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[…]

US officials should seek assurances from NSA Ombudsman following reinstatement of arrest powers

In February 2017, members of the US Embassy met with the National Security Agency (NSA) Ombudsman’s Office. This is the first publicized meeting between US officials and the NSA Ombudsman since Bahraini authorities restored arresting powers to the NSA. A brief readout of the meeting stated that NSA Ombudsman received two political officers from the[…]

18-year-old Mustafa Hamdan dies after security forces shooting

24 March 2017 – Mustafa Hamdan, 18, died this morning at the Salmaniya Medical Complex, two months after security forces shot him in head and rendered him comatose. We, the undersigned, consider Hamdan’s death an extrajudicial killing by the Bahraini Government. We condemn state violence employed against peaceful protesters, the denial of medical care, and[…]

HRC34 Oral Intervention: Item 6 on Bahrain’s failure to implement its UPR recs

On 17 March 2017, Ebrahim Demistani delivered an oral intervention on behalf of ADHRB, BIRD, and BCHR at the 34th session of the Human Rights Council under Item 6. In his intervention, Demistani addressed Bahrain’s failure to implement even one of its 176 UPR recommendations in spirit and practice. Please continue reading for the full[…]

HRC34 Oral Interventions: Item #4 General Debate on Bahrain

On 15 March 2017, Ahmed Maki delivered an oral intervention at the 34th session of the Human Rights Council under the Item 4 General Debate. In his intervention, he raises two major setbacks to reform efforts in Bahrain since the beginning of 2017, including the execution of three torture victims and backsliding on its BICI[…]