إن المطالب التي يسعى إلى تحقيقها جزء كبير من شعب البحرين، والمتمثلة في إدخال إصلاحات دستورية تعبر عن وجود مجلس منتخب له استقلالية تامة وكامل السلطات التشريعية والرقابية، هي من المطالب المهمة والمشروعة التي تسعى إلى تحقيقها وتعزيزها الشعوب المتحضرة بغية حماية حقوق الإنسان وترسيخ مبادئ الديمقراطية والشفافية مما يمهد الأرض لتن

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.

تلقى مركز البحرين لحقوق الإنسان بقلق شكوى تقدم بها الدكتور عبد الجليل السنكيس (43سنة) - أستاذ بحريني بجامعة البحرين على أنه قد تم تنحيته من منصبه كرئيس قسم بالهندسة الميكانيكية بجامعة البحرين.

بعث مركز البحرين لحقوق الإنسان بعريضة إلى مجلس الأمة الكويتي، مطالبة إياه باتخاذ موقف إيجابي من إقرار حقوق المرأة السياسية في الانتخاب والترشيح، والسماح لها بالمشاركة في العملية السياسية أسوة بأخواتها في مملكة البحرين ودولة قطر وسائر بقية دول العالم، وذلك ضمن التحرك العالمي باتجاه إلغاء التمييز الحاصل ضد المرأة في هذا المجال

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.

أمطر خبراء لجنة مكافحة جميع أشكال التمييز العنصري وفد حكومة البحرين بوابل من الأسئلة المحرجة حول مدى جدية والتزام الحكومة في تنفيذ مواد وبنود الاتفاقية الدولية لمناهضة التمييز العنصري.

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.