Bahrain Bi-Weekly: Issue 10 | Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain

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Bahrain’s Crown Prince Visits Washington, DC

Credit: The White House

Last week, Bahrain’s Crown Prince met with US Executive branch officials–including Vice President Biden and Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken–during his visit to Washington, DC. President Barack Obama briefly joined a meeting between the Crown Prince and Mr. Blinken, during which the president stressed the importance of “meaningful reform, dialogue, and respect for universal human rights” as the “best path to achieving the peace and security that all Bahraini citizens deserve.”

In separate meetings, Vice President Joe Biden emphasized the need for “timely and tangible progress on reform,” while Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated the United States Government’s belief that “all sides must reject violence and pursue actions that will contribute to Bahrain’s future growth and prosperity.”

“While we are pleased that President Obama pressed the Crown Prince on the issue of human rights violations in Bahrain, we are disappointed that Vice President Biden and Secretary Kerry failed to deliver a similar message in their meetings with the Crown Prince,” said ADHRB Director Husain Abdulla. “Violations of civil and political rights, freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention, and other human rights by the Government of Bahrain have not abated since the uprising began in 2011. Officials at all levels of the US Government must consistently and uniformly convey their concern for these abuses in meetings with officials from the Bahrain government,” added Mr. Abdulla. ADHRB issued a statement prior to the Crown Prince’s visit urging US officials to “speak frankly and honestly with the Crown Prince” about ongoing abuses in Bahrain.

Although the Government of Bahrain insists that it has undertaken significant reforms sin, the majority of recommendations made by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI)—a body commissioned by the Government of Bahrain to propose reforms following the 2011 protests—have not been implemented. This much was recently confirmed by the US State Department in its 2012 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Bahrain, in which the agency noted that although the Government of Bahrain has made “some” progress in implementing reforms since 2011, that progress has not been significant.

Upcoming Events

Monday, June 10 | 4-5:45 am
Democracy and Development: How Do They Fit Together? (RSVP)

US-Islamic World Forum
Doha, Qatar
(Event will be live-streamed)Tuesday, June 11 | 10-11:30 am
The Struggle for Independent Media and Freedom of Expression in Bahrain (RSVP)
National Endowment for Democracy
1025 F Street NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC

Tuesday, June 11 | 1-2:30 pm
2013 Global Peace Index: Assessing State Vulnerability to Conflict (RSVP)
Center for Strategic and International Studies
1800 K Street NW
Washington, DC

Wednesday, June 12 | 10-11:30 am
Reform, Revolution or Status Quo? Regional Dynamics in a Changing Arab World (RSVP)
United States Institute of Peace
2301 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC

Friday, June 14 | 8 am-2:45 pm
Dynamic Gulf: Forces of Change in a Strategic Region (RSVP)
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC
(Lunch will be provided)

Monday, June 17 | 12-2 pm
Arms Trade Treaty: Domestic and International Implications (RSVP)
American Society of International Law, Tillar House
2223 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC
(Lunch will be provided; Event will be live-streamed here)

Tuesday, June 18 | 12-2pm
Mayday: The Decline of American Naval Supremacy (RSVP)
The Hudson Institute
1015 15th Street NW, 6th Floor
Washington, DC
(Lunch will be provided)