Bahrain Center for Human Rights and Migrant Forum in Asia

Less than a week after taking its position (for the second consecutive sitting) of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Bahraini government has declared a blanket ban on reissuing work permits to Bangladeshi citizens. This decision follows the murder of a Bahraini man by a Bangladeshi mechanic in a dispute over financial matter.

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Ban sparks alarm among foreigners
By BASMA MOHAMMED
Published: 28th May 2008

BAHRAIN's decision to no longer issue work permits to Bangladeshis has prompted a mixed response from the Bahraini and expat communities.

The GDN yesterday spoke to people in the Manama suq and an area of Salmaniya known as the "Bangladesh colony", where many illegal workers are known to live.

Vol XXXI NO. 69 Wednesday 28th May 2008
Clampdown 'may fuel hatred'
THE decision to ban Bangladeshis from Bahrain will fuel discrimination against the country's expatriate communities, human rights activists warned yesterday.

Some plan to submit a petition to government officials to intervene and reverse the decision, while others say they will take up the issue at an international level.
The now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights vice-president Nabeel Rajab said the government's decision will create hatred between locals and expatriates.
"This collective punishment is a decision that was taken without virtually any research on its impact," said Mr Rajab.

April 7, 2008

The government has done little to institutionalize in law protection of basic rights in the aftermath of the important reforms decreed by the king, Shaikh Hamad bin `Isa Al Khalifa in 2001-02. New laws have been adopted containing provisions that undermine freedom of assembly, association and expression. The Human Rights Council, in its review of Bahrain�s human rights record, should assess this legislation and recommend steps to bring existing legislation, especially in the areas of freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and accountability for grave crimes such as torture, into compliance with international human rights standards.

http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article5400

Monday Recommendations to the Government of Bahrain on the occasion of the 1st Universal Periodic Review Session, April 20087 April 2008

Recommendations to the Government of Bahrain on the occasion of the 1st Universal Periodic Review Session, April 2008

Issued by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisations in Bahrain, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS)

1.Equality and non-discrimination

Nabli Rajab 7 April 08 - For the first session of the UPR organised by the UN Human Rights Council, activists from Bahrain have not been able to meet the delegations that will examine their country’s human rights record. They have been replaced by “false NGOs” sent by their government. Interview with Nabil Rajab, vice president for the Centre of Human Rights in Bahrain.

THE PLIGHT OF SRI LANKA’S ENSLAVED MOTHERS, DAUGHTERS AND SISTERS

Friday March 14 2008 00:00 IST
PTI

DUBAI: A Five-day strike by over 1,300 workers, including Indians, ended after their employers accepted their demand for an increase in salary.

Labour ministry Under-secretary Shaikh Abdulrahman bin Abdulla al Khalifa, who chairs a new government committee charged with mediating disputes resulting in labour strikes, said that all parties had reached an agreement on Wednesday.

Bahrain
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2007
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
March 11, 2008

Bahrain is a monarchy with a population of approximately 725,000, approximately 430,000 of whom are citizens, according to official figures. King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa is the head of state and all branches of government. The king appoints a cabinet of ministers, half of whom are members of the Al‑Khalifa royal family. The 2002 constitution reinstated a legislative body with one elected chamber, the Council of Deputies, and one appointed chamber, the Shura Council. All political societies participated in the November and December 2006 parliamentary and municipal elections. Trained local observers did not report significant problems during the elections, although there were allegations that the government manipulated general poll center vote counts in some cases and gerrymandered political districts. Civilian authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces.

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL- Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review - Geneva, 7-18 April 2008

25 February 2008

Bahrain
This report is a summary of 12 stakeholders’ submissions1 to the universal periodic review. It follows the structure of the general guidelines adopted by the Human Rights Council. It does not contain any opinions, views or suggestions of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), nor any judgment or determination in relation to specific claims. Information included therein has been systematically referenced in endnotes and, to the extent possible, original text submitted has not been altered. Lack of information or focus on specific issues is due to the absence of submissions by stakeholders regarding these particular issues.
All submissions received are available on OHCHR website. The periodicity of the review for the first cycle being of four years, information reflected in this report mostly relates to events occurred after 1 January 2004.