Trigger Warning! This report may contain testimonies of torture or triggering information related to torture and execution. If you are sensitive about reading horrifying torture testimony that would jeopardize your safety and mental health, we ask that you avoid reading the report.
HuMENA for Human Rights and Civic Engagement published a new report titled “Bahrain’s Death Penalty Cases: Judicial Complicity in Human Rights Violations,” which offers an in-depth analysis of the use of the death penalty in Bahrain as a political tool to silence dissent and instill fear within society.
The report highlights the systemic failures of Bahrain’s legal framework in safeguarding fundamental rights, including the right to a fair trial, the presumption of innocence, the right to dignity, freedom from torture, and access to legal assistance. It details how the death penalty has been weaponized against pro-democracy movements in Bahrain, with case studies and testimonies revealing instances of torture inflicted on death row prisoners. Although Bahrain is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), it has repeatedly failed to uphold its obligations to protect the right to a fair trial, freedom from torture, and the right to life.
The report underscores that international human rights law prohibits the use of evidence obtained through torture, as it not only compromises the right to a fair trial but also violates the prohibition against torture itself. The UN Special Rapporteur on torture has strongly recommended that no confession made by a person deprived of liberty should be admissible in court unless made in the presence of a judge or lawyer. Despite this, Bahrain’s courts have frequently used confessions obtained under torture as the sole evidence to convict and sentence individuals to death.
This report provides thorough, documented case studies for stakeholders and advocacy groups working to halt and abolish the death penalty globally, with a particular focus on the Gulf region. The report follows a qualitative approach, drawing on desk reviews of prior publications, international conventions, and legal documents related to the right to life. It also includes semi-structured online interviews with activists and family members of those affected. Covering the period from 2017 to 2024, the report examines the cases of 12 individuals currently on death row in Bahrain who face imminent execution.
By reviewing on official reports from the Human Rights Council, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Bahraini human rights organizations, and the European Human Rights Commission, this report aims to serve as a vital resource for efforts to suspend and ultimately abolish the death penalty worldwide, particularly in Bahrain and the broader Gulf region.
