Bahrain, News

French MP Jean-Luc Lagleize questions the Minister for Europe And Foreign Affairs referring to the serious human rights violations in Bahrain

Posted on by ADHRB Staff
14
May

Paris, Jean-Luc Lagleize’s a member of the French Parliament posed a questions to the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs regarding serious human right violations occurring in Bahrain were published on the French government’s website. Jean-Luc Lagleize is a French politician member of the Democratic Movement (Mouvement Démocrate) and the Economic Affairs Committee. In 2017, He was elected as a member of the French National Assembly.

Jean-Luc Lagleize questioned the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs concerning human rights and fundamental freedoms in Bahrain. He reported that a great number of non-governmental organisations had published worrying information regarding the violations of such rights and freedoms. These violations include breaches of civil and political rights, cases of torture, sexual assault and state coercion tactics. The targets of such practices include government critics, women human rights defenders, political activists within the country and abroad. In addition, the government of Bahrain has been guilty of sustaining inhumane prison conditions by; refusing necessary medical care, restricting family visits to the prison, implementing isolation policies against political prisoners, allowing unsanitary conditions to fester and discriminating against detainees on the basis of their religion.

Moreover, Lagleize remarked how these violations go as far as the executions of Bahraini nationals by the authorities. The cases of Ali AlArab and Ahmed AlMalali are only two examples of unjust executions perpetrated by the Bahraini authorities. Despite pressure from the UN and the international community, the death penalty continues to be counted as a punishment under the Bahraini legal system. Under Bahraini law, after the Court of Cassation confirms a death sentence, then the decision is sent to the King who has the power to ratify the sentence, commute it, or grant a pardon. Mohamed Ramadan and Husain Ali Moosa currently wait on their final legal appeal, after they were sentenced to the death penalty in 2014 for their alleged involvement in the Al-Dair bombing. The authorities denied the two access to an attorney and their supposed confession was extracted under torture.

In his question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Lagleize expressed his concern over the inhuman and degrading treatment that activists, journalists and pro-democracy protestors have to endure, “it is important that France and the European Union carefully monitor the human rights situation in Bahrain, in particular that of political opponents, and reiterate their attachment to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of opinion, association and expression.” On that note, it is important for France to reiterate its opposition to the death penalty.

The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs will have to answer these questions regarding the actions that the French government and the European Union intend to take. These actions also must intend to put an end to these serious violations of international law, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Bahrain.