Aug 31, 2014
Manama, Aug 30 (BNA) – The Ombudsman General Secretariat has announced that the Dry Dock Detention Center (DDDC)'s remanded prisoners have today ended their hunger strike.
The Ombudsman Secretariat, in a statement issued today, said that on 15 Aug 2014 received a notification from Dry Dock Remand Detention Center saying that a number of remanded prisoners went on a hunger strike for a number of reasons. On 16 Aug 2014 the Secretariat assigned a team of investigators to visit the DDDC and meet the aforementioned prisoners.
The investigators inspected the wards, cells and facilities there, and also listened to the statements of DDDC officials.
The statement added that investigation had shown that there were five reasons that led to the strike, including abuse treatment of prisoners by prison guards, complaints of the glass barrier between the remanded prisoners and their visitors, made demands of improving health care service, made demands of replacing the current air-conditioning units with new ones and providing them with washing machines.
The statement underscored following legal procedures and professionalism in dealing with the strike.
The investigators considered the prisoners' demands and issued recommendation to the detention center to meet the same demands in according to legal procedures.
The Ombudsman Secretariat affirmed that the DDDC management had swiftly implemented some of the recommendations, improved health care service, repaired and installed new air-conditioning units and provided them with washing machines.
In regard to the glass barrier, the statement explained that the glass barrier is part of safety rules to prevent smuggling of illegal goods inside the prison that could lead to damage prisoners' health.
The Secretariat pledged to reach a way to improve the voice level for better communication between prisoners and their visitors.
Representatives from the Secretariat today visited the DDDC to follow up the procedures followed in fulfilling the prisoners' basic needs that are guaranteed by the law. They also met the prisoners who went on hunger strike and made sure, through surveillance cams, that all prisoners had received their meals and the hunger strike was ended.
http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/630717
