Four Bahraini Human Rights Organizations hold the Bahraini authorities responsible for the deterioration of the health situation of opposition leader Hassan Mushaima

The human rights organizations that signed this statement express their condemnation of the violation of the rights of Hassan Mushaima, 70 years old, whose deprived from receiving medical treatment and proper care in Jau central prison. These organizations hold the Bahraini authorities responsible for Mushaima’s health deterioration for its lack of commitment to the law; Mushaima suffers from chronic diseases.
The statements says: According to our information, Mushaima needs treatment of several chronic diseases in specialized hospitals and that he has previously undergone several operations for these diseases, but the prison administration has not completed the treatment and prevent the medicine.
According to previous information received in recent years, despite the high numbers of detainees, specifically in Jau central prison and the dry dock prison, only one doctor is available for one seizure per prison; As a result of this pressure on the doctor, testimonies from the detainees and their relatives says the doctor does not perform medical examinations in all cases, but only give painkillers. The doctor delays the transfer of detainees to hospitals and outpatient clinics, while some detainees are prevented from being transferred to these clinics as a result of the prison administration failing to take them to the medical appointments set by the external health center after the transfer of the prison doctor.
Also, convicted prisoners who wish to receive treatment at private health centers – at their expense – are not enabled to do so. Despite the powers of the prison administration to release prisoners whose life in prison poses a threat to their lives, it often does not work with these powers, except for limited cases of insurmountable diseases. It is clear that the prison authorities in Bahrain are failing to meet the minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners. Where Mushaima and his fellow imprisoned opposition leaders were recently subjected to humiliating inspection of and their personal items, such as books, notes, papers and pens, were arbitrarily confiscated.
The statement pointed out that the family of the political prisoner, Hassan Mushaima has called on the competent authorities and the prison administration to take into account his health status, but no response was ever recieved! It is a matter of concern that this act is deliberate and premeditated and is of acts of revenge. Mushaima has not accepted the family visit since February 2017 because of his refusal to place iron chains linking both his hands and feet which severely restricts his movement. Human rights activists considered this procedure to be humiliating, making prisoners refuse to go to the hospital and refuse to go to the visiting room.
The human rights organizations called upon the concerned authorities to take quick and urgent steps to end the suffering of Mushaima and to allow him to receive the necessary and appropriate treatment. They also urge the authorities to release all prisoners of conscience, especially those suffering from chronic diseases and persons with special needs.
The signatory human rights organizations are: Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Bahrain Forum for Human Rights, Gulf Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights
Thursday 2^thof Aug 2018