Bahrain: Twelve guards charged with assaulting prisoners

Twelve prison guards in Bahrain have been charged with physically assaulting inmates, as the ruling Al Khalifah regime presses ahead with its heavy clampdown on political dissidents and pro-democracy activists in the tiny Persian Gulf island State.

The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) announced on Wednesday that it had received complaints on April 11, concerning "assault" in Jaw Prison, which lies south of the capital Manama.

The notorious Jaw Prison is the largest prisoner facility in Bahrain and is used to hold peaceful protesters, who participated in anti-regime demonstrations.

“Twelve security (personnel), including two officers, were charged (with assault) and transferred to court,” the SIU said after investigating the complaints.

It added that the court will hold its first hearing of the abusive prison guards on May 20.

The SIU, which is a public prosecution commission tasked with investigating government officials and employees, further noted that a security guard was sentenced to six months in jail earlier this year after being charged with assault.

It said it had received 29 complaints of “torture, mistreatment, and use of excessive force” in the first four months of this year, adding that 67 security personnel were questioned.

SS