DUBAI — As part of an investigation into reports of torture of protesters, Bahrain Tuesday charged 15 policemen with “mistreatment” of prisoners.



Authorities detained hundreds of anti-government protesters in February 2011.



“The latest complaints were made during the month of June and nine of the complainants have already been questioned, resulting in three of them being referred to forensic doctors,” Nawaf Hamza, head of the Public Prosecution’s Special Investigation Unit, said in a statement.



“As a result 15 policemen have been questioned and informed of the charges against them. The investigation of the remaining complaints and those involved is ongoing,” he said in comments published by the government Information Affairs Authority.



The latest charges come after policemen accused of mistreatment of detainees and use of excessive force were sentenced to five years in prison, IAA said.



The IAA had said in June that 19 security personnel were being investigated, including some officers, and that two officers were sentenced to three months in prison last month. Bahrain has put several police officers on trial for abuse and lethal torture.



Last month Bahrain’s interior minister said that police had been given no orders to torture or kill protesters.— Reuters