Bahrain Mirror: Bahraini authorities on Sunday (October 22, 2017) released a number of human rights activists, including Ebtisam Al-Sayegh, who revealed that she had been subjected to torture and sexual harassment.

Authorities released Al-Sayegh, Mohammed Khalil Al-Shakhouri and Radhi Al-Qatari, who were arrested by the Bahraini authorities last July and charged with contacting terrorist organizations, including a Qatari human rights organization.

Local organizations and international parties and countries, including the United States, have demanded the release of Al-Sayegh and other activists, also dropping the charges raised against them.

The head of the Bahrain Forum for Human Rights Baqer Darwish said that the release of Ebtisam Al-Sayegh, Muhammad Al-Shakhouri and Radhi Al-Qatari is not enough, stressing that all charges raised against them should be dropped and those involved in their torture should be held accountable.

The three detainees complained of being tortured at the headquarters of the National Security Apparatus (NSA) in Muharraq. Al-Sayegh confirmed that she was tortured and sexually harassed when she was summoned for questioning on May 26, 2017.

Instead of investigating Al-Sayegh's torture claims, government authorities arrested and charged her with terrorism.

Arabic Version