Press

Sheikh Ali Salman letter to High Commissioner HRC

Posted on by Salam Media
13
Sep

To the esteemed High Commissioner of the Human Rights Council

Greetings

Bahrain is seeing a dangerous swelling of sectarian persecution against the Shia Bahraini citizens. Particularly after the nationality revocation of Shia religious authority in Bahrain, Sheikh Isa Qassim, which is a malicious confrontation against the primary and original constituents of Bahrain.

The Bahraini people demand equality and social justice, and has hope that the international community will support its fair and legitimate demands, seeing the importance of rights ahead of other interests. The Bahraini people’s peaceful movement is one of the clearest among all other movements, especially with the peaceful democratic demands, the peaceful stands against human rights violations, and the requests for proper dialogue that can truly reach a political solution. The previous attempts have not yielded a stop in violations nor true dialogue with the opposition, so I look towards the international rights community to impose on Bahrain its accepted agreements, side with the Bahraini people to democratically elect their government, and strongly support a national dialogue that can result in stability.

I would also like to urge the esteemed council to demand of Bahrain the following:

  • Demand the release of all political prisoners
  • Demand an end to impunity of human rights violators
  • Demand an end to sectarian persecution, specifically against Bahraini Shia citizens
  • Work towards establishing a permanent office for the High Commissioner in Bahrain
  • Support the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
  • Demand that Bahrain allows UN Special Rapporteurs and human rights organizations to visit periodically
  • Demand that Bahraini human rights defenders have freedom to travel freely, and to allow them to open their institutions in Bahrain and carry out their legitimate activities
  • For the High Commissioner to oversee the drafting of a report on Bahrain to be given to Member States, and then for a UN Special Rapporteur to be allocated to Bahrain

Peace be upon you all.

Ali Salman

Prisoner of conscience and Secretary-General of Al-Wefaq party