Bahrain Centre for Human Rights - March 2008.
The Kingdom of Bahrain is the first Arab country to have all its detainees released from Guantanamo. They were released as the result of a diplomatic and security agreement between the Bahraini and American authorities, but in reality this would have not taken place without the activity and continued pressure exerted by institutions of civil society, human rights organizations, the US law firm representing Bahraini detainees, a popular movement, and the parliament.

Country/Topic: Bahrain
Date: 29 April 2008
Source: Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
Person(s):
Target(s): other
Type(s) of violation(s): threatened
Urgency: Threat
(BCHR/IFEX) - A high Bahraini security officer informed Karbabad Matam, an events venue in Manama, that it was not allowed to hold a public conference scheduled for 25 April 2008. The security officer stated that, if necessary, the Security Special Forces (SSF) would intervene by force to prevent the event from taking place. The organisers of the event told BCHR that these threats were made by the head of the Exhibition police station on 24 April.

(BCHR/IFEX) - The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is concerned by the use of the repressive and widely condemned Press Decree Code 47 (2002) against a local journalist and news editor.

Jaafar Al Jamry from "Al Wasat" newspaper was handed a BD 150 (approx. US$396) fine by judges at the High Criminal Court on 16 April 2008. He was charged with publishing defamatory remarks and false information about an employee at the Health Ministry.

THE OBSERVATORY FOR THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS (FIDH-OMCT)

PRESS RELEASE

BAHRAIN: Hearing in the trial of seven human rights defenders

International Mission of Judicial Observation

Geneva-Paris, April 23, 2008. On April 16, 2008, the Observatory for the protection of human rights defenders, a joint programme of the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), sent an international mission of judicial observation in the framework of the trial of seven human rights defenders, which was held before the High Criminal Court of Bahrain.

Bahrain: Court-Appointed Medical Examiners Confirm Torture
Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Updating information on the unfair trials of a group of 15 activists, including 11 human rights defenders .

SEVERAL Bahrainis arrested last December were beaten in custody, according to court-appointed medical examiners. The doctors' report, submitted as 15 Bahrainis appeared in the High Criminal Court amid tight security on April 16th, was immediately disputed by the Public Prosecution.

A Second Crackdown on Activists in Four Months:
Detainees, Including Minors, are under serious risk of Torture and Unfair Trials

17 April 2008

Amounting Unrest and Violations in Bahrain

A Second Crackdown on Activists in Four Months:
Detainees, Including Minors, are under serious risk of Torture and Unfair Trials

17 April 2008

JOINT ACTION: Arab League's proposed satellite broadcasting regulations would impede needed criticism of corruption and repression, warn 34 organisations

Date: 07 March 2008

(HRinfo/IFEX) - The following is a 5 March 2008 joint statement by HRinfo, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) and 31 other organisations:

34 International and Arabian Human Rights Organisations declare: The document of organizing space transmission is invalid through its form and content

A Statement by vice president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights-12 April 2008

"We condemns the use of violence which according to official reports led to the death of a 24-year-old policeman, and the injury of his two colleagues," BCHR vice president Nabeel Rajab said.

April 7, 2008

The government has done little to institutionalize in law protection of basic rights in the aftermath of the important reforms decreed by the king, Shaikh Hamad bin `Isa Al Khalifa in 2001-02. New laws have been adopted containing provisions that undermine freedom of assembly, association and expression. The Human Rights Council, in its review of Bahrain�s human rights record, should assess this legislation and recommend steps to bring existing legislation, especially in the areas of freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and accountability for grave crimes such as torture, into compliance with international human rights standards.

http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article5400

Monday Recommendations to the Government of Bahrain on the occasion of the 1st Universal Periodic Review Session, April 20087 April 2008

Recommendations to the Government of Bahrain on the occasion of the 1st Universal Periodic Review Session, April 2008

Issued by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisations in Bahrain, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS)

1.Equality and non-discrimination