Profile in Persecution: Muntadher Fawzi Salman

Muntadher Fawzi Salman was a 17-year-old Bahraini highschool scholar when Bahraini authorities arbitrarily arrested him from his residence on 22 December 2016 with out presenting an arrest warrant. Throughout detention, he endured torture, enforced disappearance, denial of entry to authorized counsel throughout interrogations, unfair trials, and medical neglect. He’s at the moment serving an almost 80-year jail sentence in Jau Jail.

On 22 December 2016, riot police, commandos, and plainclothes officers raided the house of Muntadher’s good friend in Bani Jamra, the place Muntadher was residing, at night time whereas they have been sleeping. They beat him and apprehended him with out presenting any arrest warrant. Subsequently, they transferred him to the Prison Investigations Directorate (CID) Constructing, the place his information was reduce for a day. He managed to contact his household the next day, informing them that he was on the CID Constructing. The household obtained one other name from him on the identical day, informing them that he was on the Roundabout 17 Police Station.

Earlier than his arrest, Muntadher was pursued by Bahraini authorities for a 12 months and a half, and his household obtained a number of summonses for him. Moreover, he had obtained a 3-year jail sentence in absentia for allegedly burning a Jeep.

Throughout Muntadher’s interrogation, he was transferred a number of occasions between the CID Constructing and the Roundabout 17 Police Station. On 24 December 2016, he as soon as once more forcibly disappeared for 14 days, leaving his household unaware of his whereabouts. CID officers and Roundabout 17 Police Station officers tortured Muntadher. They beat him in delicate areas and on his face and ears. Moreover, they compelled him to face for lengthy hours together with his arms tied behind his again and compelled him to sleep in extraordinarily chilly cells. Additionally they insulted and threatened him, and denied him entry to a lawyer. Because of the torture inflicted upon him, Muntadher developed extreme ear ache that persevered for 2 years. Following this torture, he was coerced into signing confession papers with out being conscious of their content material. 

On 5 January 2017, Muntadher was transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Middle. On 11 January 2017, twenty days after his arrest, his household was allowed to go to him for the primary time on the Dry Dock Detention Middle. 

Muntadher was not introduced earlier than a decide inside 48 hours after arrest, was not given satisfactory time and amenities to arrange for his trials, and was unable to current proof or problem the proof offered towards him. Moreover, the confessions extracted from him underneath torture have been utilized as proof in his trials. 

On 16 June 2016, Muntadher was sentenced in absentia to a few years in jail as a part of a mass trial involving 43 defendants. The fees towards him included 1) gathering and rioting, 2) manufacturing explosive units, 3) arson, 4) negligent destruction, and 5) tried homicide. On 21 Might 2018, the courtroom imposed an extra three-year jail sentence on him, together with the revocation of his citizenship. Subsequently, his citizenship was reinstated by way of a royal pardon. Muntadher later obtained further verdicts, bringing the whole of his sentence to just about 80 years. Nonetheless, the dates, costs, and particulars of those subsequent verdicts stay unknown.

Presently held in Jau Jail, Muntadher is subjected to insults by officers and denied correct remedy for abdomen issues he has.  His household filed a grievance with the Ombudsman relating to his torture; nonetheless, no outcomes have been obtained.

In August 2023, Muntadher participated in a collective starvation strike with round 800 prisoners in Jau Jail to protest mistreatment and insufficient healthcare. This starvation strike persevered for 40 days, ending in September 2023 with a promise from the jail administration to enhance situations contained in the jail.

Muntadher’s warrantless arrest, enforced disappearance, torture, denial of entry to authorized counsel throughout interrogations, unfair trials, and medical neglect symbolize clear violations of the Conference towards Torture and Different Degrading and Inhuman Therapy (CAT), the Worldwide Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the Worldwide Covenant on Financial, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Moreover, the violations he endured as a minor contravene the Conference on the Rights of the Baby (CRC), to which Bahrain can also be a celebration.

As such, Individuals for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls upon the Bahraini authorities to right away and unconditionally launch Muntadher. ADHRB additionally urges the Bahraini authorities to analyze the allegations of arbitrary arrest as a minor, torture, enforced disappearance, denial of lawyer entry throughout interrogations, and medical neglect. ADHRB additional advocates for the Bahraini authorities to offer compensation for the accidents he suffered as a result of torture and maintain the perpetrators accountable. On the very least, ADHRB requires a good retrial for him underneath the Restorative Justice Legislation for Youngsters, resulting in his launch. Moreover, it urges the Jau Jail administration to promptly present acceptable healthcare for Muntadher, holding it answerable for any additional deterioration in his well being situation.