Bahrain on Tuesday announced it is investigating 15 police officers for mistreating prisoners who were detained during last year’s protests. The inquiry is part of a larger investigation into allegations of abuse that took place during the unrest, according to state-run media.
The human rights record of the Gulf state has been scrutinized after the Sunni monarchy cracked down hard on Shi'ite protesters who called for democracy as part of the Arab Spring uprisings.
The 15 officers were part of a unit that has received a number of complaints, the Bahrain News Agency reported. The charges against the officers came “after 11 new complaints were filed,” it said.
Nawaf Hamza, the head of Bahrain’s Public Prosecution’s Special Investigation Unit, said the complaints were filed in June.
The charges also come after several police officers who were accused of abusing detainees and using excessive force, received 5-year prison sentences.
Last week, Bahrain authorities said they discovered a large bomb-making operation calling it “significant as it indicates a new level of terrorist activity in Bahrain,” Public Security Major-General Tariq Al-Hassan said. In all, five tons of material and 110 liters of chemicals were seized in a raid.
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