UN Experts Express Concern Over Reports of Political Prisoners' Conditions in Bahrain; Manama Denies Claims

Independent experts from the United Nations expressed concern on Thursday regarding reports that air conditioning had been cut off in a prison for political opponents during the scorching heat of the country; however, officials in Manama denied these reports, calling them false. The UN experts also urged Bahraini authorities to ensure access to water, food, communication, and medical care for these prisoners. Some reports published last week indicated that Bahraini officials had cut off air conditioning in one of the prisons during the sweltering summer, putting prisoners under pressure with shortages of water, food, and healthcare. Bahraini officials, however, sent a statement to the Associated Press labeling these accusations as 'false' and emphasized that prisoners, like other members of society in this small Arab country, have access to healthcare services. The UN experts' report comes a year after prisoners at this facility went on a widespread hunger strike; this facility is said to hold mostly opponents of the Al Khalifa family government. The U.S. State Department had previously warned in its 2023 human rights report on Bahrain about 'harsh and sometimes life-threatening conditions,' physical abuse, unjust solitary confinement as a disciplinary measure, and inadequate health and medical care in some of the country’s prisons. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Middle East. Officials in this country severely suppressed opponents amid protests during the Arab Spring and calls for greater political freedom. The independent UN experts work voluntarily and independently of any government or institution.