Bahraini HRD Continues Hunger Strike for 230+ Days As Regime Increases Restrictions

Translated by Al-Ahed News

Bahraini human rights defender and academic Dr. Abduljalil al-Singace continues his hunger strike for over 230 days, in protest to the Al Khalifa regime’s mistreatment and confiscation of his research, which he has been working on for four years during his detention.

Despite calls from the international community and human rights organizations to release al-Singace and the life-threatening deterioration of his health, the unjust regime insists on depriving him of his freedom, with clear disregard for his life and safety.

The director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy [BIRD], Ahmed al-Wadaei, confirmed that al-Singace is being deprived of some of his medications and pain relievers.

The rights defender suffers from cold limbs, and the prison authorities are still procrastinating in bringing hot water bags to relieve his pain. He also suffers from willful health neglect, and his doctors’ repeated requests to undergo MRI have been denied.

Al-Wadaei said that prison guards would enter al-Singace’s prison cell in the middle of the night in a disturbing way to wake him from his sleep.

According to BIRD director, the jailers are denying al-Singace from contacting his family and seeing his newly born grandson via video call.

Relatedly, three United Nations special rapporteurs issued a joint letter in which they expressed their deep concern regarding the escalation of human rights violations in Bahrain, shedding light on the deteriorating health of al-Singace.

The rapporteurs drew attention to the fact that al-Singace was included in many correspondences from the Special Procedures offices, in addition to reports addressed to the United Nations’ Secretary General in 2011, 2012 and 2021.