العربية
Front Line Defenders said, in a report released on Thursday (June 1, 2017), that human rights defender Ebtisam Al-Saegh was sexually assaulted by the interrogators, after being summoned on May 26 by the National Security Agency (NSA) to Muharraq police station, in the North of the country. She was also subjected to verbal abuse, and interrogators threatened to rape her if she did not put an end to her human rights activities.
Front Line Defenders strongly condemned the torture and sexual abuse of Ebtisam Al-Saegh by agents of the NSA as well as the threats made against her and her family, which are directly related to her legitimate work in exposing human rights abuses in Bahrain. Front Line Defenders also called on the Bahrain authorities to immediately end all further harassment of Ebtisam Al-Saegh.
The international watchdog urged the authorities in Bahrain to carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the acts of torture and sexual assault against Ebtisam Al-Saegh, with a view to publishing the results and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards.
Front Line Defenders called on the Bahraini authorities to take all necessary measures to guarantee the physical and psychological integrity and security of Ebtisam Al-Saegh, as well as of the members of her family. It also urged the authorities to cease targeting all human rights defenders in Bahrain and guarantee in all circumstances that they are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.