Bahrain: Torture / detention without trial: Sayyid Jalal Sayyid 'Alawi Sayyid Sharaf

Index Number: MDE 11/005/1997
Date Published: 25 March 1997
Categories: Bahrain, Middle East And North Africa

There is grave concern at reports that Sayyid Jalal Sayyid 'Alawi Sayyid Sharaf, a telecommunications engineer, who was arrested on 6 March 1997, has been tortured while detained incommunicado. According to information received he is being held by intelligence officials in the al-Qal'a compound in al-Manama, and has reportedly been severely beaten, and at one stage was barefoot and shackled by the wrists. No official reasons have been given for his arrest, but he may be suspected by the authorities of transmitting information about the internal situation in Bahrain to persons abroad through the Internet system.