Bahrain 3rd Cycle UPR: ICSFT Summary

The 3^rd cycle of UPR on Bahrain took place today at the United Nations in Geneva. President of the Human Rights Council H.E. Mr. Joaquín Alexander Maza Martelli opened the discussion by reminding the present parties of Resolution16/21 of the Human Rights Council, which rejects any act of intimidation or reprisal against individuals and groups who cooperate or have cooperated with the UN. President Martelli further urged states to prevent and insure adequate protection against such acts. After the President’s statement, the delegation of Bahrain presented its report following the recommendations given during the 2^nd cycle UPR in May 2012. The Assistant Foreign Minister of Bahrain Abdulla bin Faisal bin Jabur Al Doseri started by claiming having addressed all recommendations from the 2^nd cycle UPR on Bahrain and criticized the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report against the country’s violations of human rights. Throughout the meeting, the delegation of Bahrain continued claiming full cooperation with the OHCHR and Special Procedures, when in fact several requests from UN special procedures mandate holders are still pending. Bahrain stated implementation of BICI and UPR recommendations; however torture, arbitrary detentions and executions make up the human rights environment of the country. As a matter of fact, despite claiming freedom of press and expression, the government of Bahrain repressed and closed news agencies and has not yet released human rights activist and prisoners of conscious like Nabeel Rajab who's arrested in June 2016 following a tweet and now in critical conditions. Despite the superficial and unfounded claims of human rights progress by the government, in reality it has repeatedly failed to comply with international human rights standards.

Following, member states took the floor to address concerns regarding Bahrain’s report and its failure in implementing recommendations. Countries such as Norway, Portugal, Montenegro and Sweden condemned the ongoing practice of death penalty and called for the establishment of an immediate moratorium. The Netherlands and Sierra Leone have urged Bahrain to invite without further delay Special Procedures mandate holders and OHCHR, especially the Special Rapporteur on torture, freedom of opinion and expression, and freedom of assembly in order to collect information and data to analyze the human rights situation in the country. Switzerland strongly deplored Bahrain’s reprisal against Human Rights Defenders, in particular the travel bans that have stopped activists from attending the 3^rd cycle of UPR on Bahrain. By the same token Iceland showed deep concern over the worsening human rights situation and continued crackdown against human rights defenders and civil society in Bahrain. Saudi Arabia, to no one’s surprise, praised Bahrain’s non-existing progress in implementing UPR recommendations and the UK followed with its mediocre and disingenuous recommendations while encouraging and endorsing repression by supporting Bahrain. 

ICSFT condemns Bahrain’s failure in implementing BICI and UPR recommendations and calls for the international community and relevant stakeholders to intervene without further delay in improving the human rights situation on the ground. Further, ICSFT urges the government of Bahrain to abolish the death penalty and reinstate a moratorium, as well as open its doors to UN Special Procedures mandate holders and other relevant UN human rights mechanisms, such as Special Rapporteur on torture and the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Further we urge the Bahraini government to stop harassing human rights defenders and civil society representatives who are calling for Humana rights and political reforms. The UPR report on Bahrain will be distributed and adopted later this week. Stay tuned for further updates. 

International Council Supporting Fair Trial and Human Rights