Bahrain Tribune - 29 June 2004

By Mazen Mahdi: An urgent appeal to the families of the six Bahrainis detained in Guantanamo to give the power of attorney to lawyers to represent them in US civil courts was issued yesterday by Bahrain Human Rights Centre (BHRC), Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS), and the National Committee for the Support of the Detainees (NCSD). The appeal comes as lawyers expressed hope that many of the detainees in Guantanamo would be released and that the camp could be closed.

BHRC president and member of the International Committee for Guantanamo Detainees, Nabeel Rajab told the Tribune that they expected to have the cases presented to court as early as mid-July.

Released by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
June 14, 2004

BAHRAIN (TIER 2)

Map of Near EastBahrain is a destination country for women and men trafficked from South Asia and the Philippines and—to a lesser extent—China, Indonesia, the former Soviet Union, Morocco, and Ethiopia. Victims endure coerced labor, debt bondage, involuntary sexual servitude, and restrictions on their freedom of movement, and verbal and physical abuse.

The Government of Bahrain does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. It has developed a national plan of action and created an inter-ministerial taskforce to coordinate Bahrain’s anti-trafficking efforts. Domestic workers are not covered under Bahrain’s labor laws, although they can seek redress through the courts and government mediation services. The court process is very lengthy and mediations are not well publicized for victims to benefit from them. Bahrain should develop a comprehensive anti-trafficking law and bring domestic workers under the protection of its labor laws. It should also encourage and foster the participation of civil society in the fight against trafficking. As an interim measure, it should take steps to expedite the hearing of labor disputes in its courts and make mediation services widely available to potential victims.