GENEVA (21 December 2011) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay on Wednesday called on authorities in Bahrain to take immediate steps to address the “deepening mistrust” between the Government and civil society, including by promptly releasing those detained for taking part in peaceful demonstrations.

“The Bahraini authorities need to urgently take confidence-building measures including unconditionally releasing those who were convicted in military tribunals or are still awaiting trial for merely exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly,” Pillay said.

Published December 20, 2011

Journalists die at high rates while covering protests in the Arab world and elsewhere. Photographers and freelancers appear vulnerable.

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Two journalists died in Bahraini government custody. Karim Fakhrawi, a founder of the independent newspaper Al-Wasat, and Zakariya Rashid Hassan al-Ashiri, editor of a local news website in the village of Al-Dair, died within a week of each other in April.

Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)

30 September 2011

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations human rights office today voiced concern at the harsh sentences handed down this week by a court in Bahrain to medical professionals, teachers and others as a result of pro-democracy protests earlier this year.

30 August 2011 – The United Nations today demanded the release of Bahraini civilians who may have been arrested during recent anti-Government protests merely for exercising their rights to freedom of speech, and called for civilian trials for those whose cases go forward.

“We stress that civilians must be tried in civilian courts and that every detained person must be charged with a recognizable criminal offence, with adequate access to a lawyer and enough time to prepare a defence,”

5 July 2011 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the start of a process of national dialogue in Bahrain, taking note of Government steps to improve the political atmosphere by creating an investigations commission, transferring some trials to civilian courts and releasing detainees.
He encouraged the Bahraini authorities to take further steps towards political, economic and social reforms in accordance with the country’s international human rights obligations.

24 June 2011 – The United Nations human rights office today spoke out against the harsh sentences, including life imprisonment, handed down this week to several activists in Bahrain, saying their trials bear the marks of “political persecution.”
On Wednesday, Bahrain sentenced 21 activists and opposition leaders reportedly for plotting to overthrow the Government, which has been has engaged in a violent crackdown against protesters calling for greater democracy, as witnessed in other countries across the Middle East and North Africa.

23 June 2011 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today spoke out against the lengthy jail sentences given to 21 political activists, human rights defenders and opposition leaders in Bahrain earlier this week.

Mr. Ban voiced deep concern about what he called “the harsh sentences,” which include life imprisonment in some cases, handed out by the courts in Bahrain, where the Government has engaged in a crackdown against demonstrators and others calling for greater democracy.

1 June 2011
The Committee on the Rights of the Child today reviewed the combined second and third periodic report of Bahrain on how that country is implementing the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In presenting the report of Bahrain, Fatema Mohamed Yousif Al Balooshi, Minister of Social Development, noted that the Kingdom of Bahrain was advancing the process of democracy, freedom and prosperity and that the Government was keen to protect the child, childhood and mothers.

12 April 2011

Reporters Without Borders strongly condemns netizen Zakariya Rashid Hassan’s death in detention on 9 April, six days after his arrest on charges of inciting hatred, disseminating false news, promoting sectarianism and calling for the regime’s overthrow in online forums. He moderated a now-closed forum providing information about his village of origin, Al-Dair.

His family has rejected the interior ministry’s claim that he died as a result of sickle cell anemia complications.

22 March 2011 – The United Nations human rights office today voiced its deep concern at recent events in Yemen, Bahrain and Syria, including the excessive use of force and killing of protesters, while stressing the responsibility of Governments to uphold basic freedoms, even in times of instability.

Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), voiced alarm about the situation in Yemen, where there is now a state of emergency and armed clashes.