Bahraini regime failed totally in addressing human rights violations”

Professor Cherif Bassiouni,
chairperson of the BICI, handed
the report to the Bahraini regime
a year ago. (Photo: BNA)

“Bahrain stands still with its record of grave human rights violations” in spite of the warnings issued almost 365 days ago by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) appointed by the regime itself, stated twelve national, regional and global civil society organizations and networks, among them the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS), Social Watch, the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND) and the Egyptian Association for the Enhancement of Civic Participation (EACPE).

“Given the occasion of anniversary of the BICI report, we the undersigned organizations recall that the human rights violations in Bahrain reflect the culmination of years of inadequate policies that lacked recognition and realization of the rights that Bahrain has obligations to under international law,” adds the joint statement.

The organizations called on the international community “to support the establishment of an international monitoring mechanism to be set-up through a UN Human Rights Council Resolution that will monitor the implementation of the BICI recommendations and the overall situation of human rights in Bahrain.”

The joint statement reads as follows:

Joint statement on human rights conditions in Bahrain
The diary of BICI report: a lost year for genuine implementation and continuous and systematic repression and violations

It has been one year since the launch of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report. 365 days passed reflecting the total failure of lack of political will in addressing the human rights violations. 365 days passed with continuous ignorance by Bahraini authorities towards the pledges made in human rights monitoring mechanisms, including Universal Periodic Review. 365 days passed with systematic repression to opposition groups and human rights activists. 365 days passed violating the enjoyment of the freedom of expression and assembly. 365 days passed with full impunity for the perpetrators of human rights violations. 365 days passed with several recommendations accepted by the Government unimplemented.

It was November 23rd, 2011 the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), established by a Royal order, and brought in over 500 pages report after investigation of the events taking place in Bahrain and formulated as well several recommendations. All of the recommendations covering legislative, political aspects and overall enjoyment of human rights have been accepted by the Government.

Nevertheless, despite the promising stance of the government then and the continuous call of the international community in various human rights monitoring mechanisms, including Universal Periodic Review, the call of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay and the Human Rights Council President Laura Dupuy Lasserre, Bahrain stands still with its record of grave human rights violations. Thus more blatant repressive acts are occurring each day in Bahrain, adding to incidents documented already in the BICI report: more than 90 killings, 1800 detainees (40% of which is below 18) and in total 4400 people dismissed and suspended in both from public and private sectors . Moreover, inconformity with systematic repressive acts, recently on October 30th the Bahraini government issued a total ban on all public rallies and demonstrations and an official statement on November 7th announcing that it has revoked the nationality of 31 Bahraini citizens.

Given the occasion of anniversary of the BICI report, we the undersigned organizations recall that the human rights violations in Bahrain reflect the culmination of years of inadequate policies that lacked recognition and realization of the rights that Bahrain has obligations to under international law. In this joint statement we are calling on the Bahraini government to:

• To take concrete steps towards the implementation of the BICI report and respond to the calls of insufficient implementation, establishing the effective mechanism to follow up of the implementation of the recommendations, in close consultation with civil society organizations

• To lift the total ban on freedom of assembly and expression and unconditionally release all those detained for exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly

• To end impunity and ensure accountability towards all those who are taking part in, supervising, overlooking, giving orders on allowing human rights violations and extra-judicial killings and give an halt to exploit “security concerns” to violate fundamental human rights 

• To honor its pledges before the UN Human Rights Council and effectively cooperate with international human rights monitoring mechanisms including implementing the 145 recommendations accepted in the second cycle revision of Universal Periodic Review

Moreover, given the insufficiency of the attempts of Bahraini government towards the implementation of the BICI report, we call on the international community:

• To support the establishment of an international monitoring mechanism to be set-up through a UN Human Rights Council Resolution that will monitor the implementation of the BICI recommendations and the overall situation of human rights in Bahrain.

• To call for a special session on Bahrain at Human Rights Council which corresponds to the concerns of the international community towards grave violations occurring

The statement is a joint initiative of:
Arab NGO Network for Development
Bahrain Human Rights Observatory
BRAVO-Bahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-Violence Organization
Bahrain Human Rights Society

The statement is endorsed by the following civil society organizations:

From the Arab region:
1. Egyptian Association for the Enhancement of Civic Participation (Egypt)
2. The Lebanese NGO gathering in Saida (Lebanon)
3. Rassemblement democratique de la femme (Lebanon)
4. National Center for Development and Rehabilitation (Lebanon)
5. Lawyers for the defence of Human rights (Jordan)
6. Mauritanian Network for Social Action (Mauritania)
7. Espace Associative (Morocco)
8. PNGO -Palestinian NGO Network (Palestine)
9. Al Quds Center for Legal Support (Palestine)
10. Sudanese Civic Forum (Sudan)
11. Gender Center for Training (Sudan)

Global:
1. Eurostep
2. Social Watch

Source: Social Watch