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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bahrain-prisoner-pack--2/information-pack-for-british-nationals-arrested-or-detained-in-bahrain
If you are a British national, and are arrested or detained in another country, consular staff will do what they can to help you. However, we cannot interfere with the local justice system, get you out of jail, or pay for services such as a lawyer. Information about who we can help, including the circumstances in which we can assist dual nationals, is available at: Support for British nationals abroad.
This information pack aims to give you, and your family and friends, information about the local system in Bahrain and who can help. Consular staff can provide a printed copy to those in prison or in custody. We welcome feedback to help us improve the information we can provide to others.
If you are arrested or detained in another country:
the authorities should ask whether you want them to contact the British embassy, high commission or consulate (and must do so if you want them to)
if they do not ask, you can make the request yourself. You should do this if you are charged with a serious offence or need any kind of assistance
friends or family can also contact the local British embassy, high commission or consulate or the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London on +44 (0)20 7008 5000
In some countries, the authorities might notify the British embassy, high commission or consulate even if you do not want anyone to know that you have been arrested. This is because there may be an agreement in place with the British government which requires a mandatory notification to be made.
Consular staff work in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in the UK, and in British embassies, high commissions and consulates overseas.
Wasmiya Ali, Vice Consul. E-mail: Wasmiya.ali@fcdo.gov.uk
Claire Sanders, Pro Consul. E-mail: Claire.Sanders@fcdo.gov.uk
British Embassy, Bahrain Government Avenue PO Box 114 Manama 306 Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: +973 17574100 (Option 1 for English, then 2 for Consular)
Working Hours: 0730 to 1430 Bahrain time (0430 to 1030 GMT) Sunday - Thursday Website: https://www.gov.uk/world/bahrain
You can also contact us by phone 24/7 for help or advice from anywhere in the world by calling the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on +44 (0)20 7008 5000.
We are impartial; we are not here to judge you. We aim to make sure that you are treated properly and fairly in accordance with local regulations, and that you are treated no less favourably than other prisoners.
We can answer questions about your welfare and about prison regulations but you must ask your lawyer or the court about legal matters. The attached list of lawyers is provided by the British Embassy for your convenience, but neither Her Majesty’s Government, nor any official of the Consulate, take any responsibility for the competence or probity of any firm/advocate on the list or for the consequence of any legal action initiated or advice given.
We cannot get you out of prison, pay fines or stand bail or interfere with local judicial procedures to get you out of prison nor secure you an earlier trial date; we cannot investigate a crime.
We have tried to make sure that the information in this booklet is accurate and up to date, but the British Embassy cannot accept legal responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information. If in doubt contact a lawyer.
If you are arrested or held in custody or in prison, the authorities should ask you whether you want them to contact the British Embassy. However, you can also ask for this to be done, and should do so particularly if you are charged with a serious offence.
In certain areas of Bahrain, the Embassy will be informed within hours of your arrest, in others, delays of up to four days have been reported. We may be informed more quickly by friends or relatives.
For reasons of confidentiality we are not permitted to tell anyone that you have been detained or what the charges are without your permission. However, should you wish to inform your family we can make contact with them and give them advice on prison procedure, regulations and how you are doing. We can also pass on any messages from you.
We will aim to contact you as soon as possible after being told about your arrest or detention so that we can assess how we can help you, but this may depend on local procedures. We will then aim to provide assistance according to your individual circumstances and local conditions.
Our staff are there to support you and to take an interest in your welfare. We aim to be sensitive and non-judgemental. You should stay in touch with our staff and ask for their help, as they have experience in dealing with many of the problems you may face.
You should be aware that if you have been convicted for certain serious offences, such as sexual assault or drugs trafficking, we are obliged to inform the UK police. It is therefore possible that information about this offence may appear if a Criminal Records Bureau check were carried out by a prospective employer.
Only relatives are normally allowed to visit, however in the case of a foreign national, if no relatives in Bahrain, then friends can visit. Family have to book visit through the prison by calling to make appointment on the first visit after the first visit the family would book appointments in advance through the visiting desk at the prison. There is no set rules as to how many people can visit at the same time.
All visitors must bring photographic identification and will be searched prior to any visit taking place. They will not be allowed mobile phones and other electronic devices in on a visit.
Consular staff will try and arrange clearance for visits by family members and friends coming from abroad, though the prison authorities may refuse non-relatives. You should advise your visitors to give as much notice as possible, and to supply their passport number and personal details such as place and date of birth, addresses.
In prisons where foreigners are held, “open” visits may be allowed. This means that although guards will be present, you can sit either side of a table. But this tends to only happen when a member of the family has made an appointment and the visiting area is full. In most occasions you will be separated by a glass partition.
You should always bear in mind that regulations can vary from prison to prison and can also be subject to change at short notice.
A prisoner can have two visits per month, each lasting one hour.
Consular staff will keep in regular contact with you, either by visiting personally or by telephone. The frequency of the visits will depend on the local prison conditions and your personal circumstances.
Visitors can’t take any parcels containing food or clothing. A request has to be made before clothing will be accepted. The rules are very strict on what type of clothing will be accepted. Visitors can leave books, these will be checked by the officers before given to the prisoner. The prisoners buy on a periodical basis for clothing and other items if they wish.
Visits to all Bahraini prisons and detention centres are currently suspended due to COVID. Instead, prisoners are allowed a 15 minute WhatsApp video call to friends/relatives every two weeks. Phone call allowances are not affected unless the prisoner is in a COVID related quarantine. Delivering books to prisoners during COVID is down to the discretion of the prison at this time.
Prisoners will be taken to the doctor and their body will be checked also tests will be taken make sure the prisoner has no diseases, the prison officer will then make a report. The officers will call the family and the Embassy to inform them what the case is against them. The officers will then let the prisoner contact a lawyer.
Conditions can vary significantly both between prisons and between different blocks in the same prison. Mosquitoes and cockroaches are common in cooler months. Sanitation is a tap and a hole-in-the-ground toilet inside each cell with one Western style toilet in the prisoner’s lounge. Daily hot showers are usually available. Prisoners sleep on bunk beds and, as a rule, there are 4 prisoners to one cell. It has been known that there are 6 people in one cell at busy times. There have been reports at times of more severe overcrowding; some prisoners have had to sleep on a mattress on the floor for a short period of time. Blankets and sheets are supplied. Bedding is changed by the prison officials once a month but prisoners are allowed to wash their own sheets whenever they wish. The prison cells are regularly sprayed against bug infestation. The temperature tends to be either very hot or very cold. You are allowed to wear your own clothes whilst in the prison cell but prisoners must wear prison uniform when out of their cells. Prisoners are allowed 2 sets of personal clothing which can be hand washed by themselves or they can pay another prisoner to wash them. It is important to have both light and warm clothing.
There is a shop within all prisons where prisoners can buy clothes, toiletries and food.
Islam influences all aspects of Bahraini life. Islamic ritual and prayer are part of daily life in prisons in Bahrain. For Muslims in prison there is a communal prayer up to five times a day, and a make-shift mosque on Fridays. During Ramadan both prisoners and guards go all day without eating, drinking or smoking. Tempers can be short, so be careful not to get drawn into any disagreements.
Prison life tends to be harsher for foreign women. Women who give birth in prison are transferred to a maternity ward for the birth, and may keep the child with them until it is four years of age. Whenever possible, they are allowed to live in a cell separate from other prisoners.
Each prisoner is allowed to have up to 100BD in his prison account. Money can be left in by visitors, or leftin by someone not visiting but asked to do so through a request made by the prisoner in advance. Money can not be paid into a prisoners account from an external source. Within certain limits, we can send you money from your family. In some cases there may be a charge for this service.
Please note that we can only advance funds to the person overseas once your payment has cleared in our account.
Payment by electronic/internet bank transfer can be made either using online or telephone banking, or at your local bank or building society.
For all bank transfers, you will need to include the following details:
You may also need our bank address which is:
National Westminster Bank, Government Banking, CST PO Box 2027, Parkland, De Havilland Way, Howich, Bolton, BL6 4YU
Payments by Postal Order, Bankers Draft, Building Society Cheque or personal cheque should be crossed and made payable to “The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office”. They should be sent to:
Accounts Receivable Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Corporate Service Centre PO Box 6108 Milton Keynes MK10 1PX
We recommend that you use Special Delivery.
Please ensure that you include a note briefly explaining who the money is for, why you are sending these funds and quoting the FCDO case reference number. You may wish to use the payment slip on the next page.
If you would like a receipt, please include a stamped addressed envelope.
Please note that it can take approximately 15 days for personal cheques to clear and for payment to be received. Please write the cheque guarantee number and expiry date, and the FCDO case reference number, on the back of the cheque.
We are unable to receive payment by credit or debit card, or by cash.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office FCDO case reference number: Date: Please find enclosed funds for: Full Name: Country/place the above is in: Amount enclosed: Fee to be deducted: Payment method: My name is: My address is:
Through Prisoners Abroad, there is the possibility of funding for educational courses. If you are interested, you should write for further information.
Standards of healthcare are generally good. If a prisoner is required to be seen by a doctor/dentist an appointment will be made for them to attend the hospital. A doctor from Salmaniya hospital will make visits to the prison when requested by the authorities. You should report any health problems to the Embassy so that we can follow up with the prison authorities to ensure that the appropriate treatment is provided.
Depression troubles some prisoners. Feelings of isolation are normal, especially if you don’t speak Arabic. The lack of mental stimulation, and facing up to a long sentence can also affect your mental state. When you have a consular visit it is up to you to explain exactly how you are feeling.
The range of free medicines available varies from prison to prison. The prison doctor can prescribe certain medicines at the prison. Prisoners Abroad (PA) has a medical fund for prisoners with no money at all. It can help with paying for essential medical or dental treatment. PA also runs a vitamin programme which enables the Embassy to bulk-buy multivitamins for supply to British nationals.
Prisoners are fed 3 well balanced meals a day and a typical prison lunch is chicken, rice and vegetables. On request, the prison is able to cater for special dietary requirements.
Prisoners can receive and send mail directly. There are no restrictions on the amount, but there are rules on what you can and can’t receive. All letters are censored and post sometimes doesn’t get through - both letters and parcels can go astray. The Bahraini postal system is not reliable. Ensure that anyone sending you mail or parcels puts your full name and prison number on the outside and to number letters in sequence.
You can have clothing sent to you but not tobacco. Magazines, books and newspapers are generally permitted, although they will be scrutinised at and may be censored. Pornographic material is strictly forbidden.
Prisoners can have two telephone calls per week, each lasting up to 15mins but the rules are subject to change. The system is operated by telephone cards purchased by the prisoners. If the prisoner has no money then they should make a request to use the telephone to arrange money to be left. In special circumstances, a prisoner can request additional phone time and this will be considered.
It is best to give family and friends a range of dates and times when you will try to ring. Hundreds of prisoners often all want to make calls at the same time, so be prepared for a long wait and the likelihood of disappointment.
Prisoners can play sport in their exercise areas, including football, volleyball and basketball. In reality, this probably depends on a number of factors including what other prisoners feel like doing. They can also play chess and cards and other games. Depending on the block that the prisoners are held in, they will receive fence time of 2 hours or more every day. There is a workshop where prisoners can make wooden handicrafts.
If you experience harassment, threats or violence you should report it to the Consular staff as soon as possible. Consular staff can raise any allegations of mistreatment with the prison authorities if you would like them to do so. Previous experience is that just the suggestion that you will be reporting to the Embassy can make a positive difference to how you are treated.
No. Islam is the state religion and Bahrain has a dual legal system: secular, partly inherited from the French/Egyptian inquisitorial system[footnote 1] and Islamic law, which settles family and inheritance matters for Bahraini Muslims. Personal matters relating to foreigners are settled by Bahrain Civil Courts, in accordance with the law of the marriage. Most offences for which non-Muslims from outside Bahrain are accused are dealt with under the secular penal code. The onus of proof of guilt always lies with the Prosecution.
Although Bahrain is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, allegations of mistreatment and torture against Bahrainis in places of detention continue. New legislation and the creation of the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman’s Office, the National Institute of Human Rights and the Prisoners and Detainees’ Rights Commission mean there are three independent bodies the Embassy can contact, if you feel you have been treated incorrectly at any time during your detention. The Criminal Procedure Code introduced habeas corpus (the presumption of innocence) and states that confessions “obtained under duress” (made under pressure or by use of force or threats) are not acceptable as evidence.
Despite allegations in individual cases, there is no evidence of widespread judicial corruption.
Remember that you should never sign anything you cannot read. If you find yourself under pressure to sign, ask to speak to the British Embassy.
You have the right to see a lawyer and should be informed of this right, but it does not always happen. Bahraini law requires that you be charged by the Prosecutor General and you may be asked to confess in front of a judge within 24 hours of being detained. This can be extended to 48 hours on approval by the Prosecutor, and up to a maximum of 12 days in cases of national security and 60 days for terrorism related charges. You will normally be taken from the police station to court where the Prosecutor will read the charges. The Examining Magistrate may provisionally remand you into custody. He will take police reports into account and a signed statement will also influence whether you are remanded.
Generally arrest leads to detention in police cells. You should be charged within 24 hours, but allegations of being held without charge for a few days persist. You are entitled to legal trial and to contact a lawyer whilst you are in police custody. The standard practice is for passports to be kept by the Clerk of the Court until your release.
In Bahraini law, the period of remand should not exceed 60 days. In practice, it can be just a few days and it may be extended up to five times. You have the right to challenge each extension. Any time served on remand will count as part of your sentence. Certain restrictions can be imposed on prisoners on remand, such as no contact with family or other detainees. You will be able to wear your own clothes and will not be expected to work. Prisoners on remand are not segregated from prisoners serving sentences.
At hearing before the Prosecutor General or a tribunal (court) you should be notified of your rights. In theory these are:
Due to the domestic unrest and associated arrests, the justice system in Bahrain is not always swift. It is likely that a few days after the first hearing you will be taken to the Court of the First Instance. If you have appointed a lawyer, he can ask for an adjournment to prepare your case. If you do not have a lawyer your case will be heard almost immediately.
If you are found guilty of the charges against you, regardless of whether or not you have a lawyer, your case will automatically go to the Court of Appeal. You can then expect to wait at least another seven more days before your second court hearing. At the second court hearing you will be given the chance to defend the charges against you before the Judge, or for your lawyer to speak on your behalf. You may once again find yourself put under pressure to confess, or to sign an official report, before having access to a lawyer. You should not sign any documents that you do not understand.
Bail can only be granted with the agreement of the Public Prosecutor and the Examining Magistrate. Foreign nationals find generally find it almost impossible to get bail because their temporary status in the country poses a threat that they might abscond.
Consular staff cannot give legal advice, but they will provide you with a list of English speaking lawyers. Prisoners Abroad can also supply information on legal aid, court proceedings and finding a lawyer.
There are some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Bahrain who have lawyers amongst their members, some of whom are prepared to work for free. However, they tend to focus on human rights issues.
Your trial will be heard in Arabic and the court must appoint an interpreter. Using the French/Egyptian model means there is no jury system in Bahrain. Instead, trials are heard by a judge or up to three judges per sitting, per case. Evidence is largely, and sometimes solely, on police reports and there is no guarantee your plea(s) will be discussed.
Misdemeanours carry the lowest penalties, which may include fines. There are three types of fines: the administrative (court) fine, the tobacco tax and customs fines. Court costs are usually small amounts and are paid at same time as the court fine. If your sentence includes a fine, it must be paid before you are eligible for release.
Terrorism, firearms and drugs offences are the most serious in Bahrain and you will be punished harshly if convicted of related charges. Anyone caught with a gun receives a guaranteed twenty year sentence, while a drug conviction will generally carry a sentence of anywhere between six months and life imprisonment. For drugs cases the length of sentence usually depends of the type of drugs and the quantity involved, although there have been reports of sentences which contradict this. The death penalty is only given for terrorist offences or murder and is often commuted.
Suspended sentences are not given to foreign nationals.
Appeals must be lodged within 30 days of conviction and sentencing. You may appeal against the actual conviction or against the length of sentence. The Prosecution can also 11 appeal for an increased sentence. If you do decide to appeal, you should bear in mind the additional costs. If your appeal is rejected you may apply for to the Court of Cassation. The further appeal will not re-examine the case on the grounds of evidence or the conviction but on points of law. Cassation can be a long process and you may find your release date comes first.
There is no system for granting remission (time off your sentence) for foreign nationals, except by a Royal Decree from the King.
There is no parole for foreign nationals.
Royal Pardons are granted by the King and pleas should be addressed to him. To be eligible you should have served at least one-third of your sentence. If you receive a Royal Pardon and your sentence included a fine, the Royal Pardon will not come into effect until the fine has been paid, unless the Pardon clearly states it includes the fine.
Royal Pardons are traditionally granted on important Islamic or Bahraini anniversaries, including Ramadan (Aïd es-Fitr), Aïd El Adha, El Maoulid E Nabawi (The Prophet’s Birthday) and Bahraini National Day. Any request for a Royal Pardon should be sent 1-2 months before the date of the anniversary that you hope to benefit from.
Consular Staff will discuss the Royal Pardon process in more detail with you if you are considering applying.
You should expect to pay all your fines before you are released from prison, unless you have been granted a Royal Pardon that also excuses the paying of your fine(s). You can also be released without paying the court fine if:
Since 1978 the charity Prisoners Abroad has offered practical support and advice to British citizens imprisoned overseas. It is the only UK charity providing this service and it is available to all, whether guilty or innocent, convicted or on remand. Prisoners Abroad is concerned with your health and welfare, both during your imprisonment and also on your return to the UK, through their resettlement service (if you have registered whilst in prison). They can also provide support and advice to your family during your imprisonment. In order to access any services, prisoners must first register with Prisoners Abroad by signing and returning their authorisation form.
Once you seek help from Prisoners Abroad, the Prisoner & Family Support Service will be your point of contact for advice and information. The type of assistance they can offer will vary from country to country, but generally they can provide you with information, in English, on:
Prisoners Abroad 89 – 93 Fonthill Road London N4 3JH UK
Telephone: 00 44 (0)20 7561 6820 or, for your relatives in the UK, Freephone 0808 172 0098 (Mondays to Fridays 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, UK time).
Email: info@prisonersabroad.org.uk
Website: https://www.prisonersabroad.org.uk
“Inquisitorial” means the use of intensive questioning, as the system has tended to rely heavily on confessions. Along with police reports, they make up the bulk of evidence in most cases. ↩
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
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