Bahrain withdraws from UN human rights body election after criticism over brutal crackdown

Bahrain has withdrawn its candidacy for the forthcoming election of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) new members, after critics drew attention to the gross human rights violations and repressive measures against democracy advocates in the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom.

A UN site showed that Bahrain took the decision on September 26 not to run for a three-year seat at the Geneva-based body, without giving details.

An unnamed Bahrain government spokesperson said in a statement that the deferral of the candidacy “results from ongoing consultation with its geographical group,” claiming that the step was a standard practice.

A memo circulated among the UNHRC members by the London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) drew attention to arbitrary detentions as well as reprisals against individuals.

The human rights group also held a series of meetings with UN officials and diplomats in August to urge states not to support Bahrain.

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“It's a huge relief to see Bahrain withdrawing after our effective advocacy in Geneva against their candidacy,” Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, advocacy director at BIRD, said.

Last month, an independent human rights organization censured Bahrain over its heavy-handed crackdown against political opponents and pro-democracy campaigners, saying the country has the biggest number of political prisoners among Arab states.

The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) said in a report that Bahrain, under the ruling Al Khalifah dynasty, has the largest number of imprisoned rights activists, and it is estimated that there are some 4,500 campaigners being held behind bars across the country.

The organization went on to note that a lot of reports published over the past decade have shed light on the deplorable conditions of prisoners at Bahraini jails, prompting the international community and human rights organizations to compel the Al Khalifah regime to relatively improve prison conditions.

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The BCHR highlighted that Bahraini authorities have arrested about 15,000 people for their political beliefs over the last decade, thus turning the country into the first Arab nation with the highest number of prisoners in recent years.

Political prisoners in Bahrain are subjected to various forms of torture, ill-treatment and persecution, and the Al-Khalifa regime silences any opposing voice through detention, torture and execution, it pointed out.

Read more:

• Human right organization warns against ‘inhumane conditions’ facing inmates at Bahrain’s Jau Prison

Demonstrations have been held in Bahrain on a regular basis since the popular uprising began in the Arab country in mid-February 2011.

People demand that the Al Khalifah regime relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.

Manama, however, has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any form of dissent.

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