On 27th September 2024, ADHRB delivered an intervention at the United Nation Human Rights Council session 57 under items 3 and 5 during the Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. ADHRB drew the Council’s attention to the discrimination against the indigenous people in Bahrain.
We draw the Council’s attention to the ongoing discriminatory policies of Bahrain’s government against the indigenous population of the country.
Though the Baharna and Ajam people have distinct cultural and historical backgrounds, they both face economic disparities, social and political exclusion, and are disproportionately denied access to public services.
Following the heavy repression of the pro-democracy movement in 2011, the Bahraini authorities have continued to persecute these indigenous communities that called for greater political freedoms and human rights reforms.
Furthermore, the revocation of citizenship for hundreds of Baharna and Ajam since 2012, alongside unjustified deportations, reflects an alarming attempt to shift the ethnic balance of Bahrain, further marginalizing these groups socially and economically.
The Bahraini government has been unable or unwilling to recognize the importance of Shia people in the country’s history. Instead, it has consistently undermined their rights to culture, employment, social welfare, and education.
In light of this, we ask the Council: How can we ensure that the Bahraini government will end the systemic discrimination against these indigenous groups and comply with international standards?
