Bahrain’s judicial strides highlighted

Manama, July 3 (BNA): The Assistant Foreign Minister and head of the delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Abdullah bin Faisal bin Jabur Al Doseri, told the Human Rights Committee in Geneva that the reform approach of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has led to pioneering achievements in the fields of democracy, ensuring public rights and freedoms, and human, political, economic and social development in various fields, including education, health, communication, information and sustainable development. This occurred during the Committee's review of the Kingdom's report on its implementation of its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The Assistant Foreign Minister affirmed the success of the independent electoral experiment and the active parliamentary practices that took place in the years 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014, which will be followed by the next elections by the end of this year. In his opening address to the Committee, the Assistant Foreign Minister explained that despite the challenges faced by the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Kingdom has made great achievements in implementing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and was keen to continue to take legislative and non-legislative measures to ensure respect for civil and political rights, affirmed by the National Action Charter and the Kingdom's Constitution and relevant legislations, and a stable conviction that the protection and promotion of human rights are the fundamentals of good governance and development. The Assistant Foreign Minister affirmed the keenness of the Kingdom of Bahrain to consolidate the efforts of comprehensive sustainable development and to protect and promote human rights, despite the security challenges facing it which emerge through acts of violence and terrorism, which are dealt with without prejudice to rights and freedoms, as well as to continue to promote awareness of human rights, including the culture of democracy, with the cooperation and complementarity of the educational and cultural bodies, media bodies, national institutions and civil society. Al Doseri affirmed that the rule of law, the integrity of the judiciary and its independence are the basis of governance in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and are among the most important pillars of the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially that the Constitution and laws of the Kingdom guarantee fair trial in accordance with international standards, noting the adoption by the United Nations Women's Fund of the "Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Global Award for Women Empowerment” which started as a national initiative and is now embarking on a more holistic approach to strengthening the status of women globally and pursuing the development goals related to gender equality. At the 123rd session, the Human Rights Committee discussed the reports of Algeria, Lao, Liberia and Lithuania, as well as the report of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The delegation included the Ombudsman Secretary-General, Nawaf Mohammed Al-Maawda, the SCW Administrative and Media Policies Director, Ezzedine Khalil Almoayyed, the Assistant Undersecretary for Labour Affairs, Dr. Mohammed Ali Al Ansari. The delegation of the Ministry of Interior was headed by the Director-General of Women Police of the Ministry of Interior, Brigadier Mona Abdulraheem, the Chief Prosecutor of the Public Prosecution, Abdullah bin Issa al Dosari, and Legal Advisor for Information Affairs, Fawzan Khalifa Bufarsan.