Bahrain Embassy denies targeting kin of escaped convict

Manama : The Embassy of Bahrain in London has denied taking part in targeting the family members of a Bahraini convict currently seeking asylum in the UK.

Moreover, the embassy said in a statement that the convict’s relatives were prosecuted before the court here for their individual involvement in serious criminal and terrorist activities. This clarification came after British-based online news publication IB Times UK quoted an article published by Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, who was convicted in several terror crimes here before escaping to the UK few years back, claiming that his relatives have been jailed here for the sole reason that they’re related to him.

Alwadaei claimed that his close relatives and in-laws were “tortured and forced to confess” by the authorities in Bahrain. This was denied in a statement issued by the Bahraini Embassy in the UK on Thursday.

The embassy’s statement read, “The embassy has received a number of inquiries regarding the false allegation of deliberate targeting and acts of reprisals against Members of Alwadaei Family. At the outset, it must be made clear that no individual has been arrested for their family links to Mr. Alwadaei, and with reference to the provisions of Article 20(b) of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, which provides that “punishment is personal” to an offender, thereby prohibiting any attempt to punish others for any offences committed by an individual.” 

The embassy clarified that “evidence emerged, DNA and material evidence, linking members of Alwadaei’s extended family to acts of terrorism, which required a full and proper investigation.”

The statement stressed that the names of the convicted members of Alwadaei’s family who he mentioned in his article, including his mother-in-law Hajer Mansoor, brother-in-law Sayed Nazar Alwadaei and cousin Mahmood Marzooq, were all found guilty by the court here for their involvement in terror crimes.

“Hajer Mansoor was arrested on March 5, 2017. She was convicted of planting fake explosive devices to spread fear and terror. Nazar Alwadaei was arrested on the same day as Hajer. He was convicted of arson, assembling and planting fake explosive devices, and participation in an illegal gathering which breached public security. Mahmood Marzooq was arrested on March 1, 2017. He was convicted of planting fake explosive devices and possessing offensive weapons (swords and knives),” the embassy said.

Clarifying further, it said, “The charges relate to an incident on January 28, 2017, where the defendants and two other wanted fugitives (Younis Abdulaziz Mansour and Jalal Mahfoodh) planted fake explosive devices on a public highway. Clearly, these are not individuals detained for their family ties to Alwadaei. Rather, they have been convicted, after trials before Bahrain’s independent courts, of involvement in serious criminal activities with the aim of spreading terror in the civilian population.”

“All these cases were investigated and prosecuted properly and in accordance with the law, with suspects’ rights to proper treatment, representation, due process and fair trial fully upheld. The ruling came from the court of first instance and therefore is open to appeal.”

“With regards to allegations of torture, firstly, the Ombudsman Office initiated an investigation on information in the news and media that Nazar Alwadaei has been subjected to torture, and have interviewed him. The case was referred to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU).  The SIU’s investigation is still ongoing but all evidence thus far does not substantiate the allegation.”

“The SIU opened an investigation into Mansoor and Marzooq’s case, following allegations of torture raised by Amnesty International. The first investigation was closed due to lack of evidence to substantiate the allegation, and the second is still ongoing but all evidence thus far does not substantiate the allegation.”