Bahrain Mirror: In its first comment, the National Institution of Human Rights (NIHR) said that it met on Tuesday (November 13, 2018) wife of detainee Hani Marhoun after about one month of his hunger strike. The NIHR said on its Twitter account that it "met wife of detainee Hani Marhoun, on November 13, and received from her requests for assistance related to the inmate's condition. The wife was told that the institution was and is still following up requests with the competent parties."

Detainee Hani Marhoun announced on October 14 launching a hunger strike in order to put an end to what he called "all violations and breaches in Bahraini prisons".

He said in a statement that he "contacted all competent parties in the state, namely directors of national human rights organizations and I asked to urgently meet with them, however, all my attempts with them and through all official means were fruitless, despite my continuous communication with them since over a year and a half."

He further stated that he will continue his hunger strike until his meeting with them takes place.

Hani Marhoun is currently serving a 15-year jail term in Jaw Central Prison over political cases. His son Hussein (16 years) is also serving a one-year jail term.

He demanded in a letter published by activists on Monday (November 12, 2018) to expedite a meeting with the Ombudsman, National Institution for human rights and prisoners' commission. Marhoun also demanded his right to treatment.

Detainee Hani Marhoun revealed in his letter that his health has deteriorated following one month of hunger strike, stressing that he intends to proceed in his strike despite losing more than 15 kilos and suffering from numbness in his toes and pain in his bones almost all the time.

Marhoun said that the prison's doctor refused to treat him and to document these negative symptoms in his health file.

He held the prison administration responsible for lack of interest in providing him with suitable place for sleeping, as he suffers from a handicap in his leg due to a previous surgery, indicating that he shares the same mattress with his friend, due to the crowded prison cell that is equipped for 8 prisoners only and contains 15.

Meanwhile, human rights activist Ibtisam Al-Saegh announced that Hani Marhoun's son, Hussein, was subjected to sexual assault and insults, adding that juice was poured on him in a humiliating way by officers from "Al-Kouhji" family in Dry Dock Prison. Hussein is launching a hunger strike in solidarity with his father.

Arabic Version