Advocate General: HRW report contained fundamental errors

Bahrain’s Advocate General, Abdulrahman Al Sayed, has stated that a "number of claims made within a recent Human Rights Watch report regarding Bahrain were inaccurate and contained fundamental errors."

Advocate General Al Sayed said that the Public Prosecution was deeply disappointed by the "unbalanced and misleading claims" made within the report, which "entirely ignored the significant and widely recognised security and human rights reforms that have taken place within Bahrain."

The Advocate General said that newly established institutions, such as the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which was established with the help of international experts, continues to publish wide-ranging and detailed investigative reports into any allegations of mistreatment.

Citing an example of inaccurate statements made within the report, the Advocate General pointed to the incorrect claim that SIU investigations have not led to the conviction of any individuals involved in cases related to the events of 2011.

The Advocate General stated that in fact multiple criminal cases and convictions took place following investigations carried out by the SIU, and that the "SIU has also challenged and appealed court verdicts where it felt the penalties were not representative of the crime committed." The Advocate General also noted that "past SIU reports include detailed explanations of the nature of complaints received as well as the subsequent action taken."

The Advocate General stated that the Public Prosecution has a "strong track record of openness to dialogue and cooperation to improve the protection of human rights within the Kingdom" and that it "will continue to engage and work constructively with its international partners to further strengthen its reform efforts."

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