UK taxpayers fund torture in Bahrain prisons

The UK Foreign Office has funded training for hundreds of prison guards in Bahrain who torture detainees into giving false confessions in order to secure the death penalty, a report by Reprieve released today has revealed.

Belfast to Bahrain: the torture trail details how the UK Foreign Office paid state-owned Belfast business Northern Ireland Co-operation Overseas (NI-CO) to handle complaints about abuse in prison. Not only have NI-CO failed to investigate complaints of abuse but they have trained the police and prison guards responsible. The torture of former policeman and father of three Mohammed Ramadan was ignored by NI-CO for two years who instead bullied and intimidated his wife.

Seven innocent men are on death row in Bahrain after confessing under torture – a practice which is systematic in police stations and prisons – whilst many are subject to arbitrary arrest.

In 2015-16 the UK Foreign Office gave NI-CO more than £900,000 to promote human rights in Bahrain, a British ally. Bahrain’s 2011 Arab Spring protests were met with mass arrests, systematic torture and death sentences.

Reprieve’s report also outlines concern for NI-CO’s work with Egypt’s Ministry of Justice, who have come under widespread condemnation for their systematic human rights abuses, and the company’s activities there. Irish student Ibrahim Halawa was arrested at the age of 17 whilst on holiday in Egypt, has been subject to torture, and may face the death penalty.