A Summary of the UN Committee Against Torture’s Review of Bahrain

On 20 March and 24 March 2017, Bahrain was reviewed by the UN Committee Against Torture in Geneva, Switzerland. A Bahraini government delegation led by Assistant to the Foreign Minister, Abdulla bin Faisal bin Jabur al-Doseri, updated the UN Committee on Bahrain’s efforts to implement the Convention Against Torture (CAT), which it acceded to in[…]

While in Bahrain, US Congress staff should raise urgent cases with government officials

This week, a delegation of staff from the US Congress is visiting Bahrain to take part in bilateral talks with government authorities in the country. This is the second Congressional delegation trip since the new Administration took office. The first delegation trip occurred in February 2017 and, shortly following, Bahrain Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed[…]

Rights Groups to F1: Cancel the Race if You Can’t Guarantee Safety

6 April 2017 – The Formula 1 Grand Prix in Bahrain should be cancelled unless it can uphold its human rights commitments, say human rights NGO’s in a letter made public today. You can read a PDF of the letter here. The Bahrain Grand Prix (GP) has been controversial since it was first cancelled in[…]

HRC34 Oral Interventions: Item 6 on Bahrain’s lack of UPR implementation

On 17 March 2017, Michael Payne, International Advocacy Officer at ADHRB, delivered an oral intervention during the 34th session of the Human Rights Council under Item 6 on behalf of ADHRB, BIRD, and BCHR. In his intervention he addressed the Bahraini government’s unwillingness to implement its second-cycle UPR recommendations, including to curb torture or protect[…]

HRC34 Oral Interventions: Item #4 General Debate

On 15 March 2017, Husain Abdulla, the Executive Director of Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain delivered an oral intervention under the Item 4 General Debate. He highlighted the United Kingdom’s complicity in human rights abuses in Bahrain, because of the international protection the UK has given the kingdom, particularly in the Human[…]