Activist spreading false propaganda: BHRWS

Manama : Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (BHRWS) has criticised an activist after she spread false propaganda that the Kingdom was ill-treating and torturing prisoners at Dry Dock Detention Centre.

Ibtisam Al Sayegh was harshly criticised by BHRWS after she posted a picture of a man shackled to a hospital bed, claiming that the picture was taken in Bahrain. BHRWS denied Al Sayegh’s allegations and proved that the picture was of an Iraqi prisoner who was held captive by the Popular Mobilisation Forces in Basra. “This is shameful and against credibility principles,” the society commented. BHRWS condemned the way the picture was used to falsify facts in Bahrain and claim that prisoners in the Dry Dock Detention Centre are being tortured and mistreated. “Al Sayegh captioned the photo that prisoners are receiving inhuman treatment and are denied the right to treatment, in addition to being humiliated in the Dry Dock Detention Centre,” the Society said in a post on its Instagram page.

“Monitoring departments in the Society was concerned about the matter, as health conditions of prisoners is among our priorities and responsibilities. Investigating further into the matter, we found out that it’s not of a man in Bahrain, but of a sick Iraqi prisoner in Basra City, held by the sectarian Popular Mobilisation Forces,” BHRWS added in its post, while calling upon Al Sayegh to keep transparency and credibility before sharing news and information.