Aqeel Muslem AbdulHusain Juma, a 16-year-old minor and school student, was arrested by Bahraini authorities on 14 January 2025 after appearing for a summons before the High Criminal Court. He is the younger brother of 17-year-old detained minor Abbas Muslem AbdulHusain Juma, who was arrested on 26 August 2024 and convicted on similar charges in the same case, including unlawful assembly, rioting, and arson. During his detention, he has endured torture, denial of family visits and legal counsel, deprivation of education, and an unfair trial. He is currently held in the Juvenile section of Dry Dock Prison, serving a one-year sentence.
In October 2024, at just 15 years old, Aqeel was repeatedly summoned for questioning at Budaiya Police Station. Accompanied by his father during each session, he was released under assurances from the responsible officer that his legal status was secure, he would not be arrested, and there was no cause for concern. On 21 October 2024, at 8:30 A.M., he attended what was supposed to be his final questioning with his father.
On 9 January 2025, at the end of his first school term, Aqeel’s family received a summons requiring his attendance before the High Criminal Court on 14 January 2025, along with a referral order—issued on 26 December 2024—for their detained older son, Abbas. The order also referred 15-year-olds Ali Husain Matrook Abdulla and AbdulAziz Husain AlHammadi to the High Criminal Court, all on charges of arson, unlawful assembly, and rioting. When the family reviewed the referral order, they were shocked to find that Aqeel had also been referred to the High Criminal Court in the same case on the same charges and labeled as a “wanted” and “fugitive,” despite having fully complied with all previous summonses..
On 14 January 2025, Aqeel, accompanied by his family, complied with the summons and appeared before the High Criminal Court. The judge ordered his detention until 21 January 2025 pending investigation on charges of 1) arson and 2) unlawful assembly and rioting, brought by the Public Prosecution Office (PPO) on 26 December 2024.
Between 14 and 28 January 2025, Aqeel was interrogated without the presence of a lawyer or guardian, despite being a minor. His family could not afford legal representation, and the authorities failed to appoint one for him. During this time, officers threatened him and pressured him to confess. To protect his family’s emotional well-being, he refrained from disclosing the methods of torture he endured. On 21 January 2025, the Public Prosecution Office (PPO) extended Aqeel’s detention by another week pending investigation. His trial began on 28 January 2025 without legal representation, as his family could not afford a lawyer, and the court failed to appoint one.
Aqeel was not brought before a judge within 24 hours of his arrest and was denied legal representation during both interrogation and trial. He was not given adequate time or resources to prepare his defense, nor was he able to present evidence or challenge the charges against him. His family could not afford a lawyer, and the court failed again to appoint one during the trial period. On 11 February 2025, the High Criminal Court sentenced Aqeel, along with his brother Abbas and their friends Ali Husain Matrook Abdulla and AbdulAziz Husain AlHammadi, to one year in prison on charges of 1) unlawful assembly and rioting and 2) arson related to burning tires.
Following his arrest, Bahraini authorities banned Aqeel’s family from visiting him in detention. The Dry Dock Prison administration has also deprived Aqeel of his right to education.
On 11 March 2025, two months after his arrest, Aqeel’s family was finally allowed to visit him at Dry Dock Prison for the first time.
Aqeel’s arbitrary arrest as a minor, torture, denial of family visits and legal counsel, unfair trial, and deprivation of his right to education constitute clear violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as the Nelson Mandela Rules, to which Bahrain is a party.
Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls upon Bahraini authorities to fulfill their human rights obligations by immediately and unconditionally releasing Aqeel. ADHRB further urges the Bahraini government to investigate allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture, denial of family visits and legal counsel, and deprivation of education, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable and that Aqeel is compensated for the violations he endured. At the very least, ADHRB advocates for a fair retrial for Aqeel under the Bahraini Restorative Justice Law for Children and in accordance with international legal standards, leading to his release. Furthermore, ADHRB calls on Bahraini authorities to allow regular family visits for Aqeel, permit him to resume his education, and offer the necessary support to enable him to complete his studies.
