(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The United Kingdom, United States of America, France and Germany along with 40 UN member states issued a joint statement on the OHCHR and the human rights situation in Bahrain in the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council's Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner.
The member states said, "The human rights situation in Bahrain remains an issue of serious concern to us.
We are particularly concerned about the continued harassment and imprisonment of persons exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression, including of human rights defenders. We are also concerned about guarantees of due process in the trials of 13 political activists who had their 2 sentences, including life sentences, upheld in January 2013"
The 44 states urged Bahrain "to address these concerns and expedite the implementation of the recommendations received from the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and the recommendations Bahrain agreed to accept through the Universal Periodic Review".
The statement also expressed concern over the GoB's decision to revoke the nationality of 31 citizens, and to dismiss or imprison medical professionals, while leaving those alleged to have committed human rights violations neither prosecuted nor punished.
The member states said, "The human rights situation in Bahrain remains an issue of serious concern to us.
We are particularly concerned about the continued harassment and imprisonment of persons exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression, including of human rights defenders. We are also concerned about guarantees of due process in the trials of 13 political activists who had their 2 sentences, including life sentences, upheld in January 2013"
The 44 states urged Bahrain "to address these concerns and expedite the implementation of the recommendations received from the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and the recommendations Bahrain agreed to accept through the Universal Periodic Review".
The statement also expressed concern over the GoB's decision to revoke the nationality of 31 citizens, and to dismiss or imprison medical professionals, while leaving those alleged to have committed human rights violations neither prosecuted nor punished.
To read the full statement; http://bit.ly/Y8x4Sa
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