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.
14 July 2017 – Women’s rights activist Ebtisam Al-Sayegh’s ill-treatment continues into its eleventh day, as the US calls for her release. Authorities of the Isa Town Women... Read more
Ebtisam Al-Sayegh was spotted injured in Isa Town Women’s Prison early on 4 July – where inmates were barred from leaving their cells to prevent seeing her She has been transferr... Read more
16 May 2017 – In recent weeks, the Government of Bahrain has substantially escalated its campaign of reprisals against the country’s civil and political societies. So far in the month of May... Read more
20 March 2017 – Political opposition leader Ebrahim Sharif was today charged with “inciting hatred against the regime” under article 165 of Bahrain’s penal code for m... Read more
We, the undersigned, in reaction to the statement made today by Bahrain’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdulla Faisal al-Doseri, during the High Level Segment of the Human Rights Council (HR... Read more
21 February 2017 – This morning, the Government of Bahrain again postponed the two trials of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. Bahrain courts have brought two cases against Rajab for... Read more
5 January 2017 – Nabeel Rajab’s pre-trial detention was renewed for a further 15 days by the Public Prosecution today according to Nabeel’s lawyer. The president of the Bah... Read more
Bahrain’s Prosecution reimprisoned Nabeel Rajab after Court-Ordered his Release 28 December 2016 – The Government of Bahrain ordered the provisional release of human rights defe... Read more
21 December 2016 – Bahraini authorities have today interrogated imprisoned human rights defender Nabeel Rajab on allegations stemming from a letter he recently published in the French... Read more
20 December 2016 H.E. Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais Wilson 52 rue des Pâquis CH-1201 Geneva Switzerland CC: David Kaye, Special Rapporte... Read more
