Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Chapter VII — Other Human Rights Issues
public that the location was scheduled for removal or demolition due to
violations of the Building Regulation Law (1977). 663
1319. Though Decree No. 2105-05 of 2011 was issued on 10 April 2011,
GoB media outlets had begun alerting the general public the day before (9
April 2011) that the MMAUP would be carrying out the removal of
unauthorised structures, illegal cabins and stores, etc. These news alerts
continued for a week.
1320. The two main methods used for demolition were manual tools
(sledgehammers) and heavy machinery (loaders, bulldozers, cranes and heavy
trucks). Heavy machinery was used to demolish places of worship and also to
remove debris and rubble from the sites. Heavy machinery was also used to
demolish permanent structures, as well as Shinko cabins and other semipermanent
structures. In addition to these two main means of demolition, two
mosques were burned. These were Al Kouweikebat in Al Kawra Village and
Al Sayeda Zeinab mosque in Hamad Town. Both of these demolitions by fire
were attributed to unknown assailants.
1321. Complainants and eyewitnesses reported that the events surrounding
the demolition of the various places of worship were almost identical. They
stated that General Security and/or Riot Police descended on a site, removed
any worshippers and prevented the gathering crowds from interfering with the
demolition. They claimed that municipal workers then started working on the
demolition of the site and that, in some instances, General Security and/or
Riot Police themselves carried out the demolition.
1322. During the course of their field visits, Commission investigators were
informed that General Security and/or Riot Police forbade the locals from
removing the Qurans and other religious artefacts from the places of worship
prior to their demolition.
d) The Government’s Position
1323. The MMAUP indicated a number of legal grounds on which
decisions to carry out a demolition had been reached: absence of a royal deed;
occupation of public or private land; absence of an ownership deed; absence
of a survey certificate; absence of a building permit; absence of the approval
of the MJIA; and finally, the misuse of utilities (water and electricity).
1324. In addition to the grounds above, the MMAUP stated the following
specific reasons with respect to particular places of worship:
a. Amir Mohamed Mohamed Barbagi mosque in the A’ali
district of the Middle District located on the Sheikh Khalifa
Bin Salman highway: according to official documents
provided by the MMAUP, this mosque constituted a “clear
and present danger” to the users of the highway. The
Ministry specifically claimed that it obstructed the safety lane
663 Building Regulation Law of 1977.
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