Key facts
- The Council of Europe urged Serbia to implement a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judgment.
- The ECHR ruled Serbia violated the European Convention on Human Rights by extraditing Bahraini activist Ahmed Jaafar Mohamed Ali.
- Ali was arrested in Serbia based on an Interpol red notice and extradited to Bahrain despite an interim court order.
- Ali claims he has faced beatings, denial of medical treatment, and solitary confinement in Bahrain's Jau Prison.
- The ECHR ordered Serbia to pay 9,800 euros in damages.
- The Council of Europe is working with Ali's representatives and Serbia to ensure the funds are released.
The Council of Europe has urged Serbia to comply with a European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling that found the Balkan nation violated the European Convention on Human Rights by extraditing a Bahraini activist. Ahmed Jaafar Mohamed Ali had traveled to Serbia in November 2021 seeking asylum but was arrested based on an Interpol red notice, which his lawyers claim was unlawfully issued.
In January 2022, the ECHR issued an interim measure requesting Serbian authorities to refrain from extraditing Ali, citing concerns about potential torture or ill-treatment upon return to Bahrain. Despite this, campaigners state Ali was extradited to Bahrain on a private plane chartered by UAE-based Royal Jet Airlines just three days later.
Since his extradition, Ali has been held in Bahrain's Jau Prison, serving two life sentences. He alleges he has been subjected to beatings, denied medical care, and held in solitary confinement. According to a transcript of a recent call seen by Middle East Eye, Ali is currently housed in Building Two of the prison, which he claims is used for violent offenders and where prisoners, acting on guards' instructions, abuse him.
The ECHR ruled in March 2025 that Serbia had violated Article 3 of the ECHR by extraditing Ali against the court's interim order. The court found that Serbian courts failed to adequately examine Ali's claims of potential ill-treatment in Bahrain. The ECHR ordered Serbia to pay 9,800 euros in damages.
The Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers acknowledged that Serbia has placed the ordered sum in a deposit account but noted difficulties in releasing the funds due to the exceptional circumstances of Ali's situation. The committee has called for cooperation between Serbia, Ali's representatives, and the Secretariat to facilitate the prompt release of the funds.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, director of advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (Bird), stated that Ali's description of conditions in Jau Prison was harrowing, recalling his own experiences in the same facility. Alwadaei emphasized that Serbia must acknowledge the reality of Ali's situation and take steps to protect him, rather than relying solely on Bahrain's assurances.