Front Line – Defenders of Human Rights Defenders – 18 May 2004
Front Line is concerned over reports that the Bahrain Human Rights Centre has received warnings from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs that its licence would be withdrawn should it conduct any political activity. To date the Bahrain Human Rights Centre (BCHR) has received two formal warnings in the past seven months. Recently the BHCR has been active in a campaign trying to secure the release of 23 petitioners arrested 30th April and 5th May 2004. Front Line is very concerned that the BCHR will be denied the right to defend basic human rights such as the freedom of expression and of association in Bahrain, as is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Front Line – Defenders of Human Rights Defenders – 18 May 2004
Front Line is concerned over reports that the Bahrain Human Rights Centre has received warnings from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs that its licence would be withdrawn should it conduct any political activity. To date the Bahrain Human Rights Centre (BCHR) has received two formal warnings in the past seven months. Recently the BHCR has been active in a campaign trying to secure the release of 23 petitioners arrested 30th April and 5th May 2004. Front Line is very concerned that the BCHR will be denied the right to defend basic human rights such as the freedom of expression and of association in Bahrain, as is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
To date the Bahrain Human Rights Centre (BCHR) has received two formal warnings in the past seven months. The first was sent the 20th October 2003 and the second was sent on the 16th May 2004. The second formal warning states that the BCHR political activities violate Article 18 of the Law on Societies issued by Decree No 21-1989 also the BCHR’s constitution.
The BCHR has been active in a campaign trying to secure the release of 23 petitioners arrested 30th April and 5th May 2004 in relation to a petition promoting constitutional reforms. Prosecutor Ahmad Shinaishin stated that they were charged with “calling for change to the political system, provoking hatred and trying to destabilize public security”. This petition was reportedly signed by tens of thousands of people and the petition campaign was started by four of the societies in Bahrain as part of a campaign to modify the constitution issued by royal decree in February 2002. Under the Bahraini constitution, limited legislative authority is shared by an elected national assembly and an appointed consultative council.
Front Line is very concerned that the BCHR will be denied the right to promote and defend political and civil rights in Bahrain.