Bahrain Mirror: The Khiam Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture (KRC) said that "the Bahraini government continues its arbitrary measures against human rights defenders right before the period review of the official national report before the Human Rights Council on May 1."

"On April 23-24, 24 rights activists were banned from travel for charges of illegal assembly and vandalizing civil peace. 36 citizenships were revoked, and therefore the total number of Bahraini citizenships revoked reached 455, in a precedent action not witnessed by any Arab country," KRC said in a statement issued (April 27, 2017).

"The revocation of citizenships is a moral and social execution worse than physical execution. Bahrain topped all Arab dictatorships in its executions, citizenship revocations, travel bans, and dissolution of political societies," the statement read, adding that the kingdom of Bahrain is now in the first place in crackdowns and violations of human rights.

"The Bahraini government's continued violations is a breach to all international conventions and laws, including those Bahrain has ratified. This reveals the falsity of the Bahraini government's claims to respect and promote Human rights in Bahrain," KRC stated.

Furthermore, the anti-torture center criticized "the international community's failure and lack of firm measures against the Bahraini government, which encourages the latter to pursue repression, undermine political work in Bahrain, and crush all aspects of civil life."

"The media condemnation and concerns did not deter the Bahraini government from its oppression, executions, citizenship revocations, and prevention of activists from taking part in the Human Rights Council [meeting]," KRC added.

The center reiterated in this regard that "the United Nations' mechanisms to protect [human rights] defenders seems incapable of returning the citizenships to the Bahraini people, or allowing an activist to leave Manama airport. As we approach the periodic review of the human rights situation in Bahrain, this requires the UN Commission to take urgent action and pressure the Bahraini government to allow representatives of Bahraini societies to travel and take part in the period review meetings."

"In case the Bahraini government remains stubborn and refuses to allow dozens of human rights defenders to travel, the Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Council should deem the Bahraini government responsible for the suspension of the universal period review on Bahrain," the KRC statement concluded.

KRC is a Beirut-based Non-Governmental Organization that aims at fighting torture and rehabilitating its victims.

Arabic Version