Bahrain torture claims report inconclusive - lawyer

REPORTS INCONCLUSIVE: Bahraini Shi'ites throw stones at police. A medical report addressing allegations that 15 activists were tortured in custody is inconclusive, the defence lawyer said. (AFP)

A medical report addressing allegations that 15 Bahraini Shi'ite opposition activists accused of clashing with police were tortured in custody is inconclusive, a defence lawyer said Sunday.

The report indicates that while there are traces of healed wounds on the bodies of some of the men, it cannot be stated categorically that the injuries resulted from torture because several months have passed since they were arrested, Hafez Hafez told newswire AFP.

Hafez, spokesman for the activists' defence team, was speaking after the trial of the 15 was adjourned until May 28 to hear more witnesses.

The 15 were charged after clashes between police and protesters in Shi'ite-populated areas in December following the death of a protester at an opposition rally to demand compensation for victims of alleged human rights violations.

They are charged with unlawful assembly, stealing weapons, burning a police vehicle and committing acts of violence against police.

During Sunday's hearing, the court heard the accounts of doctors who probed the torture claims, Hafez said.

"The court heard [the accounts of] the physicians who had presented the report" requested by the court, and they answered questions from the prosecution, he said.

The court also heard the testimonies of six defence witnesses, Hafez added.

At the previous hearing on April 16, defence lawyers demanded to be given more time to examine the medical report.

The defence had asked that the defendants have medical tests to verify allegations that they were tortured in detention.

The claims were made by the defendants, rights groups and Bahraini opposition activists, but were denied by Bahraini officials.

US-based Human Rights Watch twice urged the Bahraini government to investigate claims that security personnel repeatedly abused the detained opposition activists.

The Shi'ite majority in Sunni-ruled Bahrain has been campaigning for compensation for alleged human rights violations in the 1980s and 1990s.

Print | Email | Discuss this article |

USER COMMENTS (0 COMMENTS)

POST A COMMENT

CLICK HERE TO POST A COMMENT

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Security Code *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.