fora. Bahrain was one of the countries subjected to the UNHCHR 1503 procedure and has been the subject of a resolution by the Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and urgent appeals from the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The Special Rapporteur summed up the practice of torture during this period in his 1997 report to the UN Human Rights Commission: Repeal of the State Security Law After the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa succeeded his father Sheikh Isa Bin Sulman Al Khalifa in 1999, the use of torture appeared to decline dramatically. Only isolated incidents were reported and conditions of detention improved. This was attributed to the introduction of crucial reforms. In October 2001, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention visited Bahrain for the first time. Although it confirmed the condemnatory decisions and opinions it had previously made in relation to the state security laws with further investigations, it congratulated Bahrain on "the decisive scale and scope of the reforms that have been undertaken and the accompanying acts of clemency" following the repeal of the State Security laws and the release of political prisoners. It viewed the repeal of the state security laws as amounting to "a major political shift in favour of human rights". It also noted: "Not all the instruments currently in force are flawed, the problem lies rather in their practical application." Much depended on the willingness of the authorities to pursue the reform process and ensure that existing safeguards were effectively implemented in practice. The royally-appointed Prime Minister, Shaikh Khalifah ibn Sulman al-Khalifah (uncle of the present King), head of government throughout the period when torture has been alleged to have taken place, continued in office until his death in 2020. Among individuals alleged to have committed, or overseen, torture are: Ian Henderson, Adel Flaifel, Khalid Al Wazzan, Abdulla Al Dowsari Sheikh Abdulaziz Ateyatallah Al-Khalifa, Alistair Bain McNutt. In March 2000, King Hamad awarded several of the accused torturers with the Order of Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa medal. Decree 56 of 2002 The state's obligation to provide an effective remedy and the need for torture survivors to receive compensation and other forms of reparation was stressed by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. The views of civil society have also emphasised the need for effective and enforceable remedies for torture.