Bahrain Mirror: Prisoner of conscience Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace stopped family visits and calls in protest against poor health care by the Jaw Prison administration.

The director of Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), Sayed Ahmed Al-Wadaei, said via his Twitter account that "Al-Singace informed his family of his decision last Friday (June 23, 2023) in an exceptional visit to his wife." Al-Wadaei said "The decision is extremely difficult for his (Al-Singace's) family since visits and calls are the only means to ensure his wellbeing, especially considering that he has been on a hunger strike for 719 days."

 Al-Wadaei stated that "Al-Singace is suffering from complex health problems and deliberate medical negligence. He was deeply upset when he learned that the prison administration was engaging in deception and lying to Red Cross officials about his health. The delegation visited him on June 13 after news spread that they were initially prevented from meeting him."

"Prison officials claimed that Al-Singace receives an hour of sunlight outside his cell. Al-Singace responded that he is not allowed to leave his room except for telephone calls, which are limited to a distance of 4 meters from his room. He even had a nurse enter his room while he was speaking with the Red Cross delegation and asked her if he is allowed to leave the room, to which she answered negatively," he added.

"Prison officials claimed they had provided him with new crutches, but he refused to accept them. Al-Singace replied that this is untrue and his current crutches are in poor condition and that he has been requesting a replacement for some time, but the administration ignores his request."

The Ministry of Interior is preventing him from accessing, including medical slippers to prevent slipping in the bathroom and a hot water bottle to alleviate pain, and a sight examination after it has been two years since his last medical check-up. It also refuses to provide the required examinations for his shoulder, head, and eyes. This includes providing treatment for joints, vision, prostate, and limb tremors. The administration refuses to provide physiotherapy despite having a dedicated and equipped floor for it at the Kanoo Medical Center where he is being held, despite Al-Singace's disability.

Arabic Version