SALAM to members of the Human Rights Council: Raise Continuos Human Rights Violations in Bahrain in Coming Session

Bahrain SALAM for Human Rights has endeavoured to reach out to members of the Human Rights Council and EU delegates for the upcoming 28th Session in the HRC, to raise the worsening human rights situation in Bahrain.

The 72 newly stripped Bahraini nationals were mentioned, which were human rights and political activists as well as opposition figures. The letter reminded the members and delegates that the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture has yet to be given access to Bahrain’s prisons, even though it was a recommendation in the UN Periodic Review of Bahrain in 2012.

The letter elaborated on the deceased torture victim, Hassan Al-Sheikh, whose autopsy showed broken bones, bruises and damaged organs. The letter further explained that four Bahrainis are awaiting execution, Bahrain’s opposition leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, is now imprisoned, and prominent human rights figure, Nabeel Rajab, has been banned from travel and face court trial.

Bahrain SALAM for Human Rights urged the members to raise the following four points in the Special Rapporteur discussion as well as in the session:

1. To remind the Bahraini authorities to implement 157 UPR recommendations as well as Bahrain Independent Commission Inquiry’s recommendations that they accepted in 2011 and 2012.

2. To urge the Bahraini authorities to allow all UN Special Rapporteurs to carry out their investigations, and to do so independently.

3. To urge authorities in Bahrain to end impunity granted to those accused of human rights violations. To hold those responsible for violations, including deaths and torture, accountable is a major step towards transitional justice.

4. To exert pressure on the Bahraini authorities to stop the execution sentences against activists, and release death row prisoner Ali al-Taweel from solitary confinement, who has remained there for the last 3 months.