Global Voices reports that “a grainy video from 2005 made headlines, shaking up viewers around the globe. The video, first shown on U.S.-based ABC News, showed Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan – brother of UAE’s crown prince Sheikh Mohammed – torturing an Afghan grain farmer, attacking him with a cattle prod, then literally pouring salt on his wounds” (WARNING: Video contains graphic content and is not suitable for all viewers).

Global Voices goes on to report that in Bahrain, Internet users were surprised to find out that access to the video on YouTube had been blocked by the Bahraini authorities. Writing on popular online forum, Bahrain Online, which is also banned in Bahrain, user Mahdy notes:

In a scandalous fashion, the Bahraini Ministry of Information is telling us that spreading information which exposes torturers in against Bahraini law!
The Bahraini Ministry of Information is trying to cover up on a crime being broadcast on YouTube after it filtered a video published on the famous site which features an Afghani being tortured at the hands of Isa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The following links are blocked by the Ministry of Information: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGWj…eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGWjxzMka4

Read the full story here.

Meanwhile, Financial Times reported that “Abu Dhabi said on Wednesday it would investigate allegations that a senior member of the ruling family tortured an Afghan citizen.”