Jeremy Corbyn, a member of the UK Parliament, joined a platform of Bahraini speakers calling for the release of political prisoners in Bahrain, during a side event at the 27th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Mr Corbyn called for “solidarity for all political detainees” in Bahrain, before signing a new appeal that demands the release of all Bahraini prisoners of conscience.
The appeal was launched during the side event by Fareeda Ghulam, the wife of the imprisoned political leader Ibrahim Shariff.
Speaking during the event, jointly hosted by the Bahrain Human Rights Observatory, the Arab Network for NGOs, Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain and the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Ghulam said, “this new appeal is important to be signed as wide as possible to put pressure for the release of our unfairly imprisoned political detainees.”
Despite only being launched within the meeting, the appeal has already been signed by prominent individuals and organisations, including Mr. Frej Fenniche, the Head of the Middle East Division of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
Speaking from the platform, Mr. Niccolo Figa-Talamanca, Secretary General of No Peace Without Justice, pledged the support of his organisation to the appeal, adding “They lock away our leaders, because they want to silence us. They shall not have our silence.” He described the judicial system in Bahrain as “purely political” and in “violation of the most basic justice standards.”
Jalila Alsalman, former Head of Bahrain’s Teachers Union and a former political detainee, outlined the situation of women prisoners in Bahrain, as well as the wider violations committed against women. Abdulnabi Alekry from the Bahrain Human Rights Observatory urged the international community to take further action on Bahrain, recommending the setting up of an office of the OHCHR in Bahrain.
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