Bahrain’s Interior Ministry announced on 23 September 2024 that 340 inmates of Jau Prison will have their prison sentences replaced with alternative sentences, which are non-custodial, meaning that they will be released. Additionally, 99 inmates will be enrolled in the open prison program.
Only around 60 political prisoners are likely to be included in the open prisons program and no political prisoners have been released through alternative sentences.
29 rights groups, including BIRD and Human Rights Watch, have urged member states of the UN General Assembly to push for the resolution of long-standing issues in Bahrain, including the unfair detention of human rights defenders and leading activists at the high-level debate starting tomorrow in New York at the 79th session.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei commenting;
“After years of suffering under harsh conditions behind bars, these prisoners can finally return home to their families and friends. This is another step in the right direction to end the era of political imprisonment in Bahrain.
We call for the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained political prisoners, including high-profile human rights defenders and opposition activists and those facing death row.
No one should be imprisoned for expressing their views or advocating for democratic change in their country.”
Earlier this month, Bahrain’s King pardoned 457 prisoners on 4 September 2024, leading to the release of over 150 political prisoners. This marks the lowest number of political prisoners imprisoned in Bahrain since the crackdown following the 2011 pro-democracy uprisings.
Negotiations between prison authorities and political prisoners about further releases and improvements in conditions are ongoing, to resolve a large-scale strike in Jau prison triggered by the death of a political prisoner in March 2024. Less than 100 political prisoners remain on strike.
