Mansoor AbdulWahed AlDolabi is a 26-year-old Bahraini service representative. He was first arrested in December 2017 without a warrant and was held for 18 days. A month later, on 9 January 2018, Mansoor was again arrested while he was at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) trying to acquire the records from his previous arrest. Mansoor suffers from severe childhood burns on his legs that greatly limit his mobility, as well as from a brain tumor, which impairs his vision. He is currently detained at Jau Prison.
During his initial arrest in 2017 Mansoor was investigated for bombing the A’ali pipeline, but officials were unable to provide any evidence against him and he was never brought before the Office of Public Prosecution (OPP). After his second arrest in 2018, Mansoor was initially held at the CID. After a month he was transferred to the OPP and then Dry Dock Detention Center on charges of possession of a false explosive, but he was not permitted off the bus at Dry Dock Detention Center and was returned to the CID for another 27 days. At the CID Mansoor was subjected to torture, including forced nudity, forced standing which is severely painful due to the burns on his legs, and beatings over the head. He was not permitted to see visitors or be brought before a prosecutor or judge, and was only permitted to use the phone for about two minutes every couple of days. He was also not allowed to receive visitors until three months after his arrest.
During his interrogation, Mansoor was tricked into a confession when he stated that he was a graphic designer, and officers used that information to say he designed concrete barriers that would be used by terrorist organizations. He was denied access to his attorney during interrogation and could not present any evidence for his defense. After 27 days at the CID, officers brought him before prosecution who accused him of joining the Bahraini Hezbollah, despite Mansoor not being ever questioned about membership in the Bahraini Hezbollah during his interrogation. Following his arraignment, Mansoor was transferred to the Dry Dock Detention Center.
On 16 April 2019, Mansoor was convicted of being a member of the Bahraini Hezbollah in a mass trial along with 138 other defendants, and was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. He was transferred to Jau Prison following the court’s issuance of his judgment. Mansoor was also deprived of his nationality, which was later restored by Royal Order on 21 April 2019. His verdict was subsequently upheld on appeal on 30 June 2019.
Mansoor’s lawyer filed complaints with the Ministry of the Interior (MoI) Ombudsman and the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) regarding his torture and subsequent denial of medical care, but neither mechanism has responded.
On 5 August 2019, Mansoor was placed in an “isolation building” due to signs of an allergic reaction to some food. Towards the end of August Mansoor was moved into solitary confinement for four days where he was shackled the entire time, and eventually transferred to a quarantine unit. The prison did not treat his allergy and suspended the medication for his tumor. On 2 September 2019, Mansoor was transferred back to his cell and finally given medication.
Due to his medical conditions, the negligence of his treatment may lead to a severe deterioration in his health.
Mansoor’s sentencing, imprisonment, denial of medical care, and ill-treatment are all in violation of Bahrain’s international human rights obligations. The forced standing, forced nudity, and beatings are all violations of the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). Additionally, the denial of medical care violates Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which guarantees the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls upon Bahrain to uphold its human rights obligations by vacating the judgment against Mansoor, and if serious criminal charges can be held against him, conducting a fair trial in conformity with universally agreed judicial standards. In light of Mansoor’s treatment during his detention, ADHRB urges the authorities to investigate claims of torture and ill treatment, and to ensure appropriate medical care is provided for all prisoners.
