Instances of torture continue to be reported in Bahrain, irrespective of the government’s proclaimed efforts to increase institutional accountability and transparency. Newly established institutions such as the Office of the Ombudsman frequently fail to investigate these allegations. Particularly those charged with anti-government activities have been vulnerable to ill-treatment from police officers. The Bahrain Independent Commission Inquiry (BICI) describes in its 2011 report a “culture of complete impunity” that lacks both accountability and transparency.

Especially in Dry Dock and in Jau Prison, inmates report instances of abuse, ill-treatment and torture with dramatic frequency.