Bahrain Special: Zainab Omran Tells Her Story of Abuse in Detention
Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 6:36
On Friday, we published the first part of Zainab Omran's story of her detention during protests at City Centre Mall in Manama on 23 September. This is the second part of her testimony, as she and 44 other women endure abuse in several police centres:
After three hours [waiting on the road outside City Center Mall] the bus arrived to take us. They kept us in a single row. we were forced to raise our heads to be shown by one of the television broadcasters while we went in the bus.
One of my relatives and I could not believe what was happening and began to laugh when they insulted us. One of the policewomen pointed at me and said: "What is wrong with this girl? Why, she smiles a lot."
The bus accommodated 15 people. We were 21 women in addition to seven policewomen, so they sat on top of some women with children .
Women police officers began to beat us, focusing mainly on the head and the face. We received a tremendous amount of slaps and beatings. The bus was for them a court where they can step and move on our feet and our bodies.