Bahrain Mirror: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said "Allegations of mistreatment in detention continued to be made in Bahrain," indicating that "it monitored such cases closely, and engaged with the Government of Bahrain, Bahraini oversight bodies and international organizations on these issues."

In its periodic report on democracy and human rights that provides an updated assessment of the 31 human rights priority countries from 1 January to 30 June 2021, the office noted that "Despite constitutional provisions, there were persistent challenges around freedom of expression, particularly on social media platforms."

It added "Traditional media suffered from a lack of diversity and a tendency to self-censorship."

During the reporting period, the government did not ratify revisions to the existing Press, Printing and Publishing law and any protections it may afford, particularly across social media.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stressed that it encouraged the Government of Bahrain to protect freedom of expression for all its citizens, in line with its international obligations, adding that the UK continued to play an active role in monitoring and promoting human rights in Bahrain, through engagement and technical assistance, for example in the child justice and parliamentary spaces, to support Bahraini-led reform.

"We worked in close partnership with others, including international bodies such as the UN, and continued to focus on the completion and subsequent implementation of Bahrain's National Human Rights Action Plan."

The office examined Bahrain in dealing with Coronavirus complications and providing free healthcare to the migrant worker population and also examined what it called "signs of progress in Bahrain's ratification of the Child Restorative Justice Act, which is designed to improve protections for minors" and which entered into force in August 2021.

Arabic Version