Ali Al-Derazi, left top corner
Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Ali Al-Derazi has never won any elections by ballot in his entire life. This is a summary of the career of the new president of the National Institute for Human Rights, Ali Al-Derazi, in both the political and human rights fields. By acclamation, he won the by-elections for the 2011 parliament, after Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society bloc, consisting of 18 MPs, withdrew from the parliament. Also by acclamation, he became president of the National Institute for Human Rights (May 10, 2021). Acclamation following acclamation, Ali Al-Derazi made his way into the public sector. He seems very ambitious and happy. Below is his biography:
Born on March 29, 1968 (53), he's an engineer who obtained a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Russian University in Moscow in 1994 after receiving a scholarship allocated to the Bahraini National Liberation Front (the Progressive Tribune), a party that he was part of in the past.
He won the third constituency seat for the northern governorate by acclamation and after the withdrawal of his rivals, Muhammad Kazem Al-Dirazi, and Taqi Al-Zira in the by-elections of 2011, which were held exceptionally after the resignation of all the representatives of Al-Wefaq opposition group from the parliament. In the 2014 elections, he lost the seat of the first constituency of the Northern Governorate with a difference of 12 votes for the winning candidate, Fatima Al-Asfour.
He was appointed by royal order on November 26, 2011 as member of the assigned committee to follow-up the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry into the events of 2011, which claimed, at the conclusion of its work, that Bahrain implemented the vast majority of the recommendations listed in the report.
He was among those who demanded in the extraordinary session of the National Assembly, which was held with the participation of MPs and Shura members on July 28, 2013, tightening the security grip on sermons, religious platforms, demonstrations, political statements, and opposition leaders and societies. During the session, he said: "Protecting society from terrorism is a fundamental action that is part of the core responsibilities of the state. Whoever wants to work in politics must reject violence clearly, openly and continuously, so there shouldn't be any political action that undermines social work." He also said that "there must be a balance with regards to political action and preserving the achievements of His Majesty the King's reform project, and national unity is a red line."
During his chairmanship of the Parliament's Financial and Economic Affairs Committee in 2012, he rejected a bill on limiting the ownership of non-Bahrainis of constructed real estate and non-investment residential lands, which was prepared by a number of members of the House of Representatives, as a "proposed law."
Citizens complained on social media that he ignored and blocked them when asked about his achievements in the parliament. One commentator wrote: "[He's] an MP who cannot listen to or answer citizens' questions. I asked him about his achievements in the previous parliament, so he deleted the comments and blocked me. Basically, he does not have any achievements other than increasing MPs' remuneration, reducing the powers of the House of Representatives, and passing the budget without increasing salaries."