SALAM reaches out to American congressional representatives and media outlets to push Bahrain into President Obama’s Meeting with the GCC

SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights has reached out to American congressional representatives and American media outlets to urge President Obama to consider Bahrain in his agenda in the meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council rulers at Camp David.

The letter highlighted the speech by President Obama where he suggested that youth disillusionment is likely the main threat to Gulf countries. The letter identified the principle issue that lies behind the weakening of the “body politics in these countries”, and that is the failure by the authorities in addressing the aspirations of youth, resulting in grave human rights issues in the process.

The letter primarily used Bahrain as an example, stating that the “Bahraini authority’s failure in implementing the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and UN Human Rights Council recommendations, and ignoring the international community” is a principle cause for the perennial violations.

The letter concluded with the following recommendations to form a foundational remedy for the issues emanating in Bahrain:

1. Free all political prisoners immediately including Sheikh Ali Salman, Nabeel Rajab and the 13 political figures.

2. Ensure that the Bahraini authorities adhere to universal human rights principles, including rights of peaceful assembly.

3. For the Bahraini authorities to immediately cease the policy of discrimination, religious persecution, nationality revocation and death penalty against dissidents.

4. Bring those in charge of human rights violations to justice.