BPA Calls for Independent Investigation into the Death of Detainee Mohammed Al-Mousawi under Torture

Bahrain Press Association (BPA) has been closely following the death of Bahraini citizen Mr. Mohammed Al-Mousawi on Friday, 27 March 2026, while in the custody of the National Intelligence Agency in Bahrain, as announced by the Ministry of Interior. 

In light of the documented signs of torture and severe physical abuse on Mr. Al-Mousawi’s body, BPA affirms that the protection of the right to life and the physical integrity of detainees and persons in custody is a legal and moral obligation incumbent upon the competent authorities. 

BPA calls for an urgent, independent, and transparent judicial investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Al-Mousawi’s death, the public disclosure of its findings, the prosecution of any party found responsible for this crime, and the provision of effective remedies for the victim’s family. 

BPA recalls that the responsibility of the State extends to ensuring the safety and well-being of all detainees and prisoners held in its security and detention facilities, including regular verification of their physical and psychological conditions, prompt and unhindered access to their families, and the effective enjoyment of their right to communicate and meet with their lawyers on a regular basis and without arbitrary restrictions, in line with Bahrain’s constitutional obligations and the international human rights treaties to which it is a party. 

BPA further stresses the need for the Bahraini authorities to comply with international standards prohibiting torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, to ensure independent oversight of all places of detention, and to enable human rights organizations and independent media to monitor this case and other related cases without undue interference or restrictions. In this context, BPA expresses its concern about the noticeable and recurring pattern of abusive practices in dealing with citizens who document and share ongoing security events, including the circulation of images and videos, and the tendency to treat such acts, in and of themselves, as offences related to “state security” and “treason” without clear legal basis. 

Such broad and overly restrictive characterization of these acts cannot constitute a legitimate ground for criminalizing visual documentation or for restricting the free flow of information, and is not supported by any concrete evidence demonstrating that mere filming and peaceful publication amount to a genuine threat to national security or involvement in espionage. 

Rather, these measures undermine the public’s right to know and the rights of journalists and citizens to access and disseminate information. BPA affirms that, where citizens are accused of collaboration or treason, the authorities are under an obligation to act with full transparency and to present clear, material evidence to substantiate such charges, and must not rely on confessions extracted under coercion or torture. The death of any detainee as a result of torture or ill-treatment constitutes a grave indication of the deterioration of the rule of law and of guarantees of a fair trial. 

BPA’s call for an independent and transparent investigation seeks to uphold the principle of accountability, prevent the recurrence of such violations, and protect what remains of the space for peaceful public debate in the country.