In an attempt to address criticisms of its brutal prison system, Manama released a report emphasizing the regime’s apparent efforts to insure that Bahraini detainees are provided with the necessary health care.
Interestingly, the publication of the report by the kingdom’s interior ministry coincided with the death of another inmate in Jaw Prison.
The 24-year old reportedly died due to health complications.
In January of this year, the administration at Jaw – which houses thousands of political detainees – imposed new restrictions on the prison population. Inmates are deliberately denied access to medical care, they are routinely confined to their cells, and their family visits were severely restricted.
Prisoners across Bahrain complain of overcrowding, inhumane conditions, and systematic abuses including torture.
Last month, over 1,000 political prisoners launched an open-ended hunger strike in protest of the living conditions.
But according to the interior ministry’s findings, all inmates are provided with treatment in accordance with a schedule. The report also claims that ‘urgent cases’ are transferred to clinics as quickly as possible where doctors are available 24 hours per day.
None of the claims were substantiated by the prisoners, their families or rights groups.
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