Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) released a statement about the investigation into the death of Ahmed Jaber Al Qattan which took place on Thursday evening (October 6, 2011). According to an MOI official, the Operation Room at the Ministry received a call reporting the arrival of an injured individual at the Bahrain International Hospital.
According to the official, Ahmed Jaber Ali Al Qattan was brought to the hospital by a group of individuals but efforts to resuscitate him failed and he was later pronounced dead. Doctors at the hospital attributed his death to a severe drop in blood pressure resulting in cardiac arrest.
The Public Prosecution was informed and then ordered that Al Qattan’s body be transferred to the Salmaniya Medical Complex Public so the medical examiner could investigate the case with a full autopsy. The coroner’s initial report attributed the death to an injury caused by small shotgun pellets (i.e., birdshot).
The Ministry of Interior also issued a statement regarding the violence and vandalism cases reported the same evening in several areas around Abu Saiba. Public security forces dealing with violence, rioting and blocking of roads were attacked with stones, Molotov cocktails and iron rods.
An MOI official reiterated its commitment to implement greater transparency in law enforcement and noted that the Department of Legal Affairs was immediately assigned to investigate about the circumstances of Al Qattan’s death. The probe procedures started when representatives of the Prosecution of the Ministry of Interior went to the hospital and received the reports from the Medical Examiner. The official confirmed that the investigation will continue and the public will be informed of its outcomes.
Earlier, Assistant Undersecretary for Legal Affairs at the Interior Ministry announced on Friday that an immediate investigation into the death of the Bahraini Ahmed Jaber was ordered following a report by forensic experts of the Public Prosecution indicating that the death was the result of an injury by a police birdshot and another report of Bahrain International Hospital attributing it to a severe drop in the blood circulation and the respiratory system that led to heart failure.
He said the appropriate legal procedures would be taken according to the results of the investigation.
Also in a separate statement, the Northern Governorate Directorate at the Ministry of Interior had confirmed the death of 17-year old Ahmed Jaber Thursday evening.
Police received a call from the Bahrain International Hospital late that evening, where Jaber was taken. Doctors were unable to resuscitate the young man and attributed the cause of death to cardiac arrest.
The Bahrain Public Prosecution was notified, ordering a transfer of the deceased to the Salmaniya Medical Complex for an autopsy and a full investigation into the case.
The Ministry of Interior also confirmed that a group of about 20 youths had gathered in Abu Saiba around 9pm. The group had blocked the roads and set fire to rubbish bins. When police arrived on the scene, they were attacked with Molotov cocktails and rocks. Police responded with tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the crowd.