ADHRB submits written statement to the Human Rights Council on Bahrain

On the occasion of the 31st session of the Human Rights Council, ADHRB in conjunction with partner organizations submitted a written statement to the Council regarding human rights in Bahrain, and the abuse of anti-terror legislation. Please continue reading for the full text, or click here to read a PDF of the statement. Bahrain: Abusing[…]

HRC31 Adopts Resolution on Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests

24 March 2016 – Geneva – Today, an important resolution has been adopted during the 31st session of the Human Rights Council. This resolution, sponsored by Switzerland, Costa Rica and Turkey, refers to the “Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in the Context of Peaceful Protests”. It encourages States to take positive measures to promote[…]

Bahrain’s ongoing and systematic criminalization of free expression

On March 18, Michel Forst, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, called on the Government of Bahrain to immediately release Zainab al-Khawaja and to drop all charges against her. Bahraini authorities arrested Ms. al-Khawaja, a prominent Bahraini women’s rights and social media activist, on March 14 in connection to[…]

Shia clerics reject sectarianism and call for equality

In response to the 2011 pro-democracy movement, Bahrain, with the help of Saudi Arabia, suppressed the protests and accused Shia Iran of meddling in Bahraini affairs, giving the protests a decidedly sectarian cast. On March 8, 2016, however, a group of 39 Bahraini Shia clerics insisted that there had never been a call for sectarianism[…]

Bahraini Foreign Minister: no political prisoners in Bahrain, only imprisoned terror convicts

In an interview with RT Arabic, Bahrain’s Foreign Affairs Minister denied media reports stating there are political prisoners in Bahrain. He said that Bahrain does not have a policy of “silencing voices” and that “there are no prisoners of conscience in Bahrain.” Foreign Affairs Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa asserted, “Those who have been[…]