We, the undersigned institutions, express our deep concerns about the arbitrary administrative measures recently circulated by the Bahraini Ministry of Education, upon instructions from Civil Service Bureau (CSB), regarding punishment of state employees who participate in unauthorized public sit-ins and marches, even if outside office hours. This retribution includes those involved in activities which “disturb security and stability.” According to the said circular, the punishment of CSB against public officials reaches to dismissal from work if they violated those laws and regulations, or in the case they were prosecuted and penalized through judicial proceedings as a result of those violations.
We, the undersigned institutions, express our deep concerns about the arbitrary administrative measures recently circulated by the Bahraini Ministry of Education, upon instructions from Civil Service Bureau (CSB), regarding punishment of state employees who participate in unauthorized public sit-ins and marches, even if outside office hours. This retribution includes those involved in activities which “disturb security and stability.” According to the said circular, the punishment of CSB against public officials reaches to dismissal from work if they violated those laws and regulations, or in the case they were prosecuted and penalized through judicial proceedings as a result of those violations.
At the end of last week, marking the beginning of the new academic year, the Ministry of Education (MOE) circulated, to public schools and affiliated institutions, instructions from the CSB, mandating strict legal actions against public officials violating laws and regulations or facing any judicial proceedings as a result of their participation in riots or sabotaging public or private properties or participating in unauthorized rallies and sit-ins, and all acts that undermine security and stability. The circular stated that “All those, calling or joining or provoking strike in vital facilities, will be punishable by dismissal from service” as well as those “organizing unauthorized or permitted protests or calling for participation or incitement, the penalty would be dismissal “.
It is believed that these administrative procedures are linked, one way or another, with the growing popular protests and demands as results of political resentment in the country because of lack of providing solutions for the outstanding issues such as discrimination and sectarian apartheid, resettlement and political naturalization, political prisoners and human rights defenders and endemic corruption in the Government.
The circulation by the MOE and instructions by the CSB are blatant restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression, freedom of labour union activities, and in breach of international charters and covenants, notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), whose Article 21 states that “The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others”. These measure also violate Article 22 of of the same Covenant and states that “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests”.
These are arbitrary actions are supplementary punishments for penalties brought up by the notorious Bahraini Penal Code, and is a violation and breach of 7th paragraph of Article 14 of ICCPR, which states that ” No one shall be liable to be tried or punished again for an offence for which he has already been finally convicted or acquitted in accordance with the law and penal procedure of each country”.
The signed societal institutions expressed its fears of the local Authorities continued restriction of public freedoms, and calls that treating protests of legitimate demands are not in the manner pursued by dictator or policing regimes. The signed NGOs deplore the intolerance of the authorities for the exercise of state employees to their rights, guaranteed by international charters and conventions which have been joined by Bahrain and pledged its commitment before the world.
The Bahraini authorities are to retreat from these security measures aimed at narrowing the area of freedom of assembly and expression, freedom of union work, and to allow for a broader horizon of the exercise of these rights as guaranteed by international charters and reservations, and to seriously develop radical solutions to all issued causing frustration among Bahraini, instead of mobilizing security solutions which make matters more complicated.
Signatories
1- Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
2- Bahrain Society for Human Rights (BSHR)
3- Bahrain Society for Public Freedoms
4- Bahrain Youth Society of Human Rights (BYSHR)
5- Women Petition Committee
6- Movement of Liberties and Democracy “HAQ”