On 6 May 2015, during its 54th session, the United Nations Committee against Torture (CAT) – a body of 10 independent experts that monitors the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) by its State parties – adopted a List of 18 Issues Prior to Reporting (LoIPR). Earlier this year, Alkarama provided the Committee with suggestions of 64 questions to be raised with the State, some of which were conveyed by the Committee.
On 9 February 2015, Alkarama provided the Committee against Torture (CAT) with a list of 64 issues to be raised by the United Nations experts with the Bahraini authorities during their consideration of Bahrain's initial report. Despite claims from the Bahraini authorities that torture has been eradicated, Alkarama pointed out that investigations from various UN Human Rights Bodies and independent Bahraini commissions – including the Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) and the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission (PDRC) – and show that torture still remains a subject of concern.
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On 23 November 2013, Bahraini human rights defender Jawad Hussein went to Central Province Centre to file a complaint against state-sponsored media outlets and NGOs who had launched a defamation campaign against him and several Bahraini human rights activists. While there, he was informed by the record keeper that there an arrest warrant had been issued for him and that a police patrol was coming to arrest him. Two men in civilian clothes then arrived, arrested him and took him to Al-Naeem police station to interrogate him about a speech he made in Manama on 12 November 2013.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Méndez, expressed his deep disappointment on Wednesday 24 April, saying "This is the second time that my visit has been postponed, at very short notice. It is effectively a cancellation as no alternative dates were proposed nor is there a future road map to discuss."
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