Bahrain rejects UNHRC charges

Manama : The Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the United Nations Dr. Yousif Abdul Kareem Bucheri has rejected the UN Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) allegations of ‘increasing rights violations’ as untrue and alien to reality.

The response came at the interactive dialogue of UNHRC High Commissioner, held under Article 2 of the agenda of the 34th session, that kick-started in Geneva on February 27.

Bucheri affirmed that the national law takes into account human rights and reality speaks for itself as there are safeguards in Bahrain that have been established in accordance with international standards human rights and subsequently many successes have been made in this regard and that the alleged “increasing  limitations imposed on civil society and political action are untrue.”

“ The full practice of political and civic rights along with the community’s free practice of legislative, press and media activities within the framework of the royal reform scheme of His Majesty the King are but some of the many tangible proofs, ” Bucheri said.

The Ambassador added that the alleged ban on travel and dissolution of one of the Societies is not correct as the only dissolved Society was upon adjudication in light of the many grave violations it committed, targeting the principle of rule of law, supporting terrorism and camouflaging violence.

However, Bucheri  said, no travel ban has ever been imposed on any human rights advocates except the orders issued by the general prosecution against individuals pending investigation in incidents punishable by law.