Nawaf Abdullah Hamza, Head of the Public Prosecution’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU), said that fifteen policemen have been charged with mistreatment of prisoners in custody, following a Public Prosecution investigation into claims made by fifteen medics working at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), related to last year’s unrest. This came as part of the serious commitment to punish all human rights violations.
Some cases were sent to medical examiners for the alleged mistreatment, and nine prosecution witnesses were summoned to give evidence. Based on the above procedures, the fifteen defendants were questioned, and the necessary procedures for the final disposition of the case are currently underway.
Also, a delegation of department heads and members of the Public Prosecution made a surprise inspection visit to Jaw Prison and other detention centers, where they examined the prison’s facilities and exchanged talks with prisoners. Some complaints were voiced, one of which was concerning the air conditioning in one of the wards. Immediate action was taken and a new cooling system was installed.
The surprise inspection visit came as part of the Public Prosecution’s commitment to the proper treatment of detainees and prisoners, in alignment with international and regional standards. The Government is dedicated to ensure the delivery of suitable conditions for all prisoners, especially with regard to securing their rights during criminal proceedings.
These actions by the Government are all in line with their commitment to fulfilling the BICI recommendations in regards to respecting citizens’ rights and to hold all wrongdoers accountable for their actions, without any discrimination.