Geneva — 25 September
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), in cooperation with international and regional partners, hosted a high-level side event on the margins of the UN Human Rights Council to shed light on the continuing deterioration of the human rights situation in Bahrain. The panel brought together civil society leaders, UN experts, and international organizations to highlight urgent concerns around political repression, discrimination, civic space, and the treatment of prisoners of conscience.
The event was moderated by Deewanshi Vats, BCHR researcher, who opened the discussion by stressing the importance of amplifying Bahraini voices at the UN. She underlined that, despite repeated commitments by Bahrain to uphold international obligations, the reality on the ground continues to worsen, making international scrutiny and solidarity more critical than ever.
Key interventions
- Nedal Al-Salman, Director of BCHR and Vice-President of FIDH, reminded the audience that the call for democracy and an end to discrimination in Bahrain is not new. She emphasized that the Bahraini people have been engaged in a decades-long struggle for equal rights, accountability, and justice, and that their demands cannot be ignored. Al-Salman called on the international community to recognize that repression in Bahrain is deeply entrenched, but not irreversible, provided there is political will and sustained international engagement.
- Khalid Ibrahim, from the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), focused on the urgent need to secure the release of political prisoners, with particular emphasis on the case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, a prominent human rights defender who has been behind bars for over a decade. He noted that Al-Khawaja’s continued detention, despite his deteriorating health, symbolizes the Bahraini government’s relentless crackdown on dissent and disregard for international calls for his release
- Sigrid Lipitt, from CIVICUS, spoke on the closure of civic space in Bahrain, stressing how NGOs, human rights defenders, and independent voices face surveillance, harassment, and criminalization. She noted that Bahrain has become one of the most restricted environments in the MENA region, where independent civil society is effectively barred from operating.
- Sayed Yousif Al-Muhafdha, representing Salam for Democracy and Human Rights, focused on the government’s policy of political isolation, which systematically excludes opposition members, activists, and dissidents from participating in public life. He explained that this policy has created a two-tiered system in which only pro-government figures are permitted to engage in political processes, stripping many citizens of their fundamental democratic rights.
- Falah Sayed, from the MENA Rights Group, addressed the use of the death penalty in Bahrain. He highlighted the lack of fair trial guarantees, coerced confessions extracted under torture, and the disproportionate use of capital punishment against political detainees. He stressed that the Human Rights Council must ensure that national situations like Bahrain remain under scrutiny, as ignoring them risks emboldening impunity.
- The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association highlighted the fundamental importance of civic space in any society. The Rapporteur emphasized that without the ability to freely assemble, organize, and associate, there can be no meaningful democracy. The intervention reinforced that Bahrain’s restrictions on assembly and association are in clear violation of international law.
The side event was co-sponsored by a wide coalition of international organizations, including FIDH, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch (HRW), OMCT – World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), Defense for Children International, World Coalition against death Penalty and others. Their support reflects the broad concern within the international human rights community about Bahrain’s worsening situation.
The event drew strong attendance from civil society representatives and diplomatic missions, with participation from at least six states and institutions, including England, the European Union, Denmark, Afghanistan, Costa Rica, and Belgium. The presence of these missions underlined the growing international recognition of Bahrain’s crisis and the importance of keeping the country high on the Human Rights Council’s agenda.
The side event concluded with a unified call from all speakers for the international community to step up efforts to address Bahrain’s systemic human rights violations. Key recommendations included:
- The immediate release of all political prisoners, including human rights defenders such as Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja.
- Ending the policy of political isolation and restoring genuine participation in political and public life.
- Abolishing the death penalty and ensuring accountability for cases of torture and unfair trials.
- Reopening civic space by lifting restrictions on civil society organizations, independent media, and peaceful assembly.
- Ensuring protection for women, children, and minorities who remain disproportionately targeted by repressive policies.
BCHR and its partners reaffirmed their commitment to continue advocating for justice, equality, and democratic freedoms in Bahrain, and called on member states to uphold their responsibilities by ensuring sustained monitoring and action at the Human Rights Council.