9 Bahrain _i HR Org. Send Joint Letter to UNHCR for Release & Treatment of Jafar Matooq

9 Bahraini Human Rights Organisations Send Joint Letter to UN Commissioner for Human Rights for Release and Treatment of  Jafar Matooq

Nine Bahraini Human Rights organisations, various human rights activists and blind detainee Jafar Matooq’sfamily have jointly sent a letter to the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Zeid Al-Hussein, urging him to contact Bahraini authorities for his release and treatment.

Jafar Matooq is a 24-year-old blind Bahraini prisonerwho has been denied the opportunity to restore his vision abroad. He is currently serving a 10-year sentence in Bahrain for the alleged offences of “making explosives” and “inciting hatred against the regime.” There are no reports or evidence that an investigation occurred prior to sentencing, with the sentence being passed while MrMatooq was being treated in hospital. Even before his latest injury to his eyes, he was previously subjected to torture and forced confessions where visible marks of injury were left on his body.

The letter sent made a number of factors clear, one of which is that his lawyer, Mohammed Al-Jishi, has attempted to communicate with the public prosecutions service to return Mr Matooq to hospital and to allow him the necessary treatment, yet that request was swiftlydismissed.

The e-petition created for Mr Matooq demanding his release has so far reached 340 signatories, and was referred to in the letter.

The letter was signed by the following:

Bahrain Human Rights Observatory, Bahrain Human Rights Society, Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Bahrain Salam for Human Rights, Bahrain Forum for Human Rights, Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights, “BRAVO” Organisation, “I am free” Campaign, the detainee’s family, and human rights activists.