Gulf Daily News - 27 May 2005

AROUND 5,000 people attended a seminar on the outcome of the United Nations (UN) Committee Against Torture meeting, which focused on reports presented by the Bahrain government and four human rights groups.

The event was held at the open ground next to Ansar Al Hussain Ma'atam, Bilad Al Qadeem, and was organised by the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) and the National Committee for Martyrs and Victims of Torture.

The two groups presented a joint report to the UN committee on Bahrain's implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

A film on discussions that took place during the meeting, in Geneva, was also shown.

A documentary on alleged terrorist acts in Bahrain - made by the Bahrain National Committee for Victims of Terrorism (BNCVT) and submitted to the UN - was also screened.

Meanwhile, Al Wefaq National Islamic Society issued a statement yesterday backing the recommendations of the UN committee.

It supported the committee's recommendation for Bahrain to lift immunity from police accused of abuses before February 2001 by amending Decree 56 of 2002.