Human rights campaigners have presented police with a 'dossier' of new evidence against a Bahraini prince accused of torture after he revealed on social media he was staying in London.
Prince Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa, 27, accidentally let slip he was back in Britain on Thursday when he posted a video of himself running in Hyde Park.
The prince posted the video on Instagram alongside a squadron of the Life Guards of the Household Cavalry with the caption: 'That's how it feels and sounds when you run in Hyde Park, London.'
Today The Independent reported human rights lawyers acting for FF have delivered a 'dossier' of new evidence to Scotland Yard in a bid to have him charged following the revelation he is visiting the capital.
Previous allegations which gave rise to the diplomatic immunity row did not stick. No charges were brought against him due to a lack of evidence and both he and the government of Bahrain strongly deny the accusations.
The case arose after FF, who has been granted asylum in the UK, claims he was badly beaten - though not by the prince directly - and given a prison sentence after taking part in protests in the Gulf state in February 2011 which left dozens dead.
Following the decision to revoke his diplomatic immunity in October last year, a spokeswoman for the Government of Bahrain said: 'As the British DPP has today affirmed, an arrest would have been improper given the absence of evidence of the conduct alleged.
'As Bahrain has never sought anonymity or sovereign immunity from the English Courts for anyone in respect of this case, it expresses no view on the DPP's statement that immunity was inappropriate.
'This has been an ill-targeted, politically-motivated and opportunistic attempt to misuse the British legal system. The Government of Bahrain again categorically denies the allegations against Sheikh Nasser.'
Lawyers for Prince Nasser said: 'The police have previously declined to investigate Prince Nasser on the basis of the insufficiency of the evidence against him. The submission of this new dossier at this time coincides with other attempts by opposition activists to use the British justice system to influence UK-Bahraini relations.'
Prince Nasser, born in May 1987, is the eldest son of the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his second wife, Sheia bint Hasan Al-Khrayyesh Al-Ajmi of Kuwait.
He was educated in Bahrain at the Ibn Khuldoon National School, before commissioning from Royal Sandhurst Military Academy in August 2006, two terms after Prince William.
During his Sovereign's Parade, Prince Nasser was presented with the King Hussein Medal, awarded to the overseas officer cadet considered to be the most improved recruit.
He currently serves as commander of Bahrain's Royal Guard and as president of the Bahrain Olympic Committee.
Inspired by the Arab Spring, protesters in Bahrain had initially wanted to achieve greater political freedom and equality for the Shia muslims who form the majority of the population, as opposed to the ruling Sunni royal family.
However, following an attack on protesters who had gathered at the Pearl Roundabout in Manama on February 17, 2011, demonstrators began to call for an end to Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's rule.
The following month 1,000 troops from Saudi Arabia and 500 troops from UAE arrived in Bahrain to quell the protests, and on March 15 the king of Bahrain declared martial law and a three-month state of emergency.
A man identified only as FF was later granted refugee status in the UK, and from there, set about trying to bring charges against Prince Nasser.
Claiming the prince should be held responsible for his beating and imprisonment during the turmoil, his accusations were stopped when the prince was granted diplomatic immunity.
In October last year, this was overturned, creating the possibility - albeit an unlikely one - that he could be charged when travelling outside Bahrain. However, these charges collapsed due to a lack of evidence.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3005315/Human-rights-activists-call-arrest-Bahraini-prince-accused-torture-reveals-s-staying-London-posting-Hyde-Park-selfie-Instagram.html#ixzz3VAY4iy1L
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