Human Rights Watch report says Bahrain tortured detainees in the years after its 2011 protests

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – A new report says Bahrain has tortured detainees in the years after its 2011 protests, even after the government vowed to stop such abuses.

Human Rights Watch issued its report on Bahrain Monday, saying its researchers were not allowed to visit the tiny island nation, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

The group says its findings are based on interviews with 14 detainees who said they were physically assaulted, with several saying they suffered electric shocks and sexual abuse.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Bahraini officials say they remain "unequivocally opposed to mistreatment of any kind."

Bahrain has seen through low-level unrest since the 2011 protests led by its Shiite majority, who demanded greater political freedom from the country's Sunni monarchy.