Bahrain Mirror: Commenting on the 2014 annual report of Bahrain's National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR), the Human Rights and Liberties Department of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society expressed its deep disappointment regarding its content stressing that it is "far from reality", and has disregarded many of the blatant violations taking place.

The Al-Wefaq Human Rights and Liberties Department added in a statement issued on Tuesday (January 12, 2016) that these violations which are not documented in the report of the NIHR, are linked to "significant human  rights issues which were supposed to be at the core of the institution's work, such as collective punishment, torture allegations and freedom restrictions; regarding freedom of assembly and demonstration, freedom of association, freedom of opinion and expression, religious freedoms and others."

It further stated that "impunity is the most significant issue missing from the report, the least can be said in this regard to prove the institution's seriousness to improve the human rights situation, by demanding to hold accountable those involved in the violations, proved in the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), which the authority accepted officially."

The Human Rights and Liberties Department concluded its statement by declaring that it commends "the recommendations urging the authorities to allow the special rapporteurs and working groups concerned with several agreements and basic human rights to visit the kingdom, as there are 7 requests made by special rapporteurs to visit Bahrain, most notably is the special rapporteur on torture, Juan Méndez, yet none of which have been accepted to date". It further called for pushing forward for the implementation of this recommendation, noting that soon it will issue a report evaluating the report of the NIHR.

Arabic Issue