Bahrain increases rights for prisoners amid mass hunger strike

Bahrain has granted an increase in some human rights for those incarcerated within its prison system, amid a mass hunger strike involving hundreds of prisoners in the country.

Last month, detainees had announced their hunger strike in a statement received through a banned opposition party, with a series of demands including an increase to the one-hour per day limit on time outside their cells, the allowance to conduct prayers in congregation at the prison mosque, relieving restrictions on family visits, improvements to education facilities and access to proper medical and health care.

According to the AFP news agency, Bahraini authorities have now positively responded to the strike, with the Interior Ministry revealing yesterday that the government will now allow an “increase the duration of visitations” and is considering increasing the time that inmates are allowed outdoors.

Despite those reported changes, the UK-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) dismissed their effectiveness, with its advocacy director, Sayed Alwadaei, telling AFP in a statement that “This offer is too little, too late. It comes after 22 days of Bahrain’s biggest hunger strike in its prison history.”

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He added that “It is clear that the hunger strike will continue until the government addresses their concerns seriously and in good faith”. According to BIRD, at least 800 detainees are taking part in the hunger strike – an increase from the approximate 500 who were last reported to have joined it – and many of them are reportedly dissidents who were arrested and detained during the Bahraini security forces’ crackdown on widespread protests in 2011.

Bahrain’s government has continued to deny the accusations of ongoing abuses of prisoners and detainees, with its General Directorate of Reform and Rehabilitation insisting to the news agency today that “all inmates have the right to non-violent protest and additional care and advice have been afforded to them”.

The Directorate stressed that the country “remains focused on finding a resolution that best protects the health and well-being of the inmates concerned”, adding that “all inmates are guaranteed their full rights”, including medical services and three meals per day. “No detainees taking part in the protest have required critical care”, it claimed.

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