The Acting Attorney General and Head of the Special Investigation Unit stated that during the last third of the past year, the unit received 21 complaints that varied between torture and ill-treatment by members of the Public Security Forces, and the unit started its investigation procedures in all of these complaints.
Regarding the statistics of the unit’s work during the mentioned period, the unit listened to the statements of 38 complainants and 14 witnesses, while it interrogated 55 accused and suspects members of the Public Security Forces and presented 8 of the complainants to the Forensic and Psychological Support Division.
With regard to what the unit accomplished during the same period, the unit completed its investigations into the incident of two inmates claiming to have been subjected to physical assault with the knowledge of three members of the public security forces; To punish them for violating the instructions and ordered the defendants to be referred to the High Criminal Court, and the case was set for the 17/01/2022 session. The details of the incident refer to what was previously monitored by the Communication and Information Division through social media, and the allegations from the General Secretariat for Ombudsman, of allegations that the two victims were subjected to physical abuse, claiming that they violated the instructions. An inspection of the scene of the incident and a review of the content of the security cameras and ordered the two victims to be presented to the Forensic and Psychological Support Division to document their injuries and indicate the extent to which they needed psychological treatment. Also, they attached their medical reports and the police investigation about the incident. It was concluded to summon the accused to the criminal court after proving what was found from the Investigations into the validity of these allegations.
The head of the unit added that, within the framework of the existing cooperation between the national authorities and agencies, in an effort to enhance the protection and respect of human rights; The unit, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the House of Representatives, organized, last October, a virtual lecture to their Excellencies members of the House of Representatives and members of the House of Representatives, on the establishment and competencies of the Special Investigation Unit and its independent judicial nature within the judicial system in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The meeting included a detailed explanation of the establishment of the unit and legal procedures. Which follows in the complaints it initiates, and the international principles and standards applicable to it, including mainly the Istanbul Protocol for the Investigation of Cases of Torture and Ill-Treatment.
On a related level, and in light of the unit’s constant endeavor to organize training programs and cooperate with relevant national and international bodies, in order to develop human cadres and reach the best scientific and practical levels; The Unit, in cooperation with the General Secretariat Ombudsman, the United Nations Development Program and the British Embassy in the Kingdom of Bahrain, organized a specialized workshop on “independent investigation mechanisms” presented by a group of experts from the Independent Office of Police Conduct in Britain, and its activities were held at the Institute of Judicial and Legal Studies for a week. It included ways to collect evidence, the mechanism for its evaluation, the practical aspect of investigating complaints related to allegations of torture and ill-treatment, and the best strategies and procedures for investigating such cases.
