INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

R O U N D T A B L E
Washington, D.C.

August 7, 2014


King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Office of The King
The Royal Court, Rifaa Palace
P.O. Box 555
Manama, Bahrain

Your Majesty,
We write as a coalition of organizations and individuals who are scholars, religious leaders, human
rights advocates, and practitioners to express our concern about charity worker, religious scholar
and human rights defender Sheikh Mohammed Habib al-Miqdad, and ask that he be
unconditionally released from detention.
Sheikh Mohammed Habib al-Miqdad is a prominent Bahraini-Swedish religious leader, scholar,
social activist and the president of the Al-Zahra Charity Institution for Orphans, who was detained
in April 2011 by a group of 50-60 people wearing civilian clothes and masks at his home. During
his imprisonment, al-Miqdad alleges that he was blindfolded, handcuffed, and repeatedly tortured
by Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa.
Prior to his trial, al-Miqdad attempted to inform the presiding judge about the acts of torture and
sexual harassment that he and other prisoners were subjected to. He showed the judge more than
50 instances of electric shock on his body, and the wound left by a drill piercing his leg. Despite
these attempts, al-Miqdad was sentenced to life in prison on 22 June 2011.
Last year, al-Miqdad began experiencing difficulty ingesting food. Bahraini authorities refused to
grant him access to proper medical treatment, in direct contravention of human rights conventions
on the treatment of prisoners. When the Minister of Interior finally allowed al-Miqdad to seek
medical treatment, doctors confirmed that his difficulty ingesting food was a direct result of severe
torture and injury to the abdomen.
We are concerned that Sheikh Miqdads treatment is but one example of the systemic use of
violence against prisoners and denial of necessary medical care. Such treatment stands in direct
contravention of Bahrains international commitments and obligations, including the prohibition
of evidence obtained by means of abuse, coercion, or torture in a court of law. International law
also obligates the government to initiate a prompt and impartial investigation when there are
reasonable grounds to believe that an act of torture has been committed. Unfortunately, the
Bahraini government has twice canceled scheduled visits from Juan Mendez, the United Nations
Special Rapporteur on torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment, preventing him from investigating this case and others like it.
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We call on the government to dismiss all charges against Sheikh Mohammad Habib al-Miqdad
and arrange for his immediate release from detention. We also call on your government to fulfill
its obligations under international law and safeguard the protection of human rights and due
process rights of all those currently imprisoned in Bahrain. As such, we request your government
also thoroughly investigate any allegations of torture and ill-treatment of Sheikh Mohammad
Habib al-Miqdad by rescheduling the visit by Special Rapporteur Juan Mendez as soon as possible.
We also request that your government ensure that Sheikh al-Miqdad receives unfettered access
to medical care for his injuries and ailments while in detention.
We look forward to your prompt action on this matter.

Sincerely,

ORGANIZATIONS

AMERICANS FOR DEMOCRACY & HUMAN RIGHTS IN BAHRAIN (ADHRB)

BAHRAIN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (BCHR)

BAHRAIN INSTITUTE FOR RIGHTS & DEMOCRACY (BIRD)

CENTER FOR INQUIRY

CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY WORLDWIDE UK

CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY NATIONAL AFFAIRS OFFICE

FREEDOM HOUSE

HUMAN RIGHTS LAW FOUNDATION

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX AUTONOMOUS CHURCH OF AMERICA

SHIA RIGHTS WATCH

UNIVERSAL MUSLIM ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

VOICE FOR FREEDOM




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Individuals
C. Naseer Ahmad

Mustafa Akhwand
Executive Director
Shia Rights Watch

Greg Mitchell
President
The Mitchell Firm

Scott Morgan
President
Red Eagle Enterprises























CC: Ambassador Thomas C. Krajeski, US Embassy Manama; Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin
Mohammed bin Rashid al-Khalifa, Bahrain Embassy, Washington DC