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A government watchdog has received 14 complaints of alleged police misconduct in the first four months of the year.
The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) stated that the testimonies of 19 complainants and witnesses were heard, and as a result, 16 law enforcement personnel were questioned.
Of the 19 complainants, six were referred to the Forensic Medicine and Psychological Support Division as necessitated by the investigations.
Last month, the SIU concluded its probe into the death of a detainee, charging a policeman with committing deadly assault. The suspect’s trial began at the High Criminal Court on May 4.
Another case resulted in disciplinary action being taken against two members of the police force, who were convicted of committing a legal violation.
Mr Al Hazaa
According to SIU head and acting advocate general Mohammed Al Hazaa, the investigations were conducted with the use of best practices when it comes to documentation, evidence collection, and the care for victims.
In 2025, the SIU received a total of 49 complaints, which were either reported by government bodies or submitted directly by victims or their relatives through websites and email.
The majority of the cases were referred by the Public Prosecution, and among all complaints probed by the SIU team, only 10 were from non-Bahrainis.
In 2024, a total of 39 complaints were received by the government watchdog, involving 51 individuals – 35 of whom were Bahraini and 16 of other nationalities.
The GDN previously reported that the number of claims had fallen from 136 in 2017 to 108 in 2012, 80 in 2019, 67 in 2020 and 2021, 61 in 2022, and 45 in 2023.
SIU was established in 2012 following recommendations by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, with a mandate to investigate claims of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment at the hands of the security forces.
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