A/HRC/19/61/Add.4 and torture of several human rights activists and their close relatives (in particular Mr. Mahdi Abu Deeb, Ms. Zahra Rashid Sawr, Mr. Hussein Abduljalil Al Singace, the son of Mr. Abduljalil Al Moqdad, Ms. Zahra Atiya, Mr. Wafi Al Majid, Mr. Ghazi Farhan, the son of Mr. Akeel Ahmed Al Mafoodh). The Special Rapporteur acknowledges that the Government provided extensive information concerning the legal grounds for the arrest and detention of the persons involved. He also thanks the Government for its explanation of the administrative and judicial proceedings regarding these cases. Nevertheless, the Special Rapporteur notes that with regard to the alleged torture, ill-treatment and incommunicado detention the Govenments‟s response failed to substantively address these allegaitons. In the case of Mr. Ghazi Farhan the Government replied that an investigation into the alleged ill-treatment is ongoing but no reference was made to the alleged incommunicado detention. On the basis of a personal interview with Mr Farhan in February 2012 (he was paroled while his conviction is on appeal), the Special Rapporteur concludes that his rights under the Convention against Torture have in fact been violated. In the cases of Ms. Zahra Rashid Sawr and Mr. Hussein Abduljalil Al Singace the Government stated that the claims of ill-treatment and torture have no basis in truth but no details or results of any investigation and judicial or other inquiries carried out in relation to these cases have been provided. In the case of Messrs. Mahdi Abu Deep, Wafi Al Majid, Akeel Ahmed Al Mafoodh, the son of Mr. Abduljalil Al Moqdad and Ms. Zahra Atiya the Government did not address the allegation of torture or ill-treatment at all. The Special Rapportuer therefore would like to draw the attention of the Government again to article 12 of the Convention against Torture, which requires the competent authorities to undertake a prompt and impartial investigation wherever there are reasonable grounds to believe that torture has been committed, and article 7 of the Convention against Torture, which requires State parties to prosecute suspected perpetrators of torture. He calls on the Government to investigate, prosecute and punish all cases of ill-treatment and to to provide the result of any investigation, medical examination, and judicial or other inquiries which may have been carried out in relation to this case. The Special Rapporteur encourages the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain to continue its engagement with the mandate. Bangladesh (a) JUA 17/02/2011 Case No. BGD 1/2011 State reply: 09/03/2011 Alleged arbitrary detention of political activist. 24. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Bangladesh for its response to this communication regarding the alleged arbitrary detention of Ms. Moshrefa Mishu, a political activist, on 14 December 2010. Regrettably, the Government‟s reply failed to substantively address any of the allegations contained within the joint communication. The Special Rapporteur reiterates that paragraph 1 of Human Rights Council Resolution 16/23, adopted 12 April 2011, “[c]ondemns all forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including through intimidation, which are and shall remain prohibited at any time and in any place whatsoever and can thus never be justified, and calls upon all States to implement fully the absolute and non-derogable prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.” Based on the information received, the Special Rapporteur determines that the rights of Ms. Mishu under the UN Convention against Torture have been violated. The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to immediately conduct a full investigation and prosecution of those responsible for torture and other forms of ill-treatment, and ensure that Ms. Mishu obtains redress, including fair and adequate compensation, and as full rehabilitation as possible. 12