A/HRC/10/8/Add.1 page 6 Response from the Government dated 23 June 2008 7. Having submitted a preliminary response on 30 January 2008 (see A/HRC/7/10/Add.1, para. 9), the Government of Australia sent another letter to the Special Rapporteurs on 23 June 2008. This response letter is summarized in the communications report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people (see A/HRC/9/9/Add.1, paras. 21-31). Observations 8. The Special Rapporteur would like to thank the Government of Australia for the detailed response to the questions and concerns raised. Bahrain Urgent appeal sent on 18 January 2008 jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 9. The Special Rapporteurs brought to the attention of the Government information they had received regarding Shaker Mohammed Abdul-Hussein Abdul-Aal, Majid Salman Ibrahim Al-Haddad and Nader Ali Ahmad Al-Salatna, members of the Unemployment Committee and human rights defenders who were released on 16 January 2008. Also in relation to the following eight remaining detainees: Naji Ali Fateel, member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR); Mohammed Abdullah Al Sengais, head of the Committee to Combat High Prices; Maytham Bader Jassim Al-Sheikh, Ahmad Jaffar Mohammed Ali, Hassan Abdulnabi, Hassan Abdelnabi Hassan and Abdullah Mohsen Abdulah Saleh, all members of the Unemployment Committee; and Ebrahim Mohamed Amin-Al-Arab, founding member of the Martyrs and Victims of Torture. All of the remaining detainees are being held at the Criminal Investigations Department in Adliya. 10. Reportedly, all of the aforementioned were detained after a series of arrests from 21 to 28 December 2007 following unrest and protests. They did not have access to their lawyers until approximately ten days after they were detained. Some of the detainees were continually handcuffed for one to two weeks, including while they ate and slept. They were refused access to washing facilities and were forced to lie on a cold floor and beaten and kicked as soon as they fell asleep. Some were forced to stand for three days. They were not permitted to speak to the other detainees and remained blindfolded for most of the time. The detainees were also not allowed to pray. Observations 11. The Special Rapporteur regrets that she has not received a reply from the Government of Bahrain concerning the above mentioned allegations. She would like to refer to the general comment No. 22 of the Human Rights Committee which states “persons already subject to certain legitimate constraints, such as prisoners, continue to enjoy their rights to manifest their religion or belief to the fullest extent compatible with the specific nature of the constraint”. In