The Acting Attorney General, Head of the Special Investigation Unit, stated that the Unit had received 25 complaints during the last third of the past year, in which allegations varied between torture, ill-treatment, and the use of excessive force by members of the Public Security Forces, and the Unit had initiated its investigative procedures in all these complaints.
Regarding the statistics of the unit’s work during the period, the unit heard the statements of 33 complainants and witnesses, while it interrogated 22 accused and suspects from members of the Public Security Forces and referred 8 of the complainants to the Forensic Medicine and Psychological Support Division.
Regarding what the unit accomplished during the same period; the unit completed its investigations into an incident where three inmates were physically assaulted by four members of the Public Security Forces. It ordered the defendants to be referred to the High Criminal Court, which began hearing the case on 27/12/2022.
In the same context, the unit ordered the referral of an accused member of the Public Security Forces to the Minor Criminal Court, because they mistreated one of the accused, and the case has been pending before the court since 20/12/2022.
Within the framework of the Special Investigation Unit’s participation in international forums in light of the role it plays in protecting and promoting human rights; The head of the unit participated within the delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain to discuss the fourth national report within the universal periodic review mechanism of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, where he reviewed before the Council the steps taken by the Kingdom to confirm the independence and speed of investigations into allegations of torture and ill-treatment, its uniqueness regionally and its distinction internationally with many human rights and oversight institutions. Which was established with the aim of protecting the rights of defendants and convicts in the criminal system. It also clarified the legal and material aspects of the independence of the investigations undertaken by the unit, the guarantees for the prosecution of those responsible for the human rights violations that occur, and the mechanisms for victims to access justice and redress.
On a related level, the head of the unit participated in the discussion sessions of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s comprehensive report on the progress made in implementing the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which was held via videoconferencing technology during the days 17-18 November 2022, during which he spoke about the constitutional rules and basic principles. On which the Kingdom of Bahrain relies to achieve its goals and future vision, which is based on equality in rights and duties and the prevention of discrimination in all its forms. He also reviewed the legislative basis adopted by the Bahraini legislator, which is based on prohibiting discrimination in all its forms and considering it as one of the despicable motives for committing crimes and a reason for tightening the punishment, stressing the methodology of the work of the Special Investigation Unit based on equality among all.
The head of the unit added that, within the framework of concerted national efforts to achieve the Kingdom’s future vision for advancing human rights, and working to achieve the goals of the National Human Rights Plan for the Kingdom of Bahrain (2022-2026) with regard to developing the roles of national protection mechanisms and restorative justice; At the end of October last year, the Special Investigation Unit launched the national training program to enhance the capabilities of those concerned with protecting human rights in the criminal justice system, in cooperation and joint coordination with the United Nations Development Program, the Royal Academy of Police, and the Institute of Judicial and Legal Studies, with the participation of all those concerned with protecting human rights in the justice system. The program is scheduled to continue until mid-next March, and includes many workshops and discussion sessions during which an elite group of legal experts in the field of human rights will speak.
