Sheikh Mirza Al-Mahroos

• Severe pain in his back.
• Severe pain in his legs.
• Lack of sleep from these pains.
• Lack of treatment provided by the prison administration.

Sheikh Abdullah Isa Al-Mahroos, also known as Mirza Al-Mahroos, is a prominent religious leader and vice president of Al-Zahraa Society of Orphans. Al-Mahroos was arrested by members of the National Security Apparatus (NSA) along with regime forces during an early morning house raid on 1 April 2011. During his arrest, he was subjected to beatings in front of his family and was blindfolded and handcuffed while still wearing his nightclothes.

Al-Mahroos was taken to the Headquarters of National Security in Al Qa’lah in Manama. Here he was reportedly subjected to torture by officer Bader Ibrahim Al-Ghaith, Nasser Hamad Al-Khalifa, and Khalifa Abdullah Al-Khalifa. After enduring seven days of continuous torture, Al-Mahroos was transferred to Al Grain prison. Over a period of two months, Al-Mahroos was subjected to daily beatings, sexual harassment, verbal abuse, and humiliation. He was also kept in a room where the air condition was set to an extremely cold temperature. While in prison, Al-Mahroos also reported that he suffered from severe pain both in his legs and his stomach that the authorities refused to provide adequate medical treatment for. Despite having the proper documentation, Al-Mahroos was not permitted to visit his wife who later died in early 2014 from a chronic disease.

Speaking about his experience in detention and the legal proceedings, Al-Mahroos stated that, “when we were taken to the Military Prosecution we were threatened and terrorized throughout the journey from the prison to the prosecution headquarters. This continued in the building itself so when I was taken to the head prosecutor I was reluctant to speak and I did not argue with what was said due to threats. I signed the affidavit without reviewing it and checking what was in it because I feared vengeance when I go back to prison.” He was tried before an military court established specifically for the case in what is regarded as a politically motivated and unjust trial. Al-Mahroos was sentenced to a 15-year prison term on charges of conspiring against the government and plotting to overthrow the regime and is currently serving his sentence in Jaw Prison.

Al-Mahroos’ daughter, Zainab, who was born 28 days after his arrest, has been denied a passport without proper justification from the authorities. Human rights organisations, including the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, have voiced concerns that the continued refusal to issue a passport is method of revenge against Al-Mahroos.

Download Sheikh Mirza’s card here.

Testimony