Human rights situation in Bahrain

Tabled by Nicole Kiil-Nielsen, Margrete Auken, Raül Romeva i Rueda

on behalf of the Greens/EFA Group

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions of 27 October 2011, 15 March 2012 and of 17 January 2013 on Bahrain,

–  having regard to the statements by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) on Bahrain, in particular her statements of 7 January, of 11 February and of 1 July 2013

–  having regard to the statements by the UN Secretary-General in particular the one of 8 January 2013 and to the statement of the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on 6 August 2013,

- having regard to the EU-GCC Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting in Manama, Bahrain on 30 June 2013,

- having regard to the extraordinary meeting of Bahrain's National Assembly held on 28 July 2013 resulting to the emergency decrees issued by the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah

- having regard to the Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), released in November 2011 and the Follow-Up Report on 21 November 2012,

- having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and the Arab Charter on Human Rights to all of which Bahrain is a party,

- having regard to the Arab League's Ministerial Council's decision on 1 September 2013 in Cairo of setting up a pan-Arab court of human rights in Bahrain's Manama,

- having regard to the EU Guidelines on human Rights Defenders of 2004, as updated in 2008,

- having regard to the visit of its Human Rights Subcommittee to Bahrain 19. - 21.12.2012

- having regard to Rule 122 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. Whereas the Bahraini government continues to seriously violate and restrict the rights and freedoms of parts of the Bahraini people, particularly the right of individuals to peaceful protest, free speech and digital freedoms;

B. Whereas on 24 April, the government for the second time postponed - this time indefinitely - the visit of Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment

C. Whereas on 1 August 2013, the King of Bahrain ordered the implementation of recommendations passed by the Parliament which risk to further encroach on fundamental freedoms in Bahrain, notably by banning "all sit-ins, assemblies and protests in the capital Manama" and putting further limitations on social media activities

D. Whereas in the run-up to and during the 14 August 2013 demonstrations in remembrance of the 2011 opposition movement dozens of people reportedly have been arrested

E. Whereas reports on the use of severe torture by the security forces continue and whereas at least 5 persons detained in connection with 2011 events have died in custody as a result of torture,

1. Deeply regrets the recent orders by the King of Bahrain which risks perpetuating crack downs on the opposition, use of excessive police force, unfair trials and arbitrary deprivation of citizenship rights

2. Calls on the Bahraini Government to put an end to the reported ongoing human rights violations and to launch an independent investigation into the allegations of ill-treatment, torture, and deaths in custody

3. Re-iterates its appreciation for the creation and the work of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) and appeals to the Government to expedite the implementation of its recommendations, as well as the ones of Bahrain's second Universal Periodic Review of May 2012

4. Calls notably on the government to act against the culture of impunity by investigating and prosecuting also higher level officials responsible for the worst violations during the 2011 protests

5. Appeals to the government to release the dozens of prisoners of conscience - some of whom are serving life sentences solely on the basis of having exercised their right to freedom of expression and assembly - and to provide those in need with immediate medical aid; among the prisoners recalls namely Naji Fateel, alleged founder of the 14th February Group, Mahdi'Issa Mahdi Abu Deeb and Jalila Al-Salman, former President and Vice-President of the Bahrain Teachers'Association, Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, human rights defenders Abdulhadi and Zainab Al-Khawaija, and Mohammed Al-Maskati

6. Calls on Bahrain to cooperate with the special procedures of the UN Human Rights Council and notably to allow visits of the Special Rapporteurs on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment, on freedom of association and on the situation of human rights defenders

7. Calls on the EU and its member states to support a resolution on the human rights situation in Bahrain at the next meeting of the Human Rights Council in September 2013

8. Instructs its president to forward this resolution to the Government and Parliament of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Council, the Commission, and the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative on Human Rights and the government and parliaments of the Member States.