The Human Rights Actions Network - Derechos Human Rights http://www.derechos.org/human-rights/actions/ CHILD CONCERN Case BHR 281096.CC The International Secretariat of OMCT/SOS-Torture requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Bahrain. Brief description of the situation : Case 1 : The Bahrain Human Rights Organisation (BHRO), a member of the network, has expressed grave concern about a series of violations perpetrated against minors. According to the information received, on October 22 1996, in Hamad Town, security police broke violently into the house of Mahdi Sayed Khalaf, 22, in order to arrest him. They detained his brother, Mohammed SAYED KHALAF, 15 years old. Mohammed SAYED KHALAF was detained and allegedly ill-treated for several hours. He was finally released in exchange for his brother Mahdi Sayed Khalaf, who is presently being held incommunicado and faces the risk of being tortured. Case 2 : According to other sources, on October 24 1996, on Marck several minors were arrested. They are : ALI MAHMOOD MAHFOODH MOHAMMED, 15; SEYED HUSSAIN AHMAD HASSAN, 16; SEYED MOHAMMED YOUSIF ABDUL WAHAB, 16; AHMAD ALI ABDUL SHAHID, 15; SEYED HASHIM T AJ HASHIM, 15; MORTADA ABDUL-NABI DHAIF, 16; MAHMMOD AHMAD DHAIF, 15; HASSAN ABDULLA MOHAMMED HUSSAIN, 16. In Daih there were other arrests of minors. The names given were : MAJID ABDULLA, 17; ADEL HASSAN, 17; HUSSAIN AL-SERH, 13; SADIQ JAFFER, 15; AHMAD ABBAS, 15; ISA MOHAMMED, 13; HUSSAIN ABDUL-AZIZ, 14; HASSAN MAATOOQ, 16; AHMAD ABDUL-NABI AL-SARI, 15. >From Sar, the following minors were arrested : HUSSAIN MOHAMMED ALI, 14; BASHIR ABDULLA FADHIL, 11. Among those detained in the above circumstances were also a number of adults. A list of names is available from the Secretariat if required. The International Secretariat is gravely concerned about the frequent practice of minors' detentions in Bahrain, and recalls that Bahrain is State Party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the arbitrary detention of children as w ell as all forms of ill-treatment and torture. The International Secretariat also fears for the integrity of the minors and all people in detention, particularly the risk of torture and ill-treatment they incur. Action requested : Please write to the Bahraini authorities, urging them to : i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all minors in detention and ensure their immediate release; ii. carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into the detention of minors and the ill-treatment of Mohammed SAYED KHALAF, identify those responsible, bring them before a competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administra tive sanctions as provided by the law; iii. put an end to all arbitrary arrests of minors and ensure the right of all victims and their families to appropriate redress and compensation; iv. ensure at all times the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with national laws and international standards. Addresses : His Highness Shaikh 'Issa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Office of His Highness the Amir, P.O. Box 555, The Amiri Court, Rifa'a Palace, Bahrain. Fax : + 973 668884. Telex : 8666 Qasar BN; 8500 Qasar BN His Excellency Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister,P.O. Box 1000, al-Manama, Bahrain. Telex : 9336 PROM BN or 7889 PMPO BN His Excellency Shaikh Muhammad Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior, P.O. Box 13, al-Manama, Bahrain. Fax : + 973 276765 or 290526. Telex : 9572 PSMKT BN OR 8333 ALAMAN BN Baharaini embassies in your respective countries. Geneva, 28 October 1996 Kindly inform us of all action taken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply. Ben Schonveld Projects Manager OMCT - SOS Torture Tel: +41-22-733 31 40 Case Postale 119 Fax: +41 22-733 10 51 CH 1211 Geneva 20 Conf: omctsostorture@conf.igc.apc.org Switzerland OMCT@iprolink.ch OMCT is the l'Organisation Mondiale contre la Torture The World Organisation Against Torture