NGOs Compose Letter to UNHRC Members over Bahrain’s Human Rights Situation Five Years on from Popular Uprising

SUBJECT: To UNHRC Members on Bahrain’s recent human rights situation – FIVE YEARS ON

To His/Her Excellency of […] in the United Nations Human Rights Council

The undersigned Organizations would like to kindly draw your attention to the latest developments in Bahrain’s human rights situation and to update you on the pertinent issues, specifically:

1. Infringement on freedoms of opinion, assembly, and beliefs

2. Rights of human rights defenders and political activists

3. Systematic torture practices

4. Issues of death penalties

5. Stripping of nationality

The joint statement signed by 33 UNHRC members on Bahrain in 14 September 2015 specifically mentioned many of these issues, yet there have been no significant advances towards resolving the issues. The human rights situation has largely regressed with widespread clampdown on human rights defenders, journalists, and activists, including members of the opposition, like the imprisonment of Sheikh Ali Salman (Wefaq’s Secretary General), Ebrahim Sharif (former Wa’ad SG), Majid Milad (former Manama Municipality Council Chairman and member of Wefaq’s General Secretariat), Fadhel Abbas (former SG of Wahdawi Party), and Dr Saeed Al-Samahiji.

Human rights defenders like Nabeel Rajab have been barred from travelling abroad despite medical requirements, whilst family members of Bahrainis that died in custody, like Abdulkarim Fakhrawi’s nephews, have been unlawfully targeted and detained.

The judiciary has been an obstacle to improvements, with judges appointed by the ruling family issuing obscure and ungrounded judgments and sentences. This has caused other violations to flow, especially against the Jaw prison detainees, who have additionally been handed 15-years sentences for involvement in the prison protests.

Primarily, the Bahraini Government has largely failed to implement the accepted recommendations posed by the Bahrain Independent Commission Inquiry (BICI) (published in November 2011). Some cosmetic improvements have been carried out, but the human rights violations are largely at the level it was at 2011 – with deteriorations occurring in many other aspects.

Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur on Peaceful Assembly has yet to be granted admission to Bahrain since 2011. The opposition’s demands to peacefully assemble have continuously been ignored with the authorities opting to unnecessary violent interventions. Similarly, the Bahraini authorities have prohibited the Special Rapporteur on Torture from carrying out his mandated obligations by barring visits since 2011, while the practices of torture in prisons and detention centres continues.

With the increasing severity of the violations since the BICI report, we urge you to nominate a Special Rapporteur to Bahrain due to the deliberate noncompliance with international obligations and agreements as well as the non-adherence to international processes.

We ask you to significantly pressure the Bahraini authorities to ensure the BICI and UPR recommendations are expeditiously implemented, and to push for the following:

1- We urge you to pressure the Bahraini Government to grant the entrance of the Special Rapporteurs on Peaceful Assembly and Torture, so that they may carry out their mandated obligations. In addition, allow independent human rights organisations representatives to enter the country unhindered to examine the human rights situation and provide redress to victims.

2- Drive for the release of all prisoners of conscience, with prominent political and human rights figures at the forefront, without reprisals or obligations.

3- Push the Bahraini authorities to reconsider the death penalty sentences handed out post-2011 Bahraini uprising, as there is significant evidence and indications that demonstrate they are politically motivated and flawed.

4- Urge the Bahraini authorities to cease all politically motivated trials and drop all charges against peaceful activists, to establish a positive environment that allows for meaningful dialogue between the opposition and the Bahraini Government.

5- Create a protective environment to safeguard human rights defenders active in Bahrain, activists, and non-government organizations.

6- Urge the UN Human Rights Council and involved bodies to prevent countries like Bahrain, which lack justice and fairness in the judicial system and have a history of trial manipulation, from issuing and carrying out death penalties, specifically against political and human rights activists.

7- We also implore you to call for the establishment of a UN commissioned fact-finding committee to investigate the reported violations.

We sincerely thank you for your time and efforts.

Signatory organisations:

1. Bahrain Human Rights Observatory

2. Salam for Democracy and Human Rights

3. Bahrain Forum for Human Rights

4. Sentinel Defenders

5. International Council Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights

6. Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victim of Torture

7. The International Center for Supporting Rights and Freedoms

8. Aman Center for Human Rights

9. European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights

10. Lualua Center for Human Rights

11. Bahrain Human Rights Society

12. Gulf Civil Society Association Forum

13.  ‪Amman Center for Human Rights Studies‬

14. Jordan Society for Human Rights

15. Al_Miezan Association for Human Rights Development

16. Arab Commission for Human Rights