AI has received new information regarding the death in custody of Sai’d ‘Abd al-Rasul al-Iskafi, a 16-year-old secondary school student who died ten days (not two as originally reported) after his arrest in connection with his alleged participation in recent protests in Bahrain. Initial reports received by AI indicated that Sa-id al-Iskafi’s body bore traces of torture. After receiving photographs of the victom’s body, taken shortly after his death, AI submitted them for examination by an expert forensic pathologist at Guy’s Hospital in the UK. His report concludes that the appearances of a number of areas of apparent injury and abnormalities indicate that the deceased had been subject to ill-treatment. AI has informed the Bahrain government of these findings but has, as yet, received no reponse from them.
