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Bahrain protester’s body showed signs of â€œhorrific abuseâ€

13 April 2011 23:06 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Human Rights Watch says the body of Ali Isa Saqer, a protester that died after he was arrested in Bahrain, showed signs of "horrific abuse" and torture, APA reports quoting CNN.
The human rights agency said there may be as many as 430 people who have been arrested in Bahrain in the government’s effort to quell protests there.
And in many cases family members are worried that there loved ones may end up like Saqer, the agency said.
A member of Human Rights Watch observed Saqer’s body on Sunday after Bahraini authorities said he died in detention.
"His body showed signs of severe physical abuse. The left side of his face showed a large patch of bluish skin with a reddish-purple area near his left temple and a two-inch cut to the left of his eye," Human Rights Watch said in a statement.
"Lash marks crisscrossed his back, some reaching to his front right side. Blue bruises covered much of the back of his calves, thighs, and buttocks, as well as his right elbow and hip. The tops of his feet were blackened, and lacerations marked his ankles and wrists."
Saqer, 31, died at a detention center in early April, according to the general director of Muharraq Governorate Police. Saqer was being held on charges of attempted murder of policemen while trying to run them over with his car on March 13.
Authorities said Saqer was creating chaos at the detention center, and when security forces sought to subdue him, he resisted them and sustained various injuries in the process. He was sent to the hospital, where he later died.
Human Rights Watch said there were at least two other people who have died in the custody of police in Bahrain recently.
"It’s outrageous and cruel that people are taken off to detention and the families hear nothing until the body shows up with signs of abuse," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities need to explain why this is happening, put a stop to it, and hold anyone responsible to account."
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, recently spoke to CNN about accusations that protesters were being abused.
He said the demonstrations had quickly led the country to "the brink" and that calling in the military had been necessary to restore stability and safety.
"Our economy came to the brink of collapse," Sheikh Khalid said. "So we had no choice but to protect the interests of our country ... from collapse, from total collapse internally. And from external threats."