Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain concerning the death in prison there of Hasan al-Shaikh and the reported treatment in prison of women recently arrested on charges of trying to change the constitution.

Our Ambassador in Bahrain has publicly raised our concern around the death of Hasan al-Shaikh, an inmate at the Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre. We understand that the Special Investigation Unit has opened an investigation into the incident and we urge the Public Prosecution Office to ensure that the investigation is thorough and transparent. We are aware of the arrests of seven women on charges for disrupting the elections process, belonging to an illegal group and calling for the overthrow of the government. We will monitor the cases closely.