Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) said that the year 2016 witnessed an unprecedented crackdown on human rights in the Kingdom of Bahrain, indicating that the authorities widened their attacks against freedoms and opposers and arrested about 1300 citizens.

BCHR indicated that the year has witnessed a long series of reprisals against the human rights community and human rights defenders, including deporting Zainab Al-Khawaja, arresting Nabeel Rajab, harshening the sentence against Sheikh Ali Salman, suspending Al-Wefaq and revoking citizenship of spiritual leader of Shiite sect, Sheikh Isa Qassim.

Moreover, activists including members of BCHR, were summoned to interrogations based on inaccurate and misleading charges.  Individuals were also subjected to travel bans. Travel bans were usually handed down before the start of the UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva.

According to the report's findings, Bahraini authorities have arbitrarily arrested 1,312 people during 2016, including 187 children. Harsh sentences have thereafter been issued by the Bahraini courts in politically motivated cases, of which 40 cases are related to freedom of expression and 19 cases related to freedom of assembly.

91 Life sentences were passed as well as 4 death sentences upheld. 204 citizenship revocation orders were recorded. Furthermore, BCHR has documented 1,523 protests during 2016, of which 155 were attacked by the riot police.

The report called on Bahrain's close allies, the United States and the United Kingdom in particular, to play a vital role and voice their condemnation of this continuing crackdown on rights.

Arabic Version