A/HRC/25/60/Add.2 peaceful demonstration at the University of Bahrain. They were charged with “participation in illegal assembly”, “illegal possession of weapons”, and “destruction of university property”. Ms. X and her sister were taken to an unknown location where Ms. X was separated from her sister and was reportedly beaten during interrogations and threatened with rape for the purposes of extracting confessions. Ms. X and her sister were subsequently released the following morning. Ms. X was later tried by the Criminal Court of Bahrain and was sentenced to 40 days in prison and a fine of 200 Bahraini dinar. It is also reported that Ms. X was prohibited from presenting evidence of her innocence, including eye witness testimony, at her trial. On at least two occasions, she was reportedly expelled from the University of Bahrain, arrested and released shortly afterwards. Serious concern is expressed for the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. X and her sister. Grave concern is expressed at the fact that Ms. X’s detention may be linked to her recent participation in a peaceful assembly. In this context, the Special Rapporteur would like to recall paragraph 7.c of Human Rights Council Resolution 16/23, which reminds States that “ […] detention in secret places may facilitate the perpetration of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and can in itself constitute a form of such treatment, and urges all States to respect the safeguards concerning the liberty, security and dignity of the person and to ensure that secret places of detention and interrogation are abolished.” Also relevant is paragraph 7b of Human Rights Council Resolution 16/23, which urges States “[T]o take persistent, determined and effective measures to have all allegations of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment investigated promptly, effectively and impartially by an independent, competent domestic authority, as well as whenever there is reasonable ground to believe that such an act has been committed; to hold persons who encourage, order, tolerate or perpetrate such acts responsible, to have them brought to justice and punished in a manner commensurate with the gravity of the offence […].” Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur recalls article 21 of the ICCPR, which provides that "The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.” With regards to the subsequent trial of Ms. X, the Special Rapporteur notes article 15 of the CAT, which provides that, “Each State Party shall ensure that any statement which is established to have been made as a result of torture shall not be invoked as evidence in any proceedings, except against a person accused of torture as evidence that the statement was made.” The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to conduct a prompt and independent investigation of the allegations of arrest, torture, and continuing intimidation of Ms. X and her sister and hold those responsible for these abuses accountable. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to ensure the identified persons obtain redress, including fair and adequate compensation, and as full rehabilitation as possible. Bangladesh (a) JAL 20/2/2013 Case No. BGD 4/2013 State reply: 25/2/2013 Allegations of dispersal by law enforcement of a series of peaceful demonstrations organized by teachers and employees of nongovernmental schools, and the alleged related excessive use of force against demonstrators. 22. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Bangladesh for its reply, dated 25 February 2013, to this communication in reference to the alleged excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators in January 2013, organized by teachers, employees of nongovernmental schools, colleges and technical education institutions, who were protesting the transfer of all non-governmental primary schools to government control and 16