Geneva, 5 July 2017 - Human rights defender Miss Ebtisam al-Saegh was abducted on the night of 3 July at 23:45, after masked officers in civilian clothing raided her house. Twenty-five officers arrived at her house in five civilian cars and a mini bus. They were carrying body and head cameras and claimed to belong to the CID (Criminal Investigation Directorate).

Seven officers entered her home, including two women, while three armed men were stationed outside the property. The officers refused to show a warrant after Miss al-Saegh’s family requested the officers to provide one. When she asked about the reason for her arrest and where she was being taken they replied: “you don’t need to talk, you will know as soon as you reach there”.

The two female officers handcuffed Miss al-Saegh, confiscated her mobile phones and her national ID card. One of the officers spoke to the device stating: “the accused has been arrested”, and took her away.

Miss al-Saegh was able to call her family at 21:00 for about five minutes before all contacts were lost. She informed her family of the harsh interrogation she was put through and asked to provide for some personal items and cash. She is undergoing a lot of pressure and at a high risk of torture.

Miss Ebtisam al-Saegh was apparently detained at the Issa Town detention centre for women, on the outskirts of Manama, on 4 July 2017. She was placed in solitary confinement and complained of severe abdominal pain. Miss al-Saegh suffers from low blood pressure and from an irritable bowel which requires her to follow a specific type of nutrition and puts her health in danger. After being kept at the detention centre for women, she was later transferred and her whereabouts are unknown.

Miss al-Saegh is known for her courageous work as human rights defender and her constant fight against the government’s repression of the most basic human rights. On 3 July 2017 she tweeted about the abuses on women by the NSA and held the King of Bahrain accountable.

ICSFT urges Bahraini authorities to immediately release Miss Ebtisam al-Saegh and put an end to reprisals against human rights defender and civil society. Freedom of opinion and expression is one of the most basic human rights and all civilized societies must respect it. Bahrain’s human rights violations are becoming more frequent and the government’s brutality is deeply concerning.