MANAMA: Southern Governorate Chief Prosecutor, Muhanna Al-Shaiji, stated that the Public Prosecution had received a notification from the Reform and Rehabilitation Center (RRC) in Jaw to report acts of strike, disobedience and rebellion carried out by inmates’ convicts of long sentences in very dangerous cases.
He elaborated that prisoners gathered outside their cells aimed to raise a riot inside the RRC in an attempt to capture a number of police officers to use them as hostages for their escape attempt.
After all attempts of negotiations to persuade them to break up the strike and comply with law, an RRC force accompanied by Public Order Force moved in to control the situation and enforce order.
A team of investigators and a coroner attended the RRC on 28, 29 April 2004 to interrogate 236 inmates and medical examinations were undergone by inmates who claimed injuries.
Investigation revealed that most of the inmates stated that they staged a hunger strike to protest the RRC’s decision with respect to reducing the break time allowed in the outside yard as well as reducing telephone call time period allowed.
Public prosecution has summoned RRC’s officials to listen to their testimonies; investigations continue to reach the truth.