25 July 2019 – Political prisoner Ali AlHajee has issued a statement from Jau Prison in Bahrain calling on the international community to intervene on his behalf. In his statement, AlHajee underlines the urgent and prolonged issues of family visitation and denial of medical care. He goes on to recount how he, like thousands of other Bahraini people, has endured physical and psychological torture in violation of his most basic human rights.
Read the full statement:
I will continue to call attention to the human rights situation in Bahrain. I am one of many physical and mental torture victims, and am carrying out a 10 year prison sentence which began in 2013. My case is typical of thousands of other cases just like it.
Six months ago I launched a 75 day hunger strike demanding the provision of the full and appropriate treatment of my illnesses, as well as the ability to meet my family members face to face. I have not seen them for 883 days. I received repeated promises from the highest prison authority that full treatment would be provided, and so I ended the strike.
Prison authorities facilitated several treatment sessions and after a period of time they let me access my medicine. A month later the authorities stopped allowing me access to this medicine and the doctor told me that the authorities had ‘blocked’ my treatment plan by ceasing to give him permission to continue caring for me. Regarding my second demand, the authorities are still refusing to allow me to see my family.
I kindly request your intervention to the Bahraini government in order to improve prison conditions and protect human rights.
Ali AlHajee
