The monitoring unit at the Hope Center for Human Rights and Justice also received a statement from the family of the imprisoned political child Said Mohammed. The family stated that during today’s general visit, they heard their son’s complaint regarding physical and psychological mistreatment by one of the prison guards. This occurred after he submitted an official request to the prison administration to be reclassified and transferred to a cell more suitable for his psychological condition.
According to the family, their son informed them that he was subjected to verbal and physical abuse after submitting the request, which caused him clear psychological distress and raised the family’s concerns about his safety inside the prison. As of the preparation of this report, no serious investigation has been opened into the incident, nor have any measures been taken to hold the responsible guard accountable.
The center points out that the classification system for underage prisoners inside the prison requires urgent review. The current situation, which involves placing two to three children in one cell, does not take into account age, behavioral, or psychological differences, increasing the likelihood of some children being subjected to abuse or mistreatment.
The center emphasizes that the family’s statement represents a clear violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules), particularly the provisions that prohibit any form of violence or degrading treatment against minors, as well as a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Kingdom of Bahrain is a party.
🔸 The Hope Center for Human Rights and Justice calls for the following:
-
An immediate and independent investigation into the assault and accountability for the responsible guard.
-
A review of the classification system for underage prisoners to ensure a safe environment that respects age and psychological characteristics.
-
Enabling the family to maintain continuous and direct communication with their son to monitor his health and psychological condition.
-
Providing regular medical and psychological supervision for underage prisoners, according to internationally recognized standards.