Lamiat Sabin
Photo: Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy
BAHRAIN’S highest court upheld death sentences against two tortured pro-democracy protesters today after the British government refused to intervene in their cases.
Mohamed Ramadhan and Hussain Moosa, who were both tortured by security services and convicted on the basis of forced “confessions,” could now be executed at any time, warns human rights organisation Reprieve.
Director Maya Foa said that Britain must “loudly and publicly intervene” by calling for the sentences to be commuted.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, branded the court’s ruling “yet another dark stain in the struggle for human rights in Bahrain.”
He added: “This horrendous injustice could not have happened without the tacit acceptance of Bahrain’s Western allies.”
Amnesty International UK director Kate Allen called on the British government to “denounce this court decision in the strongest possible terms” as there was “clear evidence of brutal torture” to force “confessions.”
The Court of Cassation’s verdict was announced by the Bahraini Public Prosecutor’s Office on Instagram and Twitter.
Last week, British ministers repeatedly declined to make public representations to Bahrain, a former British protectorate with which it has a close relationship.
Labour is now calling on Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to urgently address the situation in the Commons on Tuesday.
