Amal, First Political Party in Bahrain and the Region under Kangaroo Military Trials

Amal, First Political Party in Bahrain and the Region under Kangaroo Military Trials
A Brief Report on The attack and Detention of Amal Political Society Leadership

On the second of May 2011, around two o’clock early morning, a special team of the so-called national security of Bahrain raided the house where AlMahfoodh and his two sons were living with his friend’s house in Jabalat-Habshi . The members of the team were all masked and fully armed with electric-shock weapons and with different types of personal guns and pistols, and they were accompanied by some members of the police. The masked armed people were around 40 persons and they just raided the house of one of the friend of AlMahfoodh . The team members attacked the house by sneaking from the roofs of the house and broke the entrances to only break everything and destroy every piece of furniture in the house.

The members of the national security team attacked AlMahfoodh with his two sons, and his friend, beating them violently with hoses, sticks, boxes and kicks. They also assaulted them verbally with bawdy language and cursed them and their Shiite faith. The house was destroyed totally, and even the fences of the stairs were broken and thrown away. Much property was stolen from the house from perfumes and watches, to money and jewelry. After some time, the four of them were taken in separate cars with their eyes covered to unknown destinations.

After around a month and a half, the family of AlMahfoodh received a phone-call from him and it lasted for 6 minutes. He did not know where he was, and he did not recognize the date or time at that moment. In addition, he could not speak about any of his being subject to torture; neither could he speak about his health. The whole family was very concerned because his voice was very thin and his focus was not acceptable.

After a bit less than two months, the family received a call from the National Security, and they were told to have a visit with their detainee in the Prison of “DryDock Center of Detention”. The visit allowed only 4 of his family members, not allowing any access to personal stuff or requirements such as toothpaste and shampoo. The visit lasted for 10 minutes where the detainee and the family were accompanied by 6 of the national security guards. Prior to the detainee’s entrance,the family was told that the conversation allowed is limited to the family status only,without any reference to the political situation or anything else. The family was asked to appoint a lawyer to speak for AlMahfoodh in the First Hearing of the Military Court – which was only after 4 days of meeting the detainee. See full report on Amal Leaders for Freedom HERE