Today, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) delivered an oral intervention at the 42nd Session of the Human Rights Council under General Debate of item 4 drawing attention to the requests for democracy, self determination and social justice pursued by the Bahraini people and the harsh repression subsequently implemented by the Kingdom.
Click here for the PDF of the submitted statement.
Please find the statement below.
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Mr. President
The Bahraini civil movement (structurally and trend wise) is considered to be one of the most active ones in the Gulf region.
The civil movement started advocating for Bahrain’s independence back when it was occupied by Great Britain and that’s despite the resistance it faced by the Al Khalifa tribe that tried to stop national movements from asking for Bahrain’s independence.
Dynamic and viable, the civil movement participated in leading people during the grassroots movements on the 14th of February 2011. Back when the majority of Bahraini people participated to ask for democracy, self-determination rights, economic, social justice and to put an end to the unfair privileged rule of Al Khalifa tribe.
The Khalifa government was aware of the importance of the civil movement and for that reason they tried to fiercely shut down the whole movement by arresting its leaders and members and putting most of them in prisons for false accusations. The revenge initiated by the Bahraini government surpassed the civil movement. It also hit our friend’s “Sayyed Ahmad Al Wadaii” family, as it shows in the different reports submitted to the council.
The Khalifa government continues to send its agents to capitals all over the world to meet with Bahraini activists and stop them from continuing their political and humanitarian fight either by bribing or threatening them.
We urge the council to review the conditions needed to elect a country for the council’s membership since a state like Bahrain with a violation of human rights record like hers, does not deserve to be part of this council.
Thank You.
