Amnesty International: Despite Reforms in Bahrain, Torture and Human Rights Violations Continue

On Monday, December 1, Amnesty International stated in a statement that despite reforms in Bahrain following the political protests of 2011, torture and other forms of abuse against dissenters continue in the country. According to Reuters, Amnesty International, while examining the performance of the institutions established to address complaints and prevent the continuation of torture and abuse of dissenters in Bahrain, noted that there are 'serious shortcomings' in the performance of these two institutions, which the governments of Bahrain and Britain consider to be progress in implementing human rights standards. The two institutions established in 2012 to monitor the human rights situation are the Special Investigations Office in the Attorney General's Office and a new agency under the Ministry of Interior of Bahrain, both of which have received assistance from the British government, a close ally of the Bahraini regime, for training staff and planning. Lynn Maalouf, a Middle East official at Amnesty International's Beirut office, stated: 'The Bahraini government's actions to investigate human rights violations and prosecute perpetrators cannot be denied. However, unfortunately, these reforms are not sufficient. Torture and other forms of abuse against dissenters and prisoners by security agents continue, and due to the lack of an independent judicial system, the impunity of these individuals has become entrenched and accepted.' Bahraini government officials, who enjoy the support of Western governments, refused to comment on Amnesty International's statement when contacted by Reuters. The Bahraini government denies systematic human rights violations by police and security agents. In its report, Amnesty International stated that since November 2011, at least 93 Bahraini police and security officers have been accused of involvement in unlawful killings, injuries, torture, and other forms of mistreatment of dissenters. However, very few of them have been punished, and the sentences issued do not correspond to their crimes. The report also refers to an international investigation into the Bahraini government's treatment of Shiite protests, stating: 'Despite repeated requests from the international investigative committee to prosecute and punish those responsible for suppressing the political protests of 2011, no senior officials in the police and security institutions have been prosecuted or punished for human rights violations.' Bahrain hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and Arab powers in the Persian Gulf consider the country one of the main battlegrounds against the expansion of influence from their main rival, the Iranian government. Bahrain has witnessed years of Shiite protests and, in some cases, violent clashes between them and security forces. The international community and human rights organizations have criticized the Bahraini government for its harsh treatment of dissenters. In response to criticisms regarding the continued systematic torture and other forms of human rights violations, the Bahraini government attempts to evade responsibility by citing the activities of special offices in the Ministry of Interior and the Attorney General's Office. Amnesty International's report states: 'In fact, the establishment of these two supervisory bodies in the Ministry of Interior and the Attorney General's Office has not significantly reduced human rights violations so far.'