Index:BICI report.pdf

Title	Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
Author	Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni, et al
Year	2011
Publisher	Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
Location	Manama, Bahrain
Source	pdf
Progress	To be proofread
Transclusion	Index not transcluded or unreviewed

Pages (key to Page Status)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I -- INTRODUCTION 1
A. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION OF INQUIRY 1
B. ORGANISATION OF THE COMMISSION`S STAFF 2
C. OVERVIEW AND METHODOLOGY OF THE COMMISSION`S WORK 2
D. CHALLENGES FACED BY THE COMMISSION 8
E. COMMISSION FINANCES 9
F. COMMISSION RECORDS 9
G. PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF REPORT 10
H. SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS BY THE COMMISSION 10

CHAPTER II -- HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 11
A. BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT BAHRAIN 11
B. A BRIEF HISTORY OF BAHRAIN 11
C. GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE AND LEGAL SYSTEM 13
D. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES 14
E. RELIGIOUS AND SECTARIAN COMPOSITION OF THE POPULATION 19
F. POLITICAL ACTIVITY 24
G. A NEW ERA OF PROMISES AND CHALLENGES 29

CHAPTER III -- RELEVANT ASPECTS OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND DESCRIPTION OF THE ENFORCEMENT STRUCTURES 35

A. INTRODUCTION 35
B. THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS OF BAHRAIN 36
C. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC PROSECUTION IN BAHRAIN 38
D. OVERVIEW OF PROCEDURAL GUARANTEES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM OF BAHRAIN 39
E. LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES AND OVERSIGHT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES 40
1. The Code of Criminal Procedure 40
2. The Military Penal Code 41
3. The Public Security Forces Law 42
4. The Decree Establishing the National Security Agency 43
5. Conclusions 44

F. THE SCOPE AND CONTENT OF ROYAL DECREE NO. 18 OF 2011 ON THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF NATIONAL SAFETY 45 G. AGENCIES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF BAHRAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ROYAL DECREE NO. 18 OF 2011 48
1. The Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) 48
2. The Ministry of Interior 50
3. The National Security Agency 51
4. The National Guard 53

H. THE INTERPRETATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ROYAL DECREE NO. 18 OF 2011 54
1. The Interpretation Royal Decree No. 18 of 2011 54
2. The Implementation of Royal Decree No. 18 of 2011 56
3. Challenges to the Constitutionality of Royal Decree No. 18 of 2011 58

CHAPTER IV -- NARRATIVE OF EVENTS OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2011 62

A. INTRODUCTION 62
B. NARRATIVE OF EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN BAHRAIN IN FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2011 62
C. CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 159
1. The progression of the protest movement 159
2. Government Policy during the events of February and March 2011 162
3. Political negotiations between HRH the Crown Prince and political parties 165

CHAPTER V -- EVENTS AT SALMANIYA MEDICAL COMPLEX 167

A. FACTUAL BACKGROUND 167
1. Chronology of events 167
2. Allegations 172
(1) Control and management of SMC 174
(2) Spreading False Rumours and Information 181
(3) Granting access to the media 184
(4) Unauthorised marches and gatherings by medical personnel 184
(5) Discrimination based on ethnicity or sect 186
(6) Illegal acquisition and use of medicine and medical facilities 190
(7) Unlawful detention of patients 193
(8) Possession of firearms and weapons 194
(9) Attacks on medical staff at the GCC Roundabout 195
(10) Refusal to send ambulances 196 (11) Unlawful arrests and mistreatment conducted by the authorities 197
(12) Lack of access to medical care 200
(13) Bahrain Television and other government officials media campaign against the accused medical personnel 201
B. APPLICABLE LAW 203
1. International Law 203
2. National Law 204
C. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS 207

CHAPTER VI -- ALLEGATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST THE PERSON 214

SECTION A -- DEATHS ARISING OUT OF THE EVENTS 214
Part 1 -- Deaths Arising out of the Events 214
a) Factual Background 214
b) Applicable law 215
(1) International Law 215
(2) National Law 216
c) Findings and Conclusions 218
(1) Civilian deaths attributed to security forces 218
(2) Deaths attributed to torture 220
(3) Civilian deaths not attributable to a perpetrator 221
(4) Deaths of expatriate workers 221
(5) Deaths of police officers and BDF personnel 222
d) Recommendations 223
Part 2 -- Case-by-Case Analysis 223
a) Deaths Attributed to Security Forces 223
(1) Deaths caused by the use of a shotgun 223
(2) Deaths caused by the use of a firearm 228
(3) Death Caused by Physical 232
b) Deaths Not Attributable to Specific Perpetrators 233
c) Deaths Caused by Torture 237
d) Deaths of Expatriate Workers 241
(1) Expatriate workers killed by Mobs 241
(2) Expatriate workers killed by security forces 242
(3) unattributed deaths 243
e) Deaths of Police Officers and BDF Personnel 244
(1) Police officers and BDF personnel killed by demonstrators 244
(2) Killed by the security forces 245
(3) Unattributed Deaths 247
f) Deaths that took place outside the Commission`s temporal mandate 247
SECTION B -- USE OF FORCE BY GOVERNMENT ACTORS 251
1. Factual Background 251
a) Allegations of misuse of force by MoI units 253
b) The Clearing Operations of the GCC Roundabout 253
c) Ministry of Interior Riot Control Operations 255
d) Ministry of Interior Checkpoints 256
e) The Use of Force by BDF Units 257
f) The Use of Force by NSA Units 258
g) The Use of Force by National Guard Units 258
2. Applicable Law 258
a) International Law 258
b) National Law 259
3. Findings and Conclusions 261

SECTION C -- MANNER OF ARRESTS 263
1. Factual Background 263
a) The Treatment of Women and Children present during Arrests 265
b) Destruction of Property 267
c) Theft of Property 268
2. Applicable Law 269
a) International Law 269
b) National Law 270
3. Findings and Conclusions 274

SECTION D -- TREATMENT OF PERSONS IN CUSTODY 276
1. Factual Background 276
a) General Pattern of Mistreatment 279
b) Specific techniques of mistreatment 281
c) Procedures of the Commission`s investigation team 284
d) Challenges Faced by the Investigation 285
e) Forensic Evidence 285
2. Applicable Law 287
a) International Law 287
b) National Law 288
3. Findings and Conclusions 290
4. Recommendations 295

SECTION E -- DETENTION AND PROSECUTION IN CONNECTION WITH EXPRESSION, ASSOCIATION AND ASSEMBLY 296
1. Factual Background 296
2. Applicable Law 301
a) International Law 301
b) National Law 302
3. Findings and Conclusions 305
4. Recommendations 307

SECTION F -- ALLEGATIONS OF ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCES 307
1. Introduction 307
2. Factual Background 307 Page:BICI report.pdf/9 Page:BICI report.pdf/10

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