Bahrain Mirror: Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) called on the Bahraini government to uphold its human rights obligations by immediately and unconditionally releasing prisoner of conscience Mohammad Al-Daqqaq and by investigating all allegations of his arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment, subjection to an unfair trial, solitary confinement, enforced disappearance, and medical negligence.

ADHRB also raised concern about the serious deterioration in Mohammad's health condition due to medical negligence and denial of medical care, especially the failure to provide appropriate treatment for the sickle cell disease he suffers from.

It also urged Bahrain to provide suitable treatment for him while holding it responsible for any additional deterioration in his health condition.

It stressed the need to hold the perpetrators - including Jaw Prison doctors who contribute to the mistreatment of prisoners and evade the responsibilities of their profession - accountable, or at the very least holding a fair retrial leading to his release.

The organization confirmed that "Mohammad's arbitrary detention, denial of access to a lawyer, torture, subjection to solitary confinement, forced disappearance, and medical neglect affecting his deteriorating health, along with an unfair trial in absentia and another trial where confessions extracted under torture were used, as well as exposure to reprisal, constitute violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Bahrain is a party."

On March 5,2015, the Bahraini authorities arrested Al-Daqqaq when he was 23 years old near his home. He was subjected to torture, enforced disappearance, solitary confinement, medical neglect, an unfair trial, and ill-treatment during his detention. He is currently serving a 19-year prison sentence on political charges.

Al-Daqqaq suffers from many diseases, most notably sickle cell anemia and the associated pain. His continuous deprivation of health care for years in Jaw Prison has exacerbated his suffering, and his health has reached a perilous stage due to the progression of the disease.

Arabic Version