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US State Dept. in 2015 Report: Societal Discrimination against Shia & Lack of Judicial Accountability for HR Violators Continued in Bahrain

2016-04-16 - 7:45 p

Bahrain Mirror: The US Department of State issued its 2015 annual report on human rights practices around the world, recording human rights violations committed in different countries including Bahrain.

In the section on Bahrain, 45 pages, the US State Department listed the violations practiced by the Bahraini government against dissidents in 2015, considering that the most serious human rights problems included citizens' limited ability to change their government peacefully; lack of due process in the legal system, including arrests without warrants or charges and lengthy pretrial detentions, used especially in cases against opposition members and political or human rights activists; and restrictions on free expression and assembly.

Concerning the elections held by the authorities in November 2014, the US State Department said that the  turnout was low in opposition districts, due in part to a decision to boycott the elections by the main opposition political societies, highlighting that  the government did not permit international election monitors.

The report concluded that the other significant human rights problems included lack of judicial accountability for security officers accused by the government and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) of committing human rights violations.

The department also listed other violations in its report that took place last year, such as the defendants' lack of access to attorneys and ability to challenge evidence and prison overcrowding.

It also noted that the Bahraini government committed violations of privacy; and other restrictions on civil liberties, including freedom of press and association. Societal discrimination continued against the Shia population, as did other forms of discrimination based on gender, religion, and nationality. The government at times imposed travel bans on political activists in conjunction with arrest charges.

The government maintained the revocation of citizenship for 31 individuals, whose citizenship it revoked in previous years, and it revoked citizenship from another 72 who were not otherwise charged with any crimes.

Arabic Version


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