Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Activists have confirmed that prison authorities in Bahrain are denying political prisoners treatment, which has led to the deterioration of the health conditions of hundreds of detainees.

Not only that, but detainees have complained that the prison conditions were not suitable for living at all.

Via Twitter, a number of activists launched a campaign under the hashtag #Bahrain_Prisons_Cemetery_of_Living [translated from arabic] (, through which they revealed the exposure of detainees to lack of treatment and neglect of their basic rights.

Former detainee and head of Bahrain Teachers' Association, Mahdi Abu Dheeb said it: "Bahrain's prisons are the cemetery of the living... Indeed they are."

"I drank along with others water and even more dangerous, tea, in the Clorox and Flash bottles and any bottles we could find," Abu Dheeb said.

"We heated our food in plastic bags and containers that we found in the garbage. Only God knows how many diseases we are suffering from today," he added.

"Before anyone from the National Institute for Human Rights comes out and falsely lectures about Bahrain's respect for principles of human rights, he should try drinking water in a Clorox bottle, as the prisoners of conscience say they did," said Baqir Darwish, head of the Bahrain Forum for Human Rights.

"Whoever entered the prisons in Bahrain understands that these institutions are still governed by ancient laws that have been in place since the days of British colonialism," said journalist Qassim Hussain, "It is time for Bahrain to get rid of these ancient laws after 45 years of independence."

From the Gulf Institute for Democracy and Human Rights, Yahya Al-Hadid confirmed the deterioration of health conditions in prisons.

As for the family of the leader of the Freedoms and Democracy Movement (Haq), Professor Hasan Mushaima, they confirm that he has been deprived of treatment for more than 120 days.

Mushaima suffers from lymphoid gland cancer, from which he was being treated before his arrest 7 years ago.

A Twitter user under the name of Zainabiyah Al-Hawa said that diseases were rampant inside prisons. "Previously, we complained of dermatological, psychological and physical diseases, and now there are many cases of cancerous tumors yet treatment is deliberately neglected so that the tumors would develop dangerously threatening the life of the patient, and the reason behind that is the vicious hatred of the mercenaries brought from various parts of the earth to abuse these citizens."

On Tuesday (3 July 2018), the authorities released political detainee Ali Qambar after his health deteriorated due to cancer. According to information, Qambar did not receive regular treatment, which caused the disease to spread.

For their part, the family of the detainee Sayed Kazem Abbas said he had suffered a head tumor for many days before the prison authorities allowed him to be transferred to the military hospital where he underwent urgent surgery.

Activist Yousuf Al-Mohafaza called on his followers from Bahrain, Arab countries and friends who support human rights and freedoms to take a look at the tweets under the hashtag #Bahrain_Prisons_Cemetery_of_Living and express solidarity with political prisoners who pay a hefty price for their struggle for freedom.

Arabic Version