Adel Flaifel

Who is Adel Flaifel?

Colonel Adel Jassim Flaifel is a former colonel in the State Security and Intelligence Service of Bahrain. He is accused of committing, or overseeing, acts of physical and psychological torture on Bahraini citizens from 1980s until 1997. He was released from his duties in December 2002 due to protests and pressures from human rights organizations worldwide. In March 2000, King Hamad awarded Flaifel with the Order of Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

Flaifel has never been charged with any crime. In the Royal Decree 56 of 2002, an edict issued by King Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifah granted amnesty to human rights abuses committed by security officers prior to 2001. Torture allegations against Flaifel have been documented by the international human rights organizations, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International. Protests have been held regularly in Bahrain since 2002 demanding prosecution of Flaifel for carrying out torture.

Flaifel has been accused of carrying out torture along with former Bahrain State Security chief Ian Henderson.

In November 2002, 8 Bahraini torture victims lodged complaints against Flaifel with Directorate of Public Prosecutions, however no charges have been taken against him by the government of Bahrain.