Beirut, 05 May, 2012 — The Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR) condemns the Bahraini government’s withdrawal of permission it had previously granted for a visit by a delegation of NGOs who promote and defend freedom of expression. The delegation’s visit had been scheduled to take place from 6-10 May 2012.The withdrawal of the permission came on 30 April 2012 just a few days before World Press Freedom Day, which is held annually on 3 May.  

On 11 April, the delegation had received permission from the Ministry of Human Rights and Social Development to visit Bahrain in order to evaluate the situation of freedom of expression. The mission team duly complied with the Ministry’s standard procedures for entry into the country. However, in a letter dated 30 April, the Ministry stated that it had reversed its decision claiming that new regulations had taken effect that prevented the presence of more than one international NGO in any one week.

The delegation was to have comprised representatives of various NGOs, affiliated with International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) who advocate for freedom of speech, including Reporters Without Borders, Freedom House, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, Index on Censorship, PEN International and the Committee to Protect Journalists. Freelance journalist Clare Morgana Gillis was also to have accompanied the delegation. An IFEX delegation had previously visited the country in November 2011, where they had met with state officials and the cross- departmental Human Rights Committee.

On 2 May 2012 the delegation’s members wrote to Khalifa Ben Mohamed Al-Khalifa, Director of Human Rights Organizations at the Ministry of Human Rights and Social Development, expressing their disappointment and condemning the reversal of the decision calling it “ another testament to promises broken by officials” (http://fr.rsf.org/IMG/pdf/120504_lettre_bahrei_n_visa.pdf).

The GCHR sees the refusal of the Bahraini Government to allow the delegation access as evidence of the State authorities’ on-going attempt to block media from reporting on the human rights situation and the on-going human rights violations taking place in the country. (See GCHR appeal dated 14 February 2012 concerning the states crackdown on journalist and freedom of press https://www.gc4hr.org/report/view/6.)

This attempt to undermine transparent reporting by independent observers comes in the context of an increase in international media focus on the country.  Such focus has been primarily due to the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was held on 22 April 2012 against a backdrop of pro-reform and anti-government protests, and on-going calls on the authorities to release human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja who is now in his 87 day of hunger strike (https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/110).

The GCHR condemns the withdrawal of the permission to allow the delegation to enter Bahrain and believes that it is directly linked to the human rights activities of the organizations represented and in particular their work relating to freedom of speech and expression.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) urges the authorities in Bahrain to:

1. Grant the delegation of international NGOs access to the country and ensure that they are able to freely carry out their work, as GCHR believes that such access was denied as a result of the NGOs legitimate human rights work;
2. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Bahrain are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment. 

GCHR respectfully reminds you that the United Nations Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, adopted by consensus by the UN General Assembly on 9 December 1998, recognises the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders, their right to freedom of association and to carry out their activities without fear of reprisals. We would particularly draw your attention to  Article 6 (c): “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others: (c) To study, discuss, form and hold opinions on the observance, both in law and in practice, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and, through these and other appropriate means, to draw public attention to those matters“, and to Article 12 (2): “The State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the present declaration.”

 The Gulf Centre for Human Rights is an independent centre and has been registered in Ireland. The Centre works to strengthen support for human rights defenders and independent journalists in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.