Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Responding to questions raised by Bahrain Mirror, political prisoners in Jaw Central Prison say they have been living in harsh conditions since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic inside the prison.

Live testimonies prove that what the state television in Bahrain has been airing about the efforts of the Ombudsman, National Institute for Human Rights and the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission is all baseless and not true, as they continue to make attempts to cover up the crimes practiced by these bodies. 

Prisoners say that the Ministry of Interior didn't provide them with masks. "We haven't seen a single mask since the pandemic outbreak". This one sentence is sufficient to refute all the statements of the Interior Ministry and its affiliated institutions.

Below are the answers Bahrain Mirror managed to obtain from some political prisoners:

Bahrain Mirror: What are the measures the authorities follow in case they discover a positive case?

Detainee: Inmates who contract the virus are isolated in building 20 which was allocated as a medical quarantine. Every 3 cases are isolated in one room, whereas those in contact with positive cases are kept in their building and cells and are only prevented from going out.

Bahrain Mirror: Were meals of inmates actually delayed?

Detainee: As the virus spread, security personnel were afraid to contract the virus, so lunch meals were given to prisoners after 5 pm.

Bahrain Mirror: Since when have prisoners been prevented access to the canteen?

Detainee: Prisoners have been prevented from going to the canteen (prison cafeteria) since about 3 weeks ago. Most of the inmates' supplies, especially hygiene products have been used up.

Bahrain Mirror: Do inmates know how the virus spread among them, especially that they have been prevented from visits since more than a year?

Detainee: No, we have no idea what is happening outside and we can't imagine the risks of this situation. The first batch that was released under the alternative penal code was surprised by the pandemic and the enormous precautions being made to prevent its spread, since within the prison there are no real precautions aimed at preventing the virus from spreading.

Bahrain Mirror: Were all prisoners vaccinated? Is there statistics on the number of prisoners who were vaccinated?

Detainee: Prisoners were given the choice to get vaccinated and those who received the vaccination were not counted. Among the cases today are some who received the first dose, some who received the first and second doses, and some who received nothing.

Bahrain Mirror: What is the situation of the elderly inmates and those who suffer chronic diseases? Did the prison administration treat them as persons more at risk?

Detainee: Not at all. The elderly and inmates with chronic diseases enjoyed no special treatment. The prison administration treated them normally.

Bahrain Mirror: Did the prison administration provide you with hygiene and sanitizing products to limit the virus spread?

Detainee: No, everything broadcast on Bahrain TV and the coverage of prisons is a mere lie. Prisoners haven't seen or used masks since the virus outbreak.           

Arabic Version