Human rights defenders, opposition activists and Shia religious leaders continue to face substantial legal harassment in the execution of their freedom of expression and association. In addition to legal harassment, which has been reported to encompass unlawful detention, torture and ill-treatment, activists may face personal threats directed at them and their families. As of March 2017, this practice was most recently outlined in the arbitrary detention of the family of exiled activist Sayed al-Wadaei.
Irrespective of condemnations from the The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Bahrain’s severe repression of human rights defenders has increased in recent years, displaying a troublesome deterioration of human rights.
Bahrain: Joint Letter to Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council Delegates Re: Upcoming 45th Session of the Human Rights Council September 15, 2020 Your Excel... Read more
Nabeel Rajab was released from prison today on a non-custodial sentence; His release was due for 2023 upon completion of his 7 year sentence; His release appears to be linked to the... Read more
17 April 2020 – Yesterday, BIRD Director of Advocacy Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei was awarded an Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Award for his tireless campaigning for human rights i... Read more
6 April 2020, Beirut – Amid the global threat posed by COVID-19, Bahraini authorities should release human rights defenders, opposition activists, journalists and all others imprisoned... Read more
18 March 2020 – Bahrain has released a significant proportion of its prison population amid rising panic over the spread of Coronavirus, but prominent political leaders and human right... Read more
5 March 2020 – Hajer Mansoor, mother-in-law of London-based human rights defender Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, was released from prison in Bahrain today after completing a three year sentence... Read more
20 February 2020 – Today, The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) launched its 2020 Annual Report to mark the ninth anniversary of the Bahraini Uprising. BIRD’s inaugur... Read more
17 February 2020 – Last week, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) organized an event at Parliament to commemorate the 9th anniversary of the Bahraini revolution. The... Read more
17 February 2020 – 8 UN Special Rapporteurs have expressed “grave concern” about the mistreatment of political prisoners Hajer Mansoor, Medina Ali and Nabeel Rajab in Bahraini detentio... Read more
17 December 2019 – On Sunday, Bahrain’s king marked the country’s National Day by issuing a decree pardoning 269 prisoners. In a separate statement, the government announced that a fur... Read more
