2 Bahrainis may have been tortured: Rights group

Dubai, June 2: Human Rights Watch said today two Bahraini men detained after a protest in May in the Gulf Arab kingdom appeared to have been tortured and demanded an independent investigation.

''Bahrain's government should immediately investigate allegations of police torture in connection with the detention of two men following a protest demonstration on May 21,'' the New York based group said in a statement.

It said it had written to King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa demanding the release of Ali Said al-Khabaz, 22, and Hassan Yusif Hamid, 46, unless they had been charged with a criminal offence.

It did not say what kind of protest the two men had attended.

Sunni-ruled Bahrain witnessed political unrest in the 1980s and 1990s, mostly by Shi'ites demanding more rights.

HRW said Khabaz's family was unable to learn his whereabouts for more than a week, but a picture of him in detention showed swelling, bruising and other signs of trauma to his face and head.

It did not say how the picture was obtained.

Bahraini human rights activists had found Hamid recovering from a broken jaw and other injuries, it said.

''Hamid said police had taken Khabaz and him and ... beat them severely,'' it added.

''Bahrain's response to the serious allegations of abuse in detention will show whether King Hamad's promises of human rights reforms and rule of law have any meaning,'' said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at HRW.

''Law enforcement officials become criminals when they inflict, instigate or tolerate torture.'' After succeeding his late father in 1999, King Hamad introduced some political reforms and pardoned political prisoners.

The group said it had yet to receive a response from the interior minister after writing to him on May 25 requesting information about Khabaz's whereabouts and well-being.

Reuters>