On the International Day of Non-Violence, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) reaffirms that the people of Bahrain have consistently demonstrated their commitment to peaceful and non-violent action as a means of expressing their demands and seeking change.
Bahrainis have long believed that change can and should be pursued through peaceful means. Their calls for reform, justice, equality, political participation and fundamental freedoms have been rooted in the belief that every person has the right to express their opinion and demand their rights without resorting to violence.
Non-violence is not a weakness. It is a conscious choice and a powerful form of civic participation.
For many Bahrainis, peaceful protest, public expression, writing, advocacy and human rights work have been ways of participating in public life and calling for reform. Yet those who exercise these rights have frequently paid a heavy price through arrest, imprisonment, prosecution, restrictions and other forms of repression.
BCHR stresses that peaceful dissent must never be treated as a security threat or a criminal act.
Non-violence must be protected, not punished
The right to peaceful protest and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights protected under international law.
When authorities criminalise peaceful criticism, disperse peaceful gatherings, prosecute activists or imprison people for expressing their political views, they undermine the very principles of non-violence.
A government cannot credibly call for stability while denying citizens peaceful avenues through which they can express grievances and participate in public affairs.
When peaceful voices are silenced, the problem is not peaceful dissent — the problem is the absence of space for peaceful dissent.
BCHR believes that protecting non-violent civic action provides societies with an essential mechanism for resolving grievances without violence. Governments should therefore encourage peaceful participation rather than criminalise it.
“Bahrainis have always believed in non-violence. They have sought change through words, peaceful expression, civic action and human rights advocacy. Yet many have paid an enormous price simply for exercising these peaceful rights. Non-violence should never be treated as a crime. It should be protected as a fundamental contribution to a peaceful and democratic society.”
— Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
BCHR calls on the Bahraini authorities to:
- Respect and protect the right to peaceful assembly and expression and ensure that no person is punished for exercising these fundamental rights.
- Release individuals detained or imprisoned solely for peaceful political or human rights activities, including human rights defenders, activists and prisoners of conscience.
- End the criminalisation of peaceful dissent, including criticism of government policies and officials.
- Stop the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrators and ensure independent investigations into allegations of abuses.
- Guarantee a safe environment for human rights defenders, journalists and civil society organisations to carry out their work without intimidation or retaliation.
- Open meaningful civic and political space where citizens can express grievances, propose reforms and participate in public life peacefully.
- Ensure accountability for violations committed against peaceful activists and protesters, regardless of the rank or position of those responsible.
- Facilitate genuine dialogue with all sectors of Bahraini society, including civil society, human rights defenders and peaceful political voices.
A call to protect non-violent action
On this International Day of Non-Violence, BCHR calls on the Bahraini authorities to recognise that peaceful dissent is not a threat to society — repression of peaceful dissent is.
The international community should likewise support Bahrainis who choose peaceful means to defend human rights and seek reform, and should urge the Bahraini authorities to protect rather than punish non-violent civic action.
Bahrainis should never have to choose between silence and punishment.
They should be able to speak without fear, protest peacefully, organise freely and advocate for change without being criminalised.
Bahrainis are, and have always been, believers in non-violence.
Their commitment to non-violence deserves protection, not punishment.
Their peaceful voices deserve to be heard, not silenced.
Non-violence is a right. Peaceful dissent is a right. And seeking change peacefully must never be a crime.