(New York, September 30, 2004) — The Bahrain government should rescind an order that closed one of the country’s leading human rights organizations, Human Rights Watch said today. The closure of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights on Wednesday follows the arrest last week of its vice-president, `Abd al-Hadi al-Khawaja, after he publicly criticized the prime minister.

Al-Khawaja was detained on Saturday, September 25, a day after he criticized Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa al-Khalifa for the country’s current economic problems and past human rights abuses.

“The government’s crude attempt to silence its critics completely undermines Bahrain’s claims to be moving toward a more democratic political order,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of the Middle East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch. “We hope the authorities will rethink this ill-considered order against the human rights center and drop its bogus investigation of `Abd al-Hadi Khawaja.”

Human Rights Watch

(New York, September 29, 2004) — Bahrain should immediately release prominent human rights activist `Abd al-Hadi al-Khawaja from detention, Human Rights Watch said today. Al-Khawaja was summoned to a police station and detained on Saturday, September 25, a day after he criticized Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa Al Khalifa for the country’s current economic problems and past human rights abuses.

Al-Khawaja had made the remarks on Friday at the `Uruba Club in Manama during a Poverty and Economic Rights symposium sponsored by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. Al-Khawaja, a vice-president of the center, is reportedly being held for investigation on charges that he violated provisions of Bahrain’s 1976 Penal Code that prohibits dissemination of “false or malicious news” that “damages the public interest” or “incites contempt” towards the government.

The Social Tranquility and Security are at Rising Jeopardy

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) - 24th September 2004

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights stated that half of Bahraini citizens are suffering from poverty and poor living standards. This figure was based on official statistics and studies on number of unemployed Bahrainis, beneficiaries of social aid who are unable to work, and employees with low income.

Documentary produced by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights about poverty in Bahrain. In Arabic with English subtitles. (2004). The statement released with the documentary is here.