WASHINGTON, DC – July 18, 2013 – On Wednesday, an explosion reportedly occurred in the parking lot of a mosque in the town of West Riffa, south of the Bahrain capital of Manama. Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain strongly condemns the incident and calls on all parties to reject violence and engage in a process of national reconciliation and meaningful dialogue that recognizes and advances the legitimate aspirations of all Bahrainis.
“We categorically condemn all acts of violence, which only serve to further destabilize an already charged situation in Bahrain,” said ADHRB Director Husain Abdulla. “The unrest in Bahrain can only be quelled through a peaceful political solution that includes substantive safeguards to ensure that the fundamental human rights and freedoms of all Bahrainis are guaranteed. We call upon all parties to reject violence and commit to a meaningful dialogue that responds to underlying grievances and carves out a path forward for progress on political, social, and economic reforms.”
Since the Bahrain uprising began in February 2011, the situation in Bahrain has remained unstable as the Bahrain government continues to violently suppress dissent through arbitrary arrests, interrogations, intimidation, and the excessive use of force, as well as torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. The Government of Bahrain has increasingly cracked down on freedoms of expression, association, and assembly, including its recently declared ban on two opposition gatherings scheduled for July 19.
“The rights to free speech, opinion, assembly, and association are encompassed in the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bahrain is a state party,” said Abdulla. “As such, the Bahrain government must adhere to its international obligations and end restrictions on the ability of Bahrainis to exercise their intrinsic human rights by prohibiting gatherings like those scheduled for July 19th. A resolution to the turmoil in Bahrain will only be found when all sides reject the use of violence, engage in a meaningful dialogue, and the Government of Bahrain respects the rights of all Bahrainis.”
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