Bahrain committed to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedom
Bahrain is committed to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, and continues to consistently demonstrate this over recent years, according to the latest report from Human Right Watch.
The report acknowledges many of the reforms the Kingdom has implemented over the past few years.
These include the setting up of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) and the establishment of independent watchdogs, namely the independent police Ombudsman, a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) within the Public Prosecution, and a Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission (PDRC) that constitutes Bahrain’s national preventive mechanism.
It also recognises the alignment between Bahrain’s national legislation on mistreatment with international standards.
On several occasions, the report mentions initiatives taken by the independent police Ombudsman and the PDRC to inspect places of detention and investigate allegations of misconduct, including in Jaw prison.
Cases mentioned in the Human Rights Watch report fall within the mandate of the independent police Ombudsman and the Special Investigations Unit.
The Bahrain government again urges Human Rights Watch to lodge all complaints with these institutions and provide them with sufficient information to enable them to conduct effective investigations. Bahrain continues to bolster the capabilities of its national institutions to carry out their mandates effectively.
The awarding of the European Union’s Chaillot Prize to the independent police Ombudsman and the NIHR in 2014, and the Ombudsman’s admission to the International Ombudsmen Institute as a full voting member, are testament to the success of these efforts by the government.
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