Bahraini courts have acquitted two officers accused of torture whilst serving at the Ministry of Interior. The two stood accused of torturing 6 medics, who were subjected to severe and brutal torture whilst in detention during the state of emergency in 2011.
The courts ruling earlier today, is a continuation of the state policy to grant impunity to torturers and disregard the rights of its citizens. At the same time citizens continue to face vengeful and politically motivated sentences, in contravention of human rights.
International human rights organisations have described the Bahraini judicial system as a “travesty of justice”, due to its harsh sentencing of dissidents and acquittals for officers involved in torture and killings, as evidenced through testimonies and medical reports.
At the end of last month the same courts acquitted an officer accused of torturing Bahraini journalist Nazeeha Saeed in a detention centre during the 2011 state of emergency. Medical reports at the time confirmed that Saeed sustained her injuries from torture.
Bahrain’s policy of impunity is applied through a serial of acquittals to killers of martyrs and reduced sentences of militants involved in vandalism and robbery, whilst dissidents are given harsh sentences solely for expressing their opinion. This proves that the Bahraini judiciary lacks integrity.
However the Bahraini authorities are keen to mislead the international community by announcing that suspects in killings and torture have been tried, only to quickly end these trials with the acquittals of those
