Bahrain: Children detained, threatened

Two young Bahraini cousins, namely Sayed Tameem Majed Ahmad Majed and Sayed Hashim Alwai Ahmad Majed, have been detained by the Bahraini authorities since 8 December 2013.

13-year-old Sayed Tameem was arrested at approximately 3.10pm in front of his grandparents’ house about 15 minutes after he had arrived with his family, for a visit, and while he was playing with a younger cousin.
After seeing a police patrol car approaching, the child panicked and ran away. His family did not see him being arrested. However, they were later informed by eyewitnesses that he had been apprehended by a police patrol.   

Sayed Hashim, also 13 years old, was arrested near his grandparents’ house while on his way to a nearby shop.  He was arrested at approximately 3.45pm.

Following their arrest on 7 December 2013 in Bani Jamra, a north-western village, they were taken to a police station in al-Budaya, Manama, in two separate incidents.
When Sayed Tameem’s family went to the police station to enquire about him they were told that he had been found with a stone in his hand.

Sayed Hashim’s family who also attended the police station, were told by their son who apparently looks older than his age, that he was threatened with being burned on the head with a cigarette butt if he did not “confess” to rioting. The children said they had been shouted at during questioning.

Although the children were released from the police station the same day, their families were ordered to bring them back the next day to be taken to the Juvenile Prosecution. They were brought before the Juvenile Prosecution, with their lawyer, on 8 December 2013.

The prosecutor ordered them to be detained for five days for investigation on charges of “illegal gathering”, “throwing Molotov cocktails” and “setting fire to communal dustbins”. The detention order has since been renewed several times and the children are still in detention.  They are being held at the juvenile detention centre in ‘Issa Town, south of the capital, Manama. 
 
Please write immediately in Arabic, English or your own language:

Urging the authorities to ensure that Sayed Tameem Majed Ahmad Majed and Sayed Hashim Alwai Ahmad Majed are treated in accordance with the international standards of juvenile justice which require that detention of children only be used as a measure of last resort;

Urging them to protect both boys from torture and other ill-treatment;

Calling on them to order an independent investigation into the reported threat of torture made against Sayed Hashim Alwai Ahmad Majed and to bring anyone responsible to account; any evidence based on such treatment must be rendered inadmissible in court.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 31 JANUARY 2014 TO:

King
Shaikh Hamad bin ‘Issa Al Khalifa
Office of His Majesty the King
P.O. Box 555
Rifa’a Palace, al-Manama,
Bahrain
Fax: 00973 1766 4587
Salutation: Your Majesty

Minister of Interior
Shaikh Rashid bin ‘Abdullah Al Khalifa
Ministry of Interior
P.O. Box 13, al-Manama,
Bahrain
Fax: 00973 1723 2661
Twitter: @moi_Bahrain
Salutation: Your Excellency

And copies to:
Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs
Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs
P. O. Box 450, al-Manama,
Bahrain
Fax: 00973 1753 1284
Email: minister@justice.gov.bh
Twitter: @Khaled_Bin_Ali
Salutation: Your Excellency

PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEAL TO

Her Excellency Miss Alice Thomas Yusuf Samaan, Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain, 30 Belgrave Square
London, SW1X 8QB.
Fax: 020 7201 9183        Tel: 020 7201 9170
Email: information@bahrainembassy.co.uk
Website: http://www.bahrainembassy.co.uk