Bahrain’s Prisons are Overcrowded with Prisoner of Conscience

The National Democratic Opposition parties said Bahrain’s prison are overcrowded with prisoners of conscience and those charged for political reasons, including a wide spectrum of the most prominent national leaders from different social, professional, intellectual and political elite.

The opposition parties deplore the statements of Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs who said there are no prisoners of conscience in Bahrain. His statements are an attempt to elude from the political stalemate in Bahrain. Prisoners of conscience in Bahrain include nationalistic leaders, parliamentarians, human rights activists, clerics, medics, academics, college lecturers, social activists, athletes and journalists.

Twisting facts and distorting the truth is a main reason for the continuation of any political crisis between a people and government. Resolution starts with the government’s acknowledgement of the existence of the problem, searching for mature solutions can only begin then. Yet, the continuous attempts to mislead the public with falsehood cannot be expected to change reality or address problems, even on the lowest levels. The problem will only grow and the gap will widen if this approach is not abandoned.

National consensus in Bahrain must be achieved through a democratic political transition. The ruling authority in Bahrain must give up the security approaches and accept dialogue as a response to the demands for political reform raised by the political majority of the people of Bahrain.

The peaceful political movement that erupted in Bahrain on 14th February 2011 will continue to call for the Bahraini people’s natural and humanitarian rights to dignity and real democracy where the people are the source of all powers, as stated in the Constitution and the National Action Charter.




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