The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) today urged the King of Bahrain in a letter not to promulgate a law on counter-terrorism that risks creating a legal framework prone to abuse. In the letter the ICJ expressed particular concern about the scope of new offences and definitions and the exclusion of judicial scrutiny over arrest [...]
June 8, 2006 His Majesty Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Office of His Majesty the King Rifa’a Palace Kingdom of Bahrain Your Highness: We are writing to express concern regarding the draft law governing public meetings and demonstrations, known as Amendments to Law 18/1973. It is our understanding that the Majlis al-Nawwab and the [...]
The Bahraini government’s draft legislation on public meetings and demonstrations undermines the right of peaceful assembly, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter urging Bahrain’s king not sign the bill into law. The draft law will be the first significant human rights-related legislation to come before Bahrain’s king, Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa [...]
Bahrain is confident of winning a seat on the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, to be elected by the UN General Assembly today. It is “premature” to predict results of elections to the council, but Bahrain is expecting to win one of the 47 seats available, Foreign Affairs Ministry officials said. “We are confident [...]
These are not easy times for Bahrain, despite the efforts being made by the authorities to create a tourist paradise in the years ahead. The Formula 1 Grand Prix is an important part of that process along with massive construction projects which are either underway or now being planned. The vast Bahrain Financial Harbour is [...]
A few blocks away from the new waterfront developments that Bahrain’s rulers hope will secure the kingdom’s future as a regional banking centre, there are signs of budding revolt. Wearing balaclavas to mask their identity, young men with no stake in the capital Manama’s rising skyline, spend their evenings burning tyres, hurling stones and blocking [...]
A Bahraini company appealed to the international community yesterday for help to free an employee kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Kasula Suryanarayan, an Indian engineer working for Bahrain-based Almoayed Group, was kidnapped on Friday while transferring goods on a pick-up. The company has been awarded a network expansion contract by Roshan, the largest GSM [...]
Bahrain has been dealt a blow in its campaign for election to the new United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC). Its own record in supporting international human rights causes has been ranked well down the scale by a global watchdog. Countries with poor records should not be voted on to the council by the United [...]
During a recent visit to meet with human rights defenders in Bahrain, the Deputy Director of Front Line welcomed the candidacy of Bahrain for election to the new UN Human Rights Council. Bahrain is a candidate for one of the 13 seats allocated to the region of Asia on the UN Human Rights Council. The [...]
A British film company accused of corruption by a Bahrain MP yesterday said it would consider taking legal action against him unless he retracted his statement. Worldwide Pictures chairman Ray Townsend warned parliament legislative and legal affairs committee chairman Yousif Zainal to publicly withdraw his comments or face the consequences. During a parliament session on [...]
