Bahrain: Assembly Law and its dirty utilization against peaceful activities
Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights monitored the prevention of a political seminar entitled “Nation’s Petition: Stance and Results” which was supposed to be held on 15 September 2006 in the village of Alsenabs. Few hours before the beginning of the seminar, Security forces besieged the area and the executives of the seminar with a large number of anti-riot men. Also, some personnel of the neighborhood wherein the seminar was to be held were arraigned to eliminate it. They were also obliged to sign a commission not to hold the seminar. However, neighborhood officials refused to do so.
Bahrain: Assembly Law and its dirty utilization against peaceful activities
Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights monitored the prevention of a political seminar entitled “Nation’s Petition: Stance and Results” which was supposed to be held on 15 September 2006 in the village of Alsenabs. Few hours before the beginning of the seminar, Security forces besieged the area and the executives of the seminar with a large number of anti-riot men. Also, some personnel of the neighborhood wherein the seminar was to be held were arraigned to eliminate it. They were also obliged to sign a commission not to hold the seminar. However, neighborhood officials refused to do so.
The Bahraini Ministry of Interior prevented the seminar from being held because the seminar executives did not apply for a license. The Bahraini “HAQ” movement is the holder of the seminar. The Ministry of Interior asserted that the seminar executives had to ask for the license upon Law no. 18/1973 and its amendments no. 23/2006 on public meetings, rallies and assemblies.
Human rights organizations indicated that the aforementioned law violates freedom of expression principles. “There is no place for such laws which are full of errors among the regulations of any country, especially if the country is a member of the new Human Rights Council of the United Nations” Joe Stork, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Division of Human Rights Watch. Amnesty International and Article 19 Organization referred to the seriousness of applying such law on the Bahraini civil society organizations.
Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights asserted that the existence of such laws in a country which is a member of Human Rights Council forces us to inquire about the feasibility of establishing Human Rights Council which is meant to protect public freedoms against violations committed by its member countries. Human Rights Council should practice its powers in following-up the human rights file of Bahrain. The council is demanded to form a fact-finding committee to monitor human rights violations in Bahrain.
Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights called upon the Bahraini government to eliminate these practices which will hold its external human rights image unpolished. These violations made it really hard for them. Thereupon, Bahrain Youth society for Human Rights urges regional and international organizations to monitor Bahrain Human Rights file because of the sever human rights violations committed by Bahrain government.
Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights
18 September 2006
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Bahrain Youth Society For Human Rights(byshr)
Mohammed AL-Maskati
President
Mobile:(+00973)39813867
Tel: (+00973)17643721
Fax: (+00973)17643721
