Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain's main opposition group, Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, stated that depriving Bahrain national Hasan Abulqasim from his right to citizenship is a violation of Article 24/3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Al-Wefaq further expressed its concern over the increasing cases of forced expulsions.

"The Bahraini authorities have forcibly deported Hasan Abulqasim, 21, from Bahrain on Saturday 14th May. Hasan was born in Bahrain and had lived in the country all his life. And although his mother is a Bahraini national, he was deprived from his nationality.

A Bahraini appeals court had acquitted Hasan of charges of assembling after he was arrested in April 2013. Hasan spent nearly one year in prison. Now the authorities have deported him saying that his residency status is unlawful.

The Liberties and Human Rights Department (LHRD) in Al Wefaq said depriving Hasan Abulqasim of his right to citizenship is a violation of Article 24/3 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Instead of addressing this violation by giving Hasan a Bahraini nationality, the authorities went on to commit an additional violation against him. By forcibly deporting him, Bahrain has violated Article 12/1 and Article 13 of the aforementioned covenant.

The LHRD has expressed deep concern about the increasing number of Bahrainis being deported, whether they were initially deprived of their nationality or had their nationalities revoked. So far, 10 Bahrainis have been deported in a clear violation of Article 17 of the country's constitution. The LHRD is urging the Bahraini authorities to take humanitarian conditions into consideration and respect the provisions of the constitution and the universal conventions it has ratified," said Al-Wefaq, in a statement issued on Tuesday (May 17, 2016).

Arabic Version