Campaigners today presented the Metropolitan Police with a “dossier” of new evidence against Prince Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who they claim was involved in the torture of prisoners during a pro-democracy uprising in Bahrain in 2011.
The Bahraini royal, who is the son of the King of the Gulf country, is believed to be staying at the five-star Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel in Knightsbridge. On Thursday he posted a video online of himself running in Hyde Park with a a squadron of the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry in the background.
The post on Instagram was captioned: “That’s how its feels, and sounds when you run in the Hyde Park, London.”
His visit comes after the High Court ruled in October 2014 that Prince Nasser did not have diplomatic immunity from prosecution, overturning a previous Crown Prosecution Service decision.
Last year a High Court case arose after a refugee from Bahrain, referred to as FF, sought the arrest of Prince Nasser while he was in London (AFP/Getty) Last year a High Court case arose after a refugee from Bahrain, referred to as FF, sought the arrest of Prince Nasser while he was in London (AFP/Getty)
But to the dismay of campaigners, Scotland Yard said at the time that there was insufficient evidence to pursue a case against Prince Nasser The Government said he was “welcome” in Britain.
Now campaigners hope new evidence will encourage police to open a new investigation and question prince Nasser while he is London.
Prince Nasser has denied any involvement in torture and since the court ruling last year he has visited Britain on at least one occasion, during which he met with defence officials and David Cameron’s former envoy to the Middle East.
Less than a month after the meeting with Lieutenant General Sir Simon Mayall, Bahrain signed a deal to establish a new Royal Navy base in the Gulf country.
Campaigners say the meeting with Cameron’s Middle East envoy is critical and in January Defence Secretary Michael Fallon paid tribute to Lt General Sir Mayall, who he said “was responsible for negotiating” the new Royal Navy base, which is being paid for primarily by the Bahraini Royal family.
Amnesty International has repeatedly expressed “serious concerns” over the human rights situation in Bahrain, where it says there is “huge crackdown on freedom of expression”.
Last year’s High Court case arose after a refugee from Bahrain, referred to as FF, sought the arrest of Prince Nasser while he was in London. Under international law Britain has a responsibly to investigate war crimes and FF claimed he had been tortured by the Bahraini authorities – but not Prince Nasser directly – during an uprising by the majority Shia population against the Sunni dominated Al Khalifa ruling family. On Friday lawyers acting for FF delivered a fresh dossier of evidence to Scotland Yard’s specialist War Crimes Unit. It includes the eyewitness testimony of torture victims who are willing to testify in the UK.
Sue Willman from law firm Deighton Pierce Glynn, said: “We are calling on the Metropolitan police to urgently open an investigation into the torture allegations since it seems Prince Nasser is in central London. There are a number of lines of inquiry to be pursued and we are asking the War Crimes team to agree to a meeting with us and our client.”
The Bahraini Embassy in London did not respond to requests for comment.