Bahrain needs a popular and sustainable national consensus based on rejection of violence or attempts to cover it or justify it in order to keep the wheel of reforms, democracy and development march moving, Kingdom’s Human Rights Minister told an EU delegation.
Human Rights Affairs Minister Dr. Salah bin Ali Abdulrahman in presence of some members of the Representatives Council, held talks with a delegation from the European Parliament (EU), led by Inese Vaidere and including Richard Hoyt, Ana Gomes, Silvia-Adriana Ticau, Nicole Sinclaire and the non-resident Ambassador of the European Commission Adam Kolach.
Dr. Salah Ali lauded the existing solid relations of friendship and coordination between the Kingdom and the European Union (EU) countries, adding that Bahrain is looking forward to enhancing those ties further.
The Minister pointed out that the Kingdom has consolidated the institutional framework of the human rights sector since the inception of His majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa’s pioneering Reform Project through licensing local human rights associations and establishing the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) whose independence and role were promoted as a result of the recent Royal Order in order to be a beacon of human rights and legal awareness and a reference source in these fields, in line with the aspirations of the wise leadership.
Meanwhile, he added, the Executive and Legislative branches have taken parallel landmark steps in the field of human rights, citing the issuance of the royal Order to establish a Human Rights Affairs Ministry and the resolutions of the Representatives and Shura Councils to set up a human rights panel in each of them, which, Dr. Salah, explained, testifies to the importance allocated to the human rights issue in agendas of both the government and the National Assembly.
The Minister also underlined that the High Coordinating Committee for Human Rights was established to serve as a joint link between all sides concerned with human rights in the kingdom in order to facilitate consultation regarding key issues, address major human rights affairs so as to accelerate government achievements in this regard, follow up on the implementation process of the recommendations issued by the UN Human Rights Council, as well as other human rights duties of top priority.
Dr. Salah Ali also briefed the visiting delegations on the national initiatives taken by the kingdom so far to honour its pledges at various UN platforms, citing, in particular, the approval of Bahrain’s Universal Periodic Review report by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva last September, stressing that Bahrain is serious to embark on a comprehensive national programme and an executive plan to make sure that the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) are implemented on the ground.
The Minister affirmed that the government has already implemented most of the BICI recommendations and is currently implementing the others requiring constitutional and legal channels, adding that it would be fair to recognize the reality of the government’s landmark achievements concerning the recommendations of BICI, consisting of eminent international experts, and the fact the country has, for long ago, ushered a new phase of recovery and national work.
He also said that the Human Rights Affairs Minister respected the statements issued by foreign human rights personalities and organisations, but regretted that some of their information was sometimes misleading or incorrect because they did not get it from the authorized sides, which, he stressed, may have an impact on the credibility of the person or entity issuing the statement, calling for the need to enhance contact and coordination between the Ministry and EU in order to consolidate human rights, keep the European Parliament constantly updated on the national human rights achievements and promote the human rights culture among the members of the Bahraini society.
Dr. Salah Ali also confirmed that dialogue in the kingdom is continuous, and that bridges of dialogue, contact and understanding between the wise leadership and the people have never been interrupted, adding that the regretful incidents of February, 2011, caused a rupture between some social segments of the Bahraini society, but National Consensus Dialogue succeeded in consolidating national unity and restoring national cohesion.
He also affirmed that the citizenship of 31 Bahrainis was revoked recently because they had been involved in national security-harming crimes, and explained that the move was taken in accordance with the constitution and the international conventions ratified by the kingdom, adding that they can resort to the just and independent National judiciary to appeal their cases.
The Minister pointed out that that the Human Rights Affairs ministry respected human rights activists, and supported their activities provided that they adhere to impartiality, credibility and professionalism and avoid politicizing human rights issues.
He also affirmed that the kingdom’s doors were open to all human rights organisations and welcomed their visits as it had nothing to hide or fear of, adding that over 80 human rights organisations and experts have visited the country since the outbreak of last year’s regretful incidents.
On their part, members of the European Parliament welcomed the kingdom’s democratic and human rights landmark reforms in implementation of BICI recommendations, calling upon all social segments to engage in a comprehensive national dialogue and reach consensus on all fields in order to ensure the continuity of the reform and democratic march in country.