Bahrain responds to UN High Commissioner’s claims

Geneva, June 14(BNA): Assistant Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Faisal bin Jabr Al Dossari, headed the delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the 32nd session of the Human Rights Council held in the Palace of Nations in Geneva, in order to inform the Council of the latest developments in the field of human rights on the national scene, as well as the technical cooperation and capacity building program between the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) office. He opened his statement by welcoming the launch of the ambitious program between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Office of the High Commissioner, which has already started its first activity with the success of a workshop, which was allocated to the National Institute for Human Rights, with broad participation of civil society institutions, thanks to the clear contribution of the Office of the UNCHR, as well as the existence of a genuine will and a serious tendency by all partners to engage in working with the UNCHR office. In another context, he responded to the false allegations contained in the High Commissioner's statement on the stripping of at least 250 people of Bahraini citizenship in Bahrain because of their betrayal of the interests of the Kingdom and the severe restrictions that the government imposes on freedom of expression and the prohibition of gatherings. Al Dossari refuted these allegations and said that terrorist acts which harm the security and safety of the community were extremely dangerous. While the violent extremism, possession and smuggling of weapons and explosives, communicating with foreign countries to threaten the stability of the country, and participating in hostilities and armed conflicts in the region, were all criminal acts that threaten public order and fall under the law and require the appropriate punishment according to the law, including the stripping of Bahraini citizenship. He also stressed that freedom of expression and the right of peaceful protest is protected by the Constitution and national laws in accordance with international standards. The Kingdom has provided a broad space unprecedented in the region to practice the right to peaceful protest, whereby the number of authorized protests highlights the facts. And that this deviation from peaceful goals and drifting into an arena of violence, vandalism and damage of public and private interests call for intervention to adjust according to the law and to maintain public order as is applicable in all countries of the civilized world. In the same context, he expressed that accusing Bahrain of exercising repression is unfounded and it does not reflect the fact of the broad scope of the exercise of public freedoms in the country in all its forms. It is also refuted by the accumulated developments, whether in the human rights or legislative or developmental fields of Bahraini society. Al Dossari expressed the futility of mentioning the Kingdom of Bahrain in the opening statement of the High Commissioner because these negative signals and what they contain of repeated and recycled statements in both form and substance, do not serve at all the development of the process of reform and relentless efforts exerted in the field of human rights in the country, but unfortunately lead to the opposite path to take from the radical parties fueling the cycle of violence in the streets. He called on all partners, particularly the High Commissioner for Human Rights Office, to exert efforts to understand the reality of human rights and the huge challenges facing the Kingdom, and investigate the information more accurately that are drawn from neutral, objective, credible and non-politicized sources. He concluded in his statement by confirming the full commitment of the Kingdom of Bahrain to all international charters and laws of human rights, the preservation of human rights and support to everything that would respect these rights in order to ensure security and prosperity for all. He also confirmed work on the development of human rights through the achievements, activities and events at national and international levels that lead to cooperation and communication with international organizations and bodies to work on the protection and consolidation of human rights. (Foreign Ministry)