Manama: Bahrain’s interior minister has ordered an inquiry into abuses and violations by policemen.
A committee chaired by Tariq Al Hassan, the head of public security, will look into violation cases and will identify ways to address them, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Rashid Al Khalifa said.
The probe was ordered after a video showing a policeman slapping a Bahraini in the central town of A’ali was posted on the internet.
“Such abuses as posted on social sites affect dignity and humanity and embarrass every security man doing his job honestly and sincerely,” Shaikh Rashid said. “They do not reflect the disciplined approach and the level of commitment that we always strive to enforce and achieve. They also undermine the genuine role of the security men who perform their work round the clock in order to reinforce security and ensure the safety of all Bahraini citizens and residents.”
Shaikh Rashid said that the ministry did not allow abuses and held violators fully accountable for their acts.
“We stress that we do seek to promote community partnership and to strengthen confidence-building between the police and the society, given their significance in achieving civil peace,” the minister said.
The interior ministry has hired British and US expertise to help instil a more human rights based culture following a searing report by an international commission that listed abuses by security personnel during the events that hit Bahrain in February and March 2011 and their consequences.
The ministry acknowledged the report and vowed to implement its recommendations with the help of security experts with British and US experience.
