The small island state has been in turmoil since protests erupted in early 2011 with the opposition demanding an end to the monarchy's political domination and full powers for parliament.
Bahrain's protest hub of Pearl Square was cleared by police raids in the early weeks of the unrest and now is ringed round-the-clock by security forces, razor wire and concrete barricades. Security forces used excessive force in 2012 to disperse anti-government protests and authorities jailed human rights defenders and individuals for participating in peaceful demonstrations and criticizing officials.
On August 16, a criminal court sentenced Nabeel Rajab, president of the BCHR, to three years in prison for organizing and participating in three demonstrations between January and March.
According to the report “torture is a well-accepted practice in the Gulf kingdom”. The BCHR expressed concern over what it called “the culture of impunity that governs the police forces in Bahrain”. Last week Bahrain’s King, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, appointed Bassam Mohammed Khamees Al-Miraj as general director for anti-corruption, economic and electronic security in the General Directorate. In 2010, Human Rights Watch published the findings of an investigation they conducted in Bahrain, and concluded that there were many allegations that linked Al-Miraj to systematic torture in Bahrain’s prison system, the report said.
The BCHR wrote, “King’s decision to not pursue accountability is a clear indication that the government of Bahrain is not interested in reforming the police forces”.
Human Rights Watch documented serious and systematic due process violations in trials of opposition leaders and activists before Bahrain’s special military courts in 2011. Violations included denying the right to counsel and failure to investigate credible allegations of torture and ill-treatment during interrogation.