Manama: An international commission probing the incidents that hit Bahrain in February and March 2011 and their subsequent consequences said on Monday that it had conducted 5,549 interviews and received 8,818 complaints since the beginning of its investigation on July 20.
"Interviews will continue until September 30 before the commission begins to collate all its conclusions for the development of its final report, due to be presented and published on October 30" the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) said.
The commission said that it expected that up to 500 further interviews would be conducted by the investigating team in the coming days. Written complaints are still accepted via email, it said.
The BICI is composed of five non-Bahraini, international commissioners who are experts in international law as well as international human rights law. None of the people it employed are Bahraini or affiliated with any local organization or society that is a party to the conflict and unrest in Bahrain since February. "It is in order to maintain the neutrality and independence of the team and its investigations," the BICI said.
"Despite the various statements by local activists to the contrary, the BICI would like to assure Bahrainis that every member of the investigative and administrative teams was carefully chosen and that although a small number of Bahrainis are employed for administration and outreach purposes, they too have been subject to a rigorous selection process.
The confidentiality of all our witnesses is respected and maintained upon individual request," the commission said. The BICI, established by King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa in June, is mandated to "investigate and report on the events occurring in Bahrain in February/March 2011, and any subsequent consequences arising out of the aforementioned events, and to make such recommendations as it may deem appropriate."
