Date: 24th March 2025
Organiser: Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
Moderator: Deewanshi Vats, Research, Advocacy, and Communications Assistant, BCHR
On 24th March 2025, during the 58th Session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) hosted a side event to address the human rights crisis in Bahrain. The discussion, moderated by Deewanshi Vats, brought together human rights defenders, advocacy experts, and diplomats to highlight systematic repression, arbitrary detentions, transnational repression, and the suppression of fundamental freedoms in Bahrain.
The panelists were Nedal Al Salman, Director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR); Maria Sologianni from the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH); Michael Khambatta from the Gulf Center for Human Rights; Mayssa Achek, International Advocacy Officer at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS). The event began with introductory remarks by Deewanshi Vats, who underscored the widespread suppression of freedoms in Bahrain, particularly freedom of expression, assembly, and association. She emphasised how political prisoners, human rights defenders, and activists continue to face severe repression, with arbitrary detention and transnational surveillance being used as tools to silence dissent.
Nedal Al Salman, Director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, shared her first-hand experience as a woman human rights defender, describing the constant harassment, legal persecution, and intimidation she has faced. She also spoke about Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, a prominent political prisoner, drawing attention to the dire conditions and lack of justice for detainees in Bahrain’s prisons.
Maria Sologianni from International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) emphasised how Bahrain has systematically targeted political prisoners and activists, using a combination of legal restrictions and surveillance to suppress dissent. She called for greater international pressure on Bahrain to uphold its human rights commitments.
Michael Khambatta from the Gulf Center for Human Rights highlighted the issue of transnational repression, detailing how authoritarian regimes, including Bahrain, extend their surveillance and intimidation beyond borders. He called for the immediate release of political prisoners and condemned Bahrain’s practice of conditional releases, which fail to provide real justice while keeping detainees under state control.He also referred to the findings of Citizen Lab, which revealed that Mariam Al-Khawaja, the daughter of political prisoner Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, has been subjected to cyber warfare through Pegasus spyware. Her phone was compromised, making her vulnerable to surveillance, with even her phone camera and microphone hacked. This, he stated, is a direct attack on human rights defenders, reflecting the dangers of state-sponsored cyber espionage.
Mayssa Achek, International Advocacy Officer at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), addressed the ongoing arbitrary detentions in Bahrain and the plight of families of detainees, particularly mothers, who have been forced to endure loss and suffering. She condemned the practice of conditional releases and the Bahraini government’s refusal to implement real judicial reforms. Achek also discussed how the international community can take stronger action against Bahrain’s human rights violations. She pointed out that in 2012, Switzerland led a multilateral initiative with several countries to push for accountability, but since 2016, there has been no significant action. She urged for renewed efforts in Geneva, stating that Bahrain should be more actively engaged with UN Special Rapporteurs and that the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) must evolve from a discussion forum to an enforcement tool.
Diplomatic Engagement and Statements
The event saw the participation of representatives from the permanent missions of the United States, Norway, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the European Union, Belgium, India, Chile, and Liechtenstein, demonstrating strong international interest in Bahrain’s human rights situation.
• The Danish mission highlighted the case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, urging the Bahraini authorities to ensure his immediate and unconditional release while also emphasizing the broader need for reform in Bahrain’s judicial system.
• The UK ambassador raised a question regarding how women’s participation in Bahrain could be improved, prompting a strong response from Nedal Al Salman on gender discrimination and freedom of expression. She underscored the structural barriers that limit Bahraini women’s political, economic, and social participation, emphasising the need for policy changes that protect their rights and ensure gender equality.
She also addressed the discriminatory nationality laws in Bahrain, particularly how Bahraini women who marry foreign nationals are denied the right to pass on their nationality to their children. This policy, she argued, reflects deep-rooted gender discrimination and severely impacts the socio- economic rights and security of affected families. Drawing from her own experiences, she detailed the bureaucratic and legal hurdles faced by Bahraini women, emphasizing that women are the future, and their rights must be safeguarded.
Conclusion and Call for Action
The side event served as a critical platform to highlight the grave human rights situation in Bahrain, exposing systematic repression, transnational surveillance, gender-based discrimination, and the unjust imprisonment of activists. The discussion underscored the urgent need for multilateral action, calling on the international community to push for renewed engagement through the UN Human Rights Council, Special Rapporteurs, and stronger enforcement of the UPR process.
BCHR and its partners reaffirm their commitment to advocating for justice and accountability and call upon governments and international bodies to take concrete steps toward ensuring the unconditional release of all political prisoners and the protection of human rights defenders in Bahrain.