Covering events from January-December 2001

State of Bahrain
Head of state: Shaikh Hamad bin 'Issa Al Khalifa
Head of government: Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
Capital: al-Manama
Population: 0.7 million
Official language: Arabic
Death penalty: retentionist

Significant steps were taken in 2001 to promote and protect human rights. All political prisoners and detainees were released and the State Security Court and state security legislation were abolished. Bahraini nationals who had been forcibly exiled or prevented from entering the country were allowed to return without conditions. An Ethiopian woman remained under sentence of death.

Background

In February the Amir declared a general amnesty as a result of which all political prisoners and detainees were released. Among those released were four prisoners of conscience – 'Abd al-Wahab Hussain, Sayyid Ibrahim 'Adnan al-'Alawi, Shaikh Hassan Sultan and Hassan 'Ali Mshaima' – who had been held without charge or trial since 1996.

In February, the authorities announced that 108 Bahraini nationals who had been forcibly exiled or prevented from entering the country would be allowed to return. This was later extended to all Bahraini nationals living abroad, without conditions. Some, like 'Abdul Rahman al-Nu'aimi, had lived in forced exile for more than 30 years.

In the same month, the State Security Court was abolished and the 1974 Decree Law on State Security Measures was repealed. These measures had allowed the Ministry of the Interior to detain people without charge or trial for up to three years.

The authorities granted Bahraini citizenship to scores of stateless people living in Bahrain and Bahraini nationals who had lived in forced exile abroad. By the end of the year, 7,000 others were said to have applied for citizenship.

In February, Bahraini men and women voted by a majority of 98.4 per cent in favour of a proposed National Charter. The Charter provided for the establishment of an elected parliament with legislative powers, in addition to the appointed Shura (Consultative) Council, and for Bahrain to become a constitutional monarchy. Elections for the second chamber were due to be held before the end of 2003. The Charter also included reference to the protection and promotion of human rights, freedom of expression, the right of women to vote and stand for election, as well as the setting up of non-governmental organizations, an independent judiciary and a constitutional court. A committee headed by the Crown Prince, was set up to activate the National Charter. One of the committee's tasks was to review Bahraini legislation, including the Press and Publications Law, Trade Unions Law and the 1989 Law on Social and Cultural Societies and Clubs, and to submit recommendations to the government.

Human rights and political developments

In March the non-governmental Bahraini Human Rights Society (BHRS) was officially registered. A previous request to set up the organization made in August 2000 had been rejected by the authorities. The BHRS was reported to have helped 39 people who had been forcibly exiled during the 1980s and 1990s to recover their Bahraini citizenship in July.

In August the Amir ordered the setting up of a Supreme Council of Women and in November, 16 women members were appointed to the Council. Among the Council's key aims was the development and promotion of women's rights.

During the year scores of political opponents of the government who had been living abroad returned to the country. Many gave interviews to the local media and organized seminars where political, social and human rights issues were debated. Specific concerns were raised about freedom of the press and equal job opportunities.

Political movements of various tendencies emerged in the form of associations, some of which were officially recognized. In September, the Association for National Democratic Action became the first association to be officially registered under the leadership of 'Abdul Rahman al-Nu'aimi. The Progressive Democratic Forum and the Islamic National Reconciliation Association were recognized in October and November respectively.

Freedom of expression

In November a legal action was initiated by the Ministry of Information against Hafidh al-Shaikh, a freelance journalist, for "attempting to undermine national unity" and "violating press and publications laws". Hafidh al-Shaikh was banned from writing in the local press and from travelling abroad. The Ministry's action was taken reportedly in connection with articles that he had written for the foreign press, in which he criticized Bahrain's strong support for the bombing campaign in Afghanistan by the USA and its allies. In December Hafidh al-Shaikh began legal proceedings against the Ministry of Information to challenge the ban.

Torture and ill-treatment

In December, two people from al-Manama, Mohammad al-Sayyid Hashim Sa'id al-'Alawi, aged 23, and Hussain Ghulum Hassan 'Ali Murad, aged 21, were said to have been subjected to beatings by police officers at al-Hura Police Station. They were detained for two days before they were released on bail. The reasons for their detention were unclear.

Intergovernmental organizations

In July, Bahrain submitted its report on implementation of the UN Children's Convention. UN-sponsored seminars and workshops on racism and on human rights education and awareness were organized by the BHRS and the Human Rights Committee, which was set up within the Shura Council in 1999. In October, delegates of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) visited Bahrain, held talks with government officials and others, visited prisons and met former detainees. The WGAD was due to report its findings at the UN Commission on Human Rights session in April 2002.

Death penalty

Yoshork Dostazudi, a 21-year-old Ethiopian woman sentenced to death for murder in 2000, remained under sentence of death at the end of the year.

AI country reports/visits

Visits

AI delegates visited Bahrain in March and held talks with the Amir, the Crown Prince and government officials. AI visited the country again in November.

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