Bahrain Mirror: MEPs called on Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to take rapid actions to put an end to human rights violations in Bahrain.

In a joint letter signed by 18 MEPs, Mogherini was urged to rapidly raise human rights issues with the Bahraini authorities.

The MEPs told Mogherini about "the continued imprisonment of human rights defenders and opposition politicians," calling her "to persist in engaging with the Bahraini government in order to secure their release."

The signatories tackled the cases of Dr. Abdujalil Al-Singace and Hassan Mushaima, who have been subject to torture and suffer from deteriorating health conditions. The MEPs also talked about Nabeel Rajab who is held in solitary confinement and suffers from deteriorating health condition.

The MEPs also shed the light on the dissolution of Al-Wefaq, extension of Sheikh Ali Salman's prison term to 9 years and the 3-year jail term handed down to Fadhel Abbas, former Secretary General of another opposition party, Al-Wahdawi, considering that these actions come amid an intensified crackdown campaign.

The signatories criticized the role played by the Ombudsman and the Special Investigations Unit, saying that their achievements were limited and that both institutions have fallen short of investigating violations in a transparent, prompt, thorough and effective manner. The 18 MEPs also criticized the Bahraini authorities' continued practice of stripping the citizenship of dissidents and imposing travel ban on many of them.

Arabic Version