Washington Criticizes Bahrain in Geneva Session, Urging for Political Dialogue, Reconciliation

Rasa - The United States severely slammed the government of Bahrain and its recent measures against political parties and senior opposition clerics.

News ID: 429411

Date: 02 May 2017 - 22:53

RNA - US regretted in an intervention, it made during the 27th session of the UPR in Geneva on Bahrain's human rights record, "restrictions on freedom of assembly and association, including measures against political parties, Shiite clerics and travel bans measures imposed on human rights activists", Bahrain Mirror reported.

US expressed concerns over "not ensuring fair trials and extracting confessions under torture", calling on Bahrain to conduct political dialogue and reconciliation. It also recommended Bahrain to annul the judicial verdicts issued against individuals for peacefully expressing opinions and drop the charges brought against them.

Washington called on Bahrain "to remove restrictions on freedom of assembly and association and to allow people take part in political activities".

It also demanded "to withdraw measures adopted against Al-Wefaq and Wa'ad Societies and accept visits of High Commissioner and UN Special Rapporteurs," urging Bahrain to "ratify Convention against Torture and International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance."

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