Belfast firm trained Bahraini bodies that failed to investigate torture of executed men

Human rights group Reprieve has criticised the UK government for failing to take steps to prevent the execution of three men in Bahrain, our sister publication, Irish Legal News, reports.

The three men - Ali Al-Singace (21), Abbas Al-Samea (27) and Sami Mushaima (42) - yesterday became the first people to be executed in Bahrain since 2010, and the first Bahrainis executed since 1996.

The group said Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s statement following the executions did not address their concerns over the risk of UK complicity in Bahraini executions and torture.

Documents obtained by Reprieve show Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons helped plan inspections of custody facilities in Bahrain, including the police station where all three men were tortured. Their abuse continued after inspections took place. The six-page inspection report failed to mention their allegations of torture.

Meanwhile, staff at two Bahraini oversight institutions which failed to investigate allegations of torture were trained by NI-CO, a state-owned company based in Belfast and funded by Invest NI and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Maya Foa, director of Reprieve’s death penalty team, said on Sunday: “The UK is one of Bahrain’s biggest backers – last year Boris Johnson’s Department oversaw £2m of support to the Kingdom’s prisons and wider criminal justice system.

“Unfortunately, the Bahraini bodies trained by the UK repeatedly failed to properly investigate appalling torture allegations lodged by the men who were executed today.

“Given this fact – and the grave miscarriages of justice that have taken place today – the Foreign Secretary’s statement is woefully inadequate. It fails even to confirm whether HMG had opposed the imminent executions during recent high level meetings with Bahraini officials.

“The Government should immediately suspend its involvement with Bahrain’s criminal justice system and Ministry of Interior, and make clear to the Kingdom’s leaders that the UK unequivocally condemns its actions.”