Today, 11 November 2024, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa met with King Charles III in Windsor.
The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) and Reprieve sent a letter to King Charles urging him to raise pressing human rights concerns.
Bahraini activists staged a protest in Windsor, holding signs stating “Bahrain Tyrant: NOT Welcome in the UK” and “King Charles don’t Host Bahrain Torturers.” [Images attached]
This comes as families of death row inmates and political prisoners in Bahrain voice deep concerns over the fate of their loved ones, many of whom are at risk of abuse and torture. Some are currently held in solitary confinement and incommunicado detention.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, Advocacy Director for the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, commenting:
“Inviting Bahrain’s dictator is a grave error in judgment, as his victims continue to languish unjustly behind bars in Bahraini prisons. Disregarding human rights only emboldens further abuses and will send a clear signal that impunity prevails. We urge King Charles to raise the issue of political prisoners with King Hamad.”
See the full letter here.