The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its deep concern over the continued denial of employment reinstatement for individuals released under royal pardons, specifically highlighting the case of Mohamed Abdullah Yousif, a former employee at the Ministry of Works who is now left without income or dignity after serving 11 years in prison.
Mr. Yousif, who was arbitrarily dismissed from his job before his imprisonment, has been staging a peaceful sit-in protest outside the Ministry of Works for several weeks. Despite the heat, cold, rain, and difficult weather conditions, he continues to stand each day holding a loaf of bread—a poignant symbol of his demand for the basic right to work and support his family. He wears his old work uniform, which he donned for over 23 years, as a form of peaceful resistance and proof of his long service and dedication.
Since his release under the royal pardon, Mohamed has received two alternative offers from the Ministry—both of which he rejected, stating they failed to restore his full employment rights and amounted to a form of retribution rather than restitution. His demand is clear and just: to be reinstated to the same position he held prior to his arbitrary dismissal.
“We must not allow injustice to follow people beyond prison walls. Denying someone the right to work after serving their sentence is a continuation of punishment by other means,” said Nedal AlSalman, Director of BCHR and Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).
“Reintegration must be real—not symbolic. Bahrain’s authorities must stop using employment denial as a tool of exclusion and revenge against those who dared to speak or protest.”
Mohamed has called on national labor unions, civil society, and human rights organizations to stand with him and with all former detainees facing similar treatment. His peaceful protest is a powerful call to action, and yet the Ministry has failed to issue any formal response. Meanwhile, security forces have monitored the protest daily, underscoring the contrast between rapid security response and the slow—if not absent—administrative justice.
The denial of employment to former prisoners, particularly those released under royal pardon, constitutes a violation of their rights to livelihood, dignity, and equal opportunity. It is a breach of Bahrain’s obligations under international human rights conventions, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which guarantees the right to work under just and favorable conditions.
BCHR reaffirms that arbitrary dismissal and refusal to reinstate released prisoners to their jobs is a deliberate act of marginalization. It serves to humiliate, impoverish, and isolate former detainees, perpetuating their punishment long after their release. This not only undermines national reconciliation efforts but also exposes the gap between state promises and actual practice.
We call on:
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The Ministry of Works to immediately reinstate Mohamed Abdullah Yousif and issue an official explanation of the legal basis for his dismissal and refusal of reinstatement.
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The Government of Bahrain to adopt transparent procedures ensuring the full reintegration of all individuals released under royal pardons, including the restoration of employment rights.
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Labor unions and international human rights organizations to raise this case publicly and apply pressure on Bahrain to meet its obligations under labor and human rights standards.
Bahrain must end the cycle of exclusion. A royal pardon without restoration of rights is not justice—it is conditional freedom.