moved to a gaol where I could hear other prisoners being tortured and I was interrogated repeatedly. I was filmed signing many papers the content of which no longer mattered to me, but among which was a confession that I had stolen drugs from the Hospital and that I had incited disturbance.”
This is typical of the experiences recounted to us and it should be added that all the statements given were clear, consistent and credible and on the basis of these interviews the delegation would like to reiterate our call for the release of the doctors nurses and other health professionals still in detention on humanitarian grounds pending the outcome of the Independent Commission of Inquiry and any resumption of cases in the civil courts.
I deeply regret that they have not been released in time for the start of Ramadan which would have been an enormously positive gesture. I welcome the reported comments expressed by Dr Al Balushi in relation to concerns about a suicide risk with one of the detainees that she will “consider the matter with the concerned authorities”. Since then however there have been been repeated attempts by official sources and sections of the Bahraini media to misrepresent the purpose of the mission and we are unfortunately obliged to respond to a number of untrue statements attributed to Dr Al Balushi in the media including in the Daily Tribune of 29th July.
As is clear from the letters sent in advance the delegation did not arrive in Bahrain as “tourists” and then demand meetings. It was made abundantly clear from the outset, and in advance of their arrival that the primary purpose of the mission was to meet with the families of the detained medical personnel and recently released doctors.
It is also not true to say that we have used insulting words against Dr Al Balushi. In any interviews we placed particular emphasis on warmly welcoming the undertaking by Dr Al Balushi to raise with His Majesty the King the possibility of releasing those still detained.
We have not said that Dr Al Balushi personally refused us permission to visit the detained medical personnel and we have not alleged that she was personally responsible for the charges brought against medical personnel, although we have noted several occasions on which the minister did appear to have defended such charges publicly.
It is most welcome that Dr Al Balushi refers in her reported comments to Bahrain's adhesion to the Convention Against Torture. Unfortunately it is very clear that Bahrain has not complied with Article 13 which states that:
“Each State Party shall ensure that any individual who alleges he has been subjected to torture in any territory under its jurisdiction has the right to complain to and to have his case promptly and impartially examined its competent authorities. Steps shall be taken to ensure that the complainant and witnesses are protected against all ill treatment or intimidation as a consequence of his complaint or any evidence given.”
The Special Safety Court and the Military Prosecutor who were responsible for the detention, treatment and legal process against the medical personnel during March to June 2011 refused the detainees the right to raise allegations of torture in court. They also failed to ensure prompt investigation of complaints of torture and ill treatment including by denying independent medical examination of the detainees.
We concluded and wish to reiterate our clear view that some of the medical personnel who were detained were tortured and ill treated on the basis of:
a) numerous personal testimonies received before and during our visit to Bahrain;
b) independent medical evidence received before and during our visit to Bahrain;
c) photographic and eye witness statements provided to us and to other human rights organisations;
d) the denial of access to family, lawyers or independent medical examination in the initial stages of detention;
e) the documented evidence of the torture and ill treatment of other detainees during the last months including at least four cases of deaths in custody;
f) the failure of the Bahraini authorities to properly investigate complaints of torture prior to the establishment of the Independent Commission of Inquiry.
These are matters which will now properly be considered by the Independent Commission of Inquiry and we hope that this will result in those responsible being brought to justice in Bahrain. It is worth noting that under the Convention Against Torture those responsible for and those complicit (Article 4) in acts of torture must be brought to justice, if necessary through the use of international jurisdiction (Article 5).
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