URGENT APPEAL: Hassan Oun's life in danger
 

05-01-12 12:41 AM



Injured, Arrested, tortured
Threatened with rape and death

http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/BCHR/.../Hasan_Oun.png

After speaking to rights defenders about his torture, Oun is re-arrested



04 Jan 2012

The BCHR is greatly concerned for the life and well-being of 18 year old Hassan Ali Oun. Hassan was arrested yesterday, the 3rd of January, from the institution he studies in, this is the fifth time young Hassan has been arrested for political reasons in the past year and a half. During previous times he spent in detention Hassan was subjected to torture. One of the torture methods he was subjected to was being repeatedly raped by insertion of a hose in his anus. A couple of days before his last arrest Hassan spoke to the head of the BCHR giving details of the torture he was subjected to and showed the Center messages sent to his phone threatening him that if he is caught again he would "be raped until he becomes a martyr".

Hassan told the BCHR he believes these messages were sent to him by officer Yousif Mulla Bkheet, who is the person responsible for the torture he was subjected to previously. Hassan expected to be arrested again, and told his family he believes if he is arrested this time he won’t survive.

When Hassan’s lawyer Ms Zahra Masoud first saw him before his interrogation today, January 4th 2012, she reported "Hassan could barely walk, one of his legs was very swollen and the handcuff marks are visible on his wrists" After the interrogation the lawyer spoke to Hassan briefly, he told her that he had been beaten severely, he was forced to stand for more than 11 hours, was beaten with a hose on his feet, was stripped naked and threatened with rape. Public prosecution has decided to keep Hassan detained for 45 days pending investigation.

Hassan and his family have been targeted by the regime continuously and have suffered countless abuses in the past year. Hassan’s older brother, Jaffar Oun, is a political prisoner. On the same day Hassan was arrested the police also went to his younger brother’s school to arrest him. Though only 16, his younger brother Ahmed Oun was also previously arrested for one month and a half for political reasons.

Besides being arrested 5 times, Hassan has also been seriously injured twice after being fired at by riot police while participating in peaceful protests. The first time Hassan was injured with birdshot, because he was afraid of arrest if he went to hospital Hassan still has pellets in his body from that injury. Hassan was also shot with a stun grenade in his face and his thigh.

The BCHR demands
- The immediate release of Hassan Ali Oun
- An end to the abuses against Hassan and his family
- An investigation into the allegations of torture
- Holding accountable anybody responsible for torturing Hassan and others.



Source...