Gulf Daily News - 18 March 2005

A shadow report will also be submitted by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and the National Committee for Martyrs and Torture Victims.

By ROBERT SMITH

MANAMA

A UN committee will sit in May to discuss whether Bahrain is meeting its obligations under an international torture treaty. The 34th session of the UN Committee Against Torture will take place from May 2 to 21 in Geneva and consider reports from Albania, Bahrain, Canada, Finland, Switzerland, Togo and Uganda.

Bahrain is obliged to submit a report, having acceded to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in March 1998.

Shadow report prepared by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and the National Committee for Martyrs and Victims of Torture, submitted to the UN Committee Against Torture for its 34th session in Geneva (12 - 13 May 2005).

About the report

Question of the Violation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Any Part of the World: Bahrain

Written statement submitted by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), a non-governmental organization with special consultative status

United Nations Commission on Human Rights
4 March 2005

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) wants to express its concern about the human rights situation in Bahrain.

Human Rights Infringements

The Bahraini population is continously subject to serious human rights violations, on which the Bahreini government has omitted information in its last report to the Committee for the Elimination of Racism and Discrimination (CERD). Since the Bahrain is not party to the other Covenants on civil, political and economic rights, the CERD representing an important international instrument to monitor the human rights situation in the country, plays a vital role. Impunity of government officials remains a problem; it is thus necessary to establish an independent judicial system, since the King, Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa al Khalifa, chairs the Higher Judicial Council; the Government restricted freedom of speech, press, assembly, association, religion and movement. As to gender discrimination, it is important to point out the minor role played by women in the Bahraini society: there is no policy condemning violence against women or safeguarding their condition in the labour market. They are systematically excluded from high-ranking public jobs. In 2001, the total number of working women was 32.800, representing 26% of the whole manpower. The percentage of women occupying high-ranking posts was 7%. Discrimination is addressed to religious “minorities”, namely the Shiites, representing on the contrary, the majority of the population.

March 4, 2005

I was gravely disturbed for the serious accusation made by the Bahraini Minister of Labor against me in his closing statement today during the session of CERD Committee.

The minister accused me of calling for the death of the Bahraini Prime Minister in my speech in a seminar after which I was arrested in September 2004. While the fact is that, in my speech, I connected deterioration of living condition in Bahrain to corruption of the government headed by the Prime Minister.

Arguments related to discrimination against Shi’a

Presented by: Bahrain Center for Human Rights, March 4, 2005

Shi’a and Sunnis share the same religion (Islam) but not the same origin:

• The ruling Sunnis belong to tribal Arabs who came to Bahrain from Bedouin areas in Saudi Arabia, none of the Bahrainis of tribal origin belong to Shi’a sect.
• Shi’a have always been farmers, fishermen and merchants, none of the Shi’a is of tribal Bedouin origin.

A presentation by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, addressed to the 66th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), March 2005

Submission by government of Bahrain to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination (CERD) for consideration at its 66th session in Geneva (3 - 4 March 2005).

Article from Le Monde diplomatique, March 2005

Far from democracy in the gulf
Bahrain: the royals rule

President George Bush has hailed Bahrain’s progress towards democracy. Yet Bahrain’s emir proclaimed himself king three years ago, promulgated a constitution giving him full powers and has attacked the few remaining civil liberties. Arbitrary imprisonment is commonplace and one of the main human rights organisations has been closed.

By Marc Pellas

THE police officer who took Abd al-Hadi al-Khawaja, vice-president and executive director of the Bahraini Centre for Human Rights (BHRC), into custody in the middle of the night, cautioned him with these words: “You have accused the prime minister of corruption. You are charged with fomenting hate of the regime and broadcasting misleading news. You are under arrest.” There was every likelihood he would spend several years behind bars.