Mohsen Ebrahim AlMajed, unemployed, was 27 years old when he was arrested in Isa Town. Since his arrest, Mohsen has been subjected to torture and medical negligence which affected his health. Until today, the conditions behind his deteriorating health are still unknown. He is currently held at Jau Prison.
On 14 December 2014, officers in civilian clothing and officers from the Ministry of Interior arrested Mohsen at a house in Isa Town after the Intelligence Services tracked and followed him. They did not send him an arrest warrant or inform him of the judgments issued against him, and they failed to mention the reasons behind his arrest when it took place. During his arrest, Mohsen was subjected to torture and beating.
While detained, Mohsen was forcibly disappeared for 9 days. Later, his family found out he was at the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID). At the CID in Adliya, Mohsen was subjected to different forms of torture. He was undressed and hung by his legs, beaten with a board of firewood with nails, whips, and batons, burnt with cigarette buds, threatened with electrocution, sexual assault, and rape, forced to stand for long hours, and deprived of sleep and use of the bathroom. On 17 December 2014, he was taken to the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO) where he was blackmailed into signing the case papers. On 24 December 2014, he was taken to a medical examination at Al Qala’ Hospital clinic where it was found that he sustained injuries from shotgun pellets in his leg, in addition to suffering from a broken right ear, epilepsy, delirium, and traces of nail holes and cigarette burns on his body. On the same day, he was also finally able to meet his family.
The Intelligence Services, the PPO, and the judge interrogated Mohsen for more than 10 hours, without the presence of a lawyer. The torture methods were used to force a confession out of him to the crimes he was charged with. Mohsen was convicted in a number of cases. He was sentenced to 1) 15 years for the attempted murder of a police officer, bombing, possession and acquiring of fireworks, and intentional destruction of property; 2) life imprisonment, a fine of 200,000 Bahraini Dinars, and revocation of his citizenship for the intentional murder of Jordanian Corporal Ali Mohamed Ali, using explosives that led to the death of a police officer, possession, acquiring and manufacturing fireworks and explosive canisters, illegal assembly, and rioting, and joining and collecting funds for a terrorist group, causing an explosion for terrorist purposes; 3) two years for illegal assembly and rioting; 4) 10 years for the possession of explosives produced locally; and 5) 5 years for collecting money during religious occasions to destabilize security, and for terrorizing and sabotaging. On 21 April 2019, Mohsen’s citizenship was reinstated through a royal pardon.
In prison, Mohsen’s health has deteriorated, and he also faces discrimination on the basis of his Shiite religious beliefs. Mohsen’s teeth have fallen out because of medical negligence. In this regard, his family submitted many complaints to the Ombudsman but to no avail. They also filed complaints to the National Institute for Human Rights, but no action was taken. On 18 March 2021, Mohsen was taken to the military hospital because he was prescribed medications unsuited for his condition. He entered into a coma for the first three days of his stay and was only able to contact his family to inform them on 23 March. Mohsen was supposed to be transferred from the hospital on 1 April, but his condition worsened as he experienced a high temperature and body spasms. The causes for the continued deterioration in his health are still unknown to his family even though he has undergone multiple tests. As of 25 April 2021, Mohsen had completed 37 days in the military hospital where he is being subjected to further medical negligence amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The practices of the Bahraini authorities against Mohsen are blatant violations of international legal conventions which Bahrain is a party to, such as the the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Therefore, ADHRB calls upon Bahrain to uphold its obligations by dropping the unfounded charges against Mohsen and to investigate the allegations of torture and medical negligence in order to hold the perpetrators accountable for their actions. ADHRB also urges authorities to provide Mohsen with the appropriate medical treatment and follow up on the complaints submitted by his family.
