Interview with Matar Ibrahim Matar by Aswat

In an interview with Matar Ibrahim Matar, an ex-member of the Bahraini Parliament and a leading figure in the Wefaq Society, Matar discussed his time in prison and his trial, as well as the Bahraini uprising and the human rights violations committed by the Bahraini government. He was arrested on fabricated charges, and in prison, Matar notes “I was tortured, physically and psychologically. I was completely isolated for three weeks. They tortured me physically when they questioned me. They would even torture me after the questioning just to demonstrate their dominance. They saw it as a punishment for my actions.” He also discussed his trial and the lack of transparency in the court room by stating “The judges asked me if I confess to my crimes; I said no, and that was the end of the first hearing. The second hearing took place without my presence,” and how he was only able to meet with his lawyer before the trial for 60 minutes.

Matar expressed little faith in the upcoming Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report. “Maybe the report will not cover everything and will not reach the root of the conflict. The regime had the BICI come in to investigate in order to protect themselves and stay in power.” Matar also commented on the Manama Decleration by saying “It is a positive step for us because it is consistent with our legitimate and basic demands. Many say it is not realistic but we must continue to demand for a fair voting system, elected legislative and executive branches, and an independent judiciary.” He ended by saying “Wefaq is demanding a reform movement, the youth are calling it a revolution; they want to overthrow the regime. If we show tangible results through reform, then the youth will move towards reform rather than revolution. But without progression and with the government’s denial of the existence of a political problem, the people will go for a violent revolution. “