Kingdom's human rights strides highlighted

Berlin, Sept. 18 (BNA): Ambassador of Bahrain to Germany, Abdullah Abdullatif Abdullah, met Head of the Human Rights Division and Gender Issues at the German Federal Foreign Office, Dr. Wiebke Rückert. The ambassador congratulated Dr. Wiebke Rückert on her new position, and reviewed the Kingdom’s efforts in the field of promotion and protection of human rights, which was reinforced by the reform approach of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and highlighted through the Princess Sabeeka Global Award for Women's Empowerment. Abdullah praised Bahrain's pioneering role in tolerance, coexistence and religious diversity, which contributes to spreading peace and co-existence between all religions and sects. He also reviewed the protection mechanism of the Ombudsman, the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission and the Special Investigations Unit. He pointed out that the Kingdom reached Tier 1 in the US Department of State Report for Trafficking in Persons as the first country in MENA region to achieve such status, which affirms the Kingdom's success in combating this crime and safeguarding the rights of expatriate workers. The ambassador also shed light on Bahrain’s candidacy for the membership for the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, and means of enhancing cooperation between Bahrain and in the field of promotion and protection of human rights.