On 24 April 2025, three United Nations Special Rapporteurs published an allegation letter on their websites, sent to the Government of Bahrain on 17 February 2025, regarding the case of Bahraini human rights defender and blogger Naji Fateel. The letter raised serious concerns about retaliatory actions following Fateel’s release under royal pardon on 8 April 2024. These included a lack of necessary post-release support, repeated summonses for questioning, and restrictions on his social and economic rights, including his right to work and access to housing allowance.
The allegation letter, signed by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; and the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, outlined a series of alleged reprisals against Fateel. These included repeated police summonses, threats from law enforcement authorities, job dismissal, and the denial of his rights to work, housing, and essential post-release support. The Special Rapporteurs noted that these actions may constitute violations of several international human rights standards.
According to the letter, Fateel was released under a royal pardon on 8 April 2024, which annulled the remainder of his sentence along with the sentences of over 1,500 other detainees. While the release was welcomed by the UN experts as a “very positive development”, subsequent events raised serious concerns.
In August and September 2024, Fateel was reportedly summoned twice by law enforcement officials—first to the Budaiya Police Station and then to the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID). During these interrogations, he was accused of organizing protests and questioned about his financial situation, with officials advising him to “look after his family”. Although he was not prosecuted, the UN experts highlighted the pattern of repeated questioning and implied threats, noting that this pressure forced Fateel to self-censor and restrict his human rights work.
Additionally, the letter outlined how Fateel was suspended from his job in October 2024, just four months after he had started, following accusations of workplace misconduct. Although he successfully disproved the allegations, he was dismissed shortly thereafter. The company reportedly admitted that the charges were arbitrary but refused to reinstate him, instead offering only a minimal settlement far below the legal requirement. Moreover, despite submitting multiple applications, Fateel was unable to have his housing allowance reinstated, a benefit that had been suspended since his 2013 detention. Each time, the Ministry of Housing informed him that his application was still under review. Fateel believes that the ongoing delay in addressing his housing allowance is yet another form of retaliation linked to his human rights advocacy after his release from prison.
The special rapporteurs noted that these measures may constitute retaliation for Fateel’s human rights work, despite the Bahraini government’s stated plans for the reintegration of pardoned prisoners. They called on the Government of Bahrain to cease all such violations and reprisals, ensure they are not repeated, and conduct thorough investigations to hold those responsible accountable.
The UN experts emphasized that these actions violate Bahrain’s obligations under Articles 19, 21, and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which protect the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. They also pointed out that these measures contravene Bahrain’s obligations under Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which guarantees the right to an adequate standard of living, including housing and employment. The experts called on Bahrain to clarify the reasons for Naji Fateel’s repeated interrogations related to his activism and to explain how these actions align with international human rights standards on freedom of expression and association. They also requested information on the measures taken to ensure Fateel’s access to reintegration support for pardoned prisoners, and how these measures align with international standards on economic and social rights. Additionally, they sought clarification on how Fateel and other human rights defenders in Bahrain can carry out their peaceful and legitimate work in a safe and enabling environment, free from threats, intimidation, or harassment.
In response, on 3 April 2025, the Government of Bahrain issued a reply refuting the allegations. It denied that Fateel had been summoned to the Budaiya Police Station and claimed that his appearance at the CID on 1 September 2024 was solely for the issuance of a ‘No Objection Certificate’ required for employment. The government further stated that Fateel failed to collect the certificate on time, retrieving it more than a month later, on 17 October. Additionally, the government asserted that all pardoned individuals, including Fateel, were granted access to unemployment benefits and job reintegration programs, but claimed that Fateel did not comply with the required procedures under the unemployment insurance system.
However, the government’s response was largely dismissive, relying on generic references to oversight bodies such as the Special Investigation Unit and the Ombudsman, without addressing longstanding concerns regarding the effectiveness and independence of these institutions. While the response mentioned support programs for former prisoners, it failed to explain how Fateel had benefited from them or how these programs were effectively implemented in practice. Notably, the reply contained contradictions, stating that Fateel had received the necessary support while simultaneously blaming him for not benefiting from reintegration programs. Moreover, the government’s response did not address key details of the alleged retaliatory measures outlined in the allegation letter, particularly regarding Fateel’s job dismissal, his inability to secure new employment, and his ongoing issues with his suspended housing allowance request.
ADHRB welcomes the commentary of the UN Special Rapporteurs and echoes their concerns regarding post-pardon reprisals, the use of administrative and socio-economic measures to restrict human rights work, and the apparent failure of reintegration initiatives to meet international standards.
“Naji Fateel has already been imprisoned for absolutely no reason. Now, even after his release, the government continues to hound him – again, for absolutely no reason”, said Husain Abdulla, Executive Director of ADHRB. “When will the Bahraini government honor its commitment to human rights – and finally let leave this peaceful human rights defender alone?”
ADHRB calls on the Bahraini authorities to cease all acts of retaliation against Fateel and other human rights defenders, ensure access to employment and social benefits, and uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly in both law and practice. ADHRB also reiterates the UN experts’ call for the Bahraini government to conduct thorough investigations into these violations, hold those responsible accountable, and ensure such actions are not repeated.
