A Spanish Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, tabled a question in the European Parliament (EP) to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy regarding the Urgent Motion Resolution 2021/2578(RSP) on the human rights situation in Bahrain. The Resolution was passed by the European Parliament on the 11th of March with an overwhelming majority and deals specifically with the cases of death row inmates and human rights defenders in Bahrain.
MEP Estaràs Ferragut, who tabled the question, was elected to the European Parliament in 2009 and is a member of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats). She currently serves as vice-chairwoman of the EP Committee on Petitions and as a full member of the EP Committee on Legal Affairs. She is also a member of the EP’s delegation to the ACP–EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly.
MEP Estaràs Ferragut’s question is as follows (translated from Spanish):
“In its Resolution 2021/2578(RSP), the European Parliament condemned the actions of the Government of Bahrain towards human rights defenders, in particular the misuse of anti-terrorism laws, the persistent use of torture and the Government’s continued failure to comply with its obligations and commitments under the UN Convention, among others.
“Thus, it is of interest to know the following:
- What is the status of the EU-Bahrain dialogues?
- How can the Union support the human rights defenders detained in Bahrain?
- What actions will the High Representative carry out in compliance with the Resolution in order to put an end to the systematic violations of human rights by the Government of Bahrain?”
Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) welcomes this parliamentary question and thanks MEP Estaràs Ferragut for bringing attention to the ongoing human rights crisis and the plight of imprisoned human rights defenders and political activists in Bahrain. The Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy has not yet responded to MEP Estaràs Ferragut’s question, but a response is expected soon.
