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.
Paris-Geneva-Manama, 29 August 2018 – For the second time since 2013, the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) has issued an Opinion regarding the legality of the... Read more
13 July 2018 – On 5 July, Bahraini female political prisoner, Hajer Mansoor, was subjected to further threats and reprisals by Major Maryam Albardoli, the head of Isa Town Prison Centr... Read more
On 2 July, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Democracy and Human Rights in the Gulf, chaired by Karen Lee MP, collaborated with the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD... Read more
25 June 2018 – Today, Bahrain’s Fourth Criminal Court handed down three-year sentence to female political activist, Najah Ahmed Yousif, on politically motivated charges. Judge Ali Aldh... Read more
5 June 2018 – Today, the Bahrain High Criminal Court of Appeal upheld the five year sentence of leading Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab for expressing critical comments on... Read more
Andy Burnham Mayor of Greater Manchester Manchester, UK the.mayor@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk 31 May 2018 Dear Mayor Burnham, The undersigned organisations are writing to you to request you... Read more
21 February 2018 – Today, the Bahrain High Criminal Court sentenced leading human rights defender Nabeel Rajab to five years imprisonment for expressing critical comments on social med... Read more
26 October 2017 – Sixteen human rights groups have today written to the United Kingdom, United States and the European Union, as well as Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Switze... Read more
18 September 2017 – Fabricated criminal charges could send a London-based human rights defender’s family members to prison in Bahrain. Their trial today was postponed to 30 October for... Read more
Ebtisam Al-Sayegh is hunger striking against her ill-treatment in Isa Town Women’s Prison, where she is isolated in filthy and poor conditions Her isolation in prison appears to consti... Read more
