Over 4,000 Cases of Torture Reported in Bahraini Prisons, Raising Serious Human Rights Concerns
Over 4,000 Cases of Torture Reported in Bahraini Prisons, Raising Serious Human Rights Concerns
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A statistical report has documented 3,897 cases of individual torture and 548 cases of collective torture in Bahraini prisons between 2018 and September 2025. The severity of these human rights violations highlights the urgent need to address the situation in the country.
The new report on cases of torture in Bahrain prisons, released alongside the United Nations Committee Against Torture session, indicates a total of 4,445 cases of individual and collective torture in Bahrain’s prisons and detention centers from January 2018 to the end of September 2025.
According to Shia Waves Agency, citing Al-Maloumeh News, these figures only include cases that legal teams were able to monitor and document, suggesting the actual numbers may be significantly higher.
The report identifies Jaw Central Prison as the site of the highest number of abuses, accounting for 2,676 individual torture cases and the majority of the 548 collective cases. Other prisons, including Al-Hawd Al-Jaf, the Women’s Prison, the Juvenile Detention Center, the Military Prison in Qarin, and Al-Hawra, also reported numerous violations against detainees.
Among the victims, 3,682 were men, 129 boys, and 86 women.
The report categorizes torture into 130 subtypes. Key violations include health neglect—268 cases of denial of medical treatment, 296 cases of COVID-19 infection, and 92 cases of denied access to doctors; physical and psychological abuse, including 923 cases of deprivation of communication and 416 cases of solitary confinement; and violent torture methods such as beatings, severe beatings, and pepper spray.
The report also recorded 10 deaths caused by torture or its consequences during the same period.
Human rights experts stress the urgent need for transitional justice mechanisms, UN special rapporteur visits to prisons, independent trials for perpetrators, and reforms of domestic laws in line with international treaties.
These statistics underscore serious concerns about human rights in Bahrain and the immediate need for measures to protect prisoners and victims of torture.
