Bahrain Authorities Failed in Implementing Report’s Recommendations - BICI member Prof. Rodley

AhlulBayt News Agency - Professor Sir Nigel Simon Rodley, a prominent member of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), said the authorities in Bahrain have failed in implementing the recommendations of the BICI report. The international community and the UN OHCHR have continued to denounce the many forms of human rights violations, he stated emphasizing that a real problem remains in Bahrain.

In a previous comment, Rodley suggested a UN Special Rapporteur to Bahrain be appointed under the supervision of the Human Rights Council. He said he hoped that would be more successful than previous trials. “In the end, we expected the BICI to be successful. There may be deeper reasons for lack of progress”, he said. He noted that his commission members hoped the king’s acceptance of their recommendations would pave the way for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the political crisis.

He said it is “very concerning” when there is torture and when the visit of the Special Rapporteur on Torture to Bahrain is canceled every time he requests it. “This does not make us confident that our recommendations on torture and ways to eradicate it have been implemented”.

On the arrest of Sheikh Ali Salman, Secretary General of Al Wefaq, Rodley said, “We called for the release of political prisoners, and not to increase their numbers. When we hear the UN’s Working Group on Arbitrary Detention saying Bahrain is violating right to freedom of expression and assembly and freedom of association and of belief. And the detention of Sheikh Ali Salman, this is also another indication that Bahrain is not heading towards a political solution”.

Rodley regretted that the BICI report was not successful in halting human rights violations in Bahrain, although, as he said, it was creative and positive in solving the country’s problems.





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