Spanish MP’s criticism on rights situation unfounded: Bahrain Interior Ministry

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Interior Ministry yesterday dismissed the criticism of Bahrain’s rights situation by Spanish MP María Gloria Elizo Serrano as unfounded and based on misrepresentation.

In a letter to Spanish Parliament, Serrano has urged to convey their concerns over the rights situation in Bahrain. The move, reported by the Qatari Al Jazeera channel, also cites a recommendation made earlier by the European Parliament, which Bahrain had rejected as having no foundation or basis.

Interior Ministry said that all of these statements and positions, including that by the Spanish MP, use repetitive terms, setting themselves as the guardians of other nations, all while ignoring grave issues of their countries.

The Gulf Cooperation Council had earlier condemned and rejected the resolution issued by the European Parliament as false and containing fallacies based on dishonest sources seeking to harm the human rights reputation of Bahrain.

Following this, GCC Secretary-General Dr Nayef Al Hajraf had also expressed his shock at the European Parliament resolution, which ignored all efforts Bahrain has undertaken and achievements to promote and protect human rights. Bahrain had said it rejects any foreign intervention and guardianship on the country’s people when the matter reflects “unfair and suspicious sources.”

At that time, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee at the Council of Representatives, MP Mohammed Al-Sisi Al-Buainain, had called on the EP to visit the Kingdom to verify the facts about the human rights situation. In the latest statement, Interior Ministry pointed out that Serrano continues to turn a blind eye on all the efforts in this regard.

The inmates, Interior Ministry said, are serving their terms in the Correction and rehabilitation centres for their role in terrorism and criminal offences.

Those men had also exhausted all their opportunities to appeal the verdict as allowed by the law. “Therefore, Bahrain rejects these types of allegations which are a blatant interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom,” the statement said. The ministry also said that the world is well aware of the desperate attempts by the Qatari Al Jazeera channel to harm Bahrain’s achievement in human rights, which even the state of Qatar has not achieved.

The ministry also viewed that these statements are preplanned and aired to serve a personal agenda. “This is a coordinated and deliberate attempt to mislead the world and politicise the issue of human rights.” The statement further said that it would continue efforts to enforce law and order in the Kingdom and promote human rights in which Bahrain has made many strides. Bahrain, the ministry said, is adhering to promoting the culture of human rights in police works and different walks of life.

Statements like that of Serrano, aired by Al Jazeera channel, against Bahrain’s right situation and policies, serve only some personal interests and does not represent institutions to which such people belong, Interior Ministry said.