This page summarizes cases raised with Bahrain by the Special Rapporteur between May 1, 2011, (when the Special Rapporteur took up his functions) and February 28, 2017 (the date of the last public release of communications). Communications are released to the public once per year. This page also contains observations on these communications and on responses received from Bahrain. Communications and observations are divided into sections based upon which observation report they originally appeared. Each communication is referenced as urgent appeal (UA), allegation letter (AL), joint urgent appeal (JUA) and joint allegation letter (JAL) - the hyperlinks lead to these documents. This is followed by the date the communication was issued, as well as the case number and the State reply (also hyperlinked if available). Summaries and communications are published only in the language of submission (in the case of Bahrain, English). First Report (May 1, 2011 to March 15, 2012) Joint allegation letter, 09/06/2011. Case no. BHR 11/2011. State Reply: 25/07/2011. Alleged expulsion of university students following participation in protests. Joint urgent appeal, 16/6/2011. Case no. BHR 12/2011. State Reply: 29/08/2011 & 02/09/2011. Allegations of acts of violence, intimidation, and the enactment of... Continue reading →
Issue No. 22 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • USA visit: Inequality casts dark shadow over assembly and association rights • UN experts urge Turkey to adhere to its human rights obligations even in time of declared emergency • Bill threatens expressive freedom in Maldives, expert warns • Israel: UN experts caution against NGO law • Rights experts condemn killing of Cambodian political analyst Kem Ley • “End police impunity” – alarm over pattern of extrajudicial killings in Kenya • Bahrain urged to end ‘systematic’ persecution of Shia • Expert urges Thailand to ensure free debate ahead of constitutional referendum • China: stop ill-treatment of Guo Feixiong • Assembly & association rights: By the numbers • Special Rapporteur news in brief: July-August 2016 • World briefing: Assembly & association rights in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (3.4MB file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent newsletters, see the links... Continue reading →
GENEVA – The systematic harassment of the Shia population by the authorities in Bahrain, including stripping many of them of citizenship, is deeply concerning, a group of United Nations human rights independent experts, including Maina Kiai, said today. “The intensified wave of arrests, detentions, summons, interrogations and criminal charges brought against numerous Shia religious clerics and singers, human rights defenders and peaceful dissidents is having a chilling effect on fundamental human rights,” the human rights experts said. “Shias are clearly being targeted on the basis of their religion,” the experts highlighted. “Recently, we witnessed the dissolution of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, the shutting of faith-based organizations, restrictions on the practice of religious rites, on Friday prayers and peaceful assemblies, restrictions on movement, restricted access to the Internet and a ban on Shia religious leaders from preaching.” A wide range of charges are brought against the Shias including ‘illegal gathering’, ‘inciting hatred against the regime’, ‘money laundering’ and ‘acts of terrorism’ in relation to their peaceful gatherings and religious congregations and peaceful expression of their beliefs, views and dissenting opinions, which the experts... Continue reading →
GENEVA – The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, today condemned the sentencing to nine years imprisonment on charges of inciting violence of Sheikh Ali al-Salman, the leader of the Wefaq opposition party in Bahrain. The expert’s call comes after a Bahraini court of appeal on Monday more than doubled his prison term, up from an earlier four years. “The sentencing of Sheik Ali al-Salman seems to confirm a worrying trend of political repression further shrinking the space for any form of dissent in Bahrain today,” the human rights expert said. “The arbitrary sentencing of such a prominent political leader to nine years of detention inevitably has a strong chilling effect for the entire society.” “The fact that the sentence against Ali al-Salman was not only confirmed, but doubled following various statements indicating international concern on his trial, is deeply disappointing,” he said while recalling that last September the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention had concluded that his detention was arbitrary. Mr. Kaye’s statement has also been endorsed by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai; the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or... Continue reading →
Issue No. 14 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • Pull the plug on televised reprisals against rights defenders in Venezuela • ‘Cambodia’s NGO Bill threatens a free and independent civil society’ – UN expert urges Senate to reject it • Burundi: UN experts call for determined Security Council action to prevent mass violence • Bahrain: Freed from jail, all charges against Nabeel Rajab must be dropped • The clamp-down on resourcing: comparing how States regulate business and civil society • ‘Lawyers need to be protected not harassed,’ UN experts urge China to halt detentions • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers • Special Rapporteur news in brief: July-August 2015 • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.6MB file) or here (2.9MB full resolution file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent newsletters, see the links below: The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Issue 11)... Continue reading →
GENEVA – Three United Nations human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, today call on the Bahraini authorities to drop all charges the prominent Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab, who was released from prison earlier this week for health reasons. While welcoming Mr. Rajab’s release, the experts called it “only a half measure, given that the he is still facing charges that carry up to fifteen years of imprisonment.” Mr. Rajab, who is the president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was jailed in October 2014 in connection with statements made on his Twitter account and was initially charged for ‘publicly insulting official institutions.’ This was only months after he had completed a two-year prison sentence after calling for and participating in peaceful demonstrations. Despite his recent release, Mr.Rajab’s pending charges include ‘disseminating false rumours in the time of war,’ ‘insulting public officials’ and ‘disseminating false news causing damage to the public security.’ “Criminalizing, prosecuting and imprisoning human rights defenders for carrying out their vital human rights work and enriching public debate are unacceptable under international law,” the experts stressed. “Human rights defenders in Bahrain must be able to carry out their... Continue reading →
Issue No. 11 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • Special Rapporteur in Geneva to launch ‘landmark’ freedom of association guidelines on sidelines of HRC session • ‘Two legal reform projects undermine the rights of assembly and expression in Spain’ – UN experts • Mass death sentences in Egypt a profound disgrace, UN human rights experts say • UN rights experts urge release of Bahrain opposition politician • Australia: Special Rapporteur welcomes moves to repeal restrictive laws on protest • Steering the final two years of Kiai’s UNSR mandate • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers • Special rapporteur news in brief: February-March 2015 • A call to submit cases in the UNSR’s litigation project • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.4MB file) or here (5MB full resolution file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent newsletters, see the links below: The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 1,... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of United Nations independent experts, including Special Rapporteur Maina Kiai, today urged the Bahraini authorities to release Sheikh Ali Salman, an opposition politician and a religious figure who was refused bail on charges that include inciting a change of regime by non-peaceful means. Sheikh Salman is secretary-general of the Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, Bahrain’s main opposition political party. His arrest in December 2014 came shortly after he was re-elected to his post. “The charges appear to stem from the Government’s dissatisfaction with opinions that Sheikh Salman expressed in public speeches and televised interviews, in which he called for the establishment of a democratic regime and for Government accountability,” the human rights experts said. “If this is indeed the case, his arrest and prosecution would amount to a breach of his fundamental human rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of religion or belief,” they said. “We have asked the Government of Bahrain to clarify the situation and to provide more information on these allegations.” The UN experts also expressed concern at allegations that Sheikh Salman’s hearing on January 28, when he was denied bail, did not take place in accordance with due process... Continue reading →
Issue No. 10 of the Assembly and Association Briefing, the newsletter of Maina Kiai, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association. In this issue: • Full coverage of the Special Rapporteur's visit to Kazakhstan • Oman: UN experts call for the immediate release of activist Said Jadad, as reprisals continue unchecked • Lao: Two years later, Sombath Somphone still missing • Bahrain: Kiai joins call to drop charges against women activists for government criticism • UNSR releases first-ever annual report recapping 2014 • Freedom of association and assembly: By the numbers • Special rapporteur news in brief: December 2014 - January 2015 • World briefing: Freedom of assembly and association in the news For a link to the newsletter, click on the image at right or click here (1.5MB file) or here (6.5MB full resolution file). To subscribe to our newsletter, please drop us a line at info@freeassembly.net with the subject line “subscribe to newsletter.” For other recent newsletters, see the links below: The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 1, No. 7 (September 2014) The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 1, No. 8 (October-November 2014) The Assembly and Association Briefing, Vol. 1, No. 9 (December 2014) All previous... Continue reading →
GENEVA – A group of United Nations independent human rights experts, including Maina Kiai, has urged the government of Bahrain to drop charges against three women human rights activists exercising their rights to free expression and free association. “Deprivation of liberty on the sole ground of having exercised the right to free expression may be considered arbitrary,” the experts warned. Ms. Maryam Al-Khawaja, the co-director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, was sentenced on 1 December, in absentia, for allegedly assaulting airport security officers. Her sister, Ms. Zainab Al-Khawaja, a women’s rights and social media activist in Bahrain, was sentenced on 4 December to three years in prison and fined 3,000 BHD (7,900 USD) for tearing a picture of Bahrain’s King during a court hearing in October. Several days later, she was sentenced to an additional year for “insulting a public servant” and is facing further charges for insulting a police officer and trespassing. The two women activists are daughters of Mr. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, the former president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, who has been in detention since 2011 and was the subject of numerous calls by UN experts for his release. Ms. Ghada Jamsheer, head of the Women’s Petition Committee, a network of Bahraini... Continue reading →
