13th September 2012

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

UN singles out 16 countries, including Bahrain, for government reprisals against critics
The United Nations has singled out 16 nations for cracking down on critics, saying most of those countries governments are going unpunished for their acts of reprisal. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told a special session of the Human Rights Council that the 16 nations detailed in a new report have been far from sufcient in preventing members of their own governments from resorting to intimidation and attacks on various activists. Reprisals and intimidation against individuals continue to be reported, she told the 47nation council. People may be threatened or harassed by government ofcials, including through public statements by high-level authorities. Associations and NGOs may see their activities monitored or restricted. Smear campaigns against those who cooperate with the U.N. may be organized. Threats may be made via phone calls, text messages or even direct contacts. People may also be arrested, beaten or tortured and even killed. Read More The problem for the Bahrainis is that their government is indeed "oppressive" and therefore lends itself to such easy substitution. Over the past 18 months, Bahraini security forces, aided by troops from Saudi Arabia, have engaged in a brutal crackdown against the island nation's own Syria-style uprising. Bahrain is home to the Arab Spring's forgotten revolution. Since February 2011, there have been near-daily protests against the regime, a repressive Sunni monarchy ruling over a Shia-majority country. Read More partially, Salah Ali, the human rights minister, said.

UN singles out 16 countries, including Bahrain, for government reprisals against critics
Bahrain said that it had approved 156 out of 176 recommendations set by the UN Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR) last May. The Kingdom has approved 143 recommendations fully and endorsed 13 others

However, Bahrain said that it had reservations about several recommendations as they are contrary to the Islamic Shariah or to the constitution or are of political nature and interfere in the countrys sovereignty. Bahrain submitted the UPR reply to the recommendations of the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday. Read More

Tackling impunity: expectations and challenges facing the Human Rights Council
Notwithstanding its Universal Periodic Review and declarations made by the Government of Bahrain at the international level, the human rights situation in Bahrain continues to deteriorate, where the repression against dissident voices has taken a tougher stance, with the heavy sentencing of 20 political opponents, and the detention and prosecution of

While We Wring Our Hands Over Syria, There's a Deafening Silence Over Torture in Bahrain
Believe it or not but a funny thing happened at the 16th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in Tehran last month. When the new Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, denounced the "oppressive" Syrian government, it didn't go down so well with the proAssad Iranians. So, local journalists decided deliberately to mistranslate "Syria", in Farsi, as "Bahrain", prompting the latter to feign outrage.

human rights activist Zainab Al Khawaja and FIDH Deputy Secretary-General Nabeed Rajab. While the High Commissioner and several Special procedures have condemned repeatedly the attacks against the opposition and human rights defenders, the Human Rights Council should condemn in broader terms the situation and call for the release of individuals detained for the exercise of their freedom of expression and right to assembly, and set up an independent monitoring of the evolution of the situation. Read More Experts will also exchange views about the ndings of a controversial report released by the Human Rights Council last month. It claimed human rights activists in several countries, including Bahrain, were subjected to intimidation and harassment by the government, for interacting or communicating with the UN through its human rights mechanisms. Read More

UN panel to discuss harassment claims

BAHRAIN will be high on the agenda as the 21st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council continues in Geneva today. A special panel will discuss allegations of intimidation and reprisals against people and organisations who co-operated with the UN and its representatives.

Critical Bahraini journalist detained for four months

The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the ongoing imprisonment of Ahmed Radhi, a freelance journalist who was rst detained four months ago after making critical comments about Bahraini-Saudi relations. Radhi now faces terrorism and other anti-state charges which he says were lodged after he was abused and forced into making a false confession.

"Bahrain must halt this practice of prosecuting critical journalists for their dissenting views," said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. "Authorities should release Ahmed Radhi immediately." Radhi, a contributor to several local news websites, has been imprisoned since May 16, when he was held for several days without a lawyer present and without his family's knowledge of his whereabouts, the reports said. Read More

BAHRAIN: Human Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab to remain in detention, appeal trial to resume on September 27
The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), sent a trial observation mission to Bahrain to observe the opening of the appeal in cases against Mr. Nabeel

Rajab. It remains very concerned at the continuation of the policy of silencing and criminalising legitimate human rights activities. On September 10, 2012, a Bahrain appeals court rejected the requests from the lawyers of Mr. Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), Director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and FIDH Deputy Secretary General, to release him on bail and scheduled the next hearing for September 27. Read More