URU, Alm.del - 2009-10 - Bilag 259: Henvendelse fra Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights

President of the FolketingFolketinget, Christiansborg1240 København KTelefon: +45 3337 5500Kingdom of DenmarkYour Excellency:The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights would like to inform you of the state of humanrights in Bahrain in the last period, where the Bahraini National Security Apparatus (NSA)committed serious violations of human rights.The NSA arrested several human rights defenders, political activists and cleric men since 13August 2010, and the Public Prosecution accused them with more than 13 charges within theBahraini Anti-Terrorism Law[1] [2].The BYSHR emphasizes that the defendants in the case of the "network organization" andwhere several human rights defenders, political activists and cleric man were charged in havebeen subjected to brutal torture and inhumane treatment. The lawyers have confirmed that thedefendants were deprived from their fundamental rights, and up to this moment the NSA didnot allow declaring their whereabouts or permit their families to visit them[3].The Relatives of the detainees emphasizes that the defendants in the case of the "networkorganization" and where several human rights defenders, political activists and cleric man werecharged in have been subjected to brutal torture and inhumane treatment. The lawyers haveconfirmed that the defendants were deprived from their fundamental rights, and up to this

moment the NSA did not allow declaring their whereabouts or permit their families to visitthem.Information indicates that the National Security Apparatus (NSA) has been practicing tortureand ill-treatment against the detainees, and the NSA had attempted to extract forcedconfessions. The detainees confirmed to the Public Prosecution that they have been subjectedto torture, insult and abuse during their presence at the NSA.The detainees have been subjected to:••••••••Cuffing and blindfolding for long periods of time.Forbidding food and drinks for long periods of time.Beating on all parts of the body.Hanging for long periods.Preventing sleep.Standing continuously for long periods of time.Beating on the ears in a continuous manner.Forcing them to listen to the voices of other detainees being tortured.

The methods varied from one person to the other, and this added to the mental and physicalpressure that the detainees are facing, and some were transmitted to hospital for treatment.This letter of ours is to inform you that the defenders of human rights in Bahrain are in criticaldanger, and that the defendants are suffering from abuse and brutal torture in order to extractforced confessions from them.Your role lies in protecting the principles of human rights which your country contributed inpromoting around the world, and in your effective contribution in promoting internationalstandards of human rights adds to protecting the victims and human rights defenders andpromoting their role in the community.