Bahrain Mirror: The Gulf Centre for Human Rights called on the Bahraini authorities to carry out impartial investigations into the torture of Ali Isa Al-Tajer, brother of prominent lawyer Mohammad Al-Tajer.

In a statement issued on December 3, 2015, the center said: "Since his detention a month ago he has been also subjected to torture and was forced to sign confession papers."

"A request from the lawyers to meet with Ali Isa before the hearing was denied and the five minutes that they were given to talk to him after the hearing were in the presence of three policemen," it added.

The statement further read that "Despite the prosecutor's attempts to get him to admit to the charges, he denied all the charges.

However, the public prosecutor told the court that Ali Isa signed papers confessing to the charges. Ali Isa told the court that he was subjected to torture and forced to sign the papers when he was blindfolded."

The judge stated that "he was unable to deal with the claims of ill-treatment and that he would transfer the case to the special investigation unit and they will look into the matter."

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights called on the authorities in Bahrain to "immediately and unconditionally release Ali Isa Al-Tajer and drop all charges against him and immediately grant him access to a doctor, lawyer and to his family."

Arabic Issue