Bahrain Mirror: The Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society praised the humane stance of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Al-Hussein, during the opening meeting of the 38th Session of the Human Rights Council. Al-Wefaq stressed that the fact that he placed Bahrain on the main agenda of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) shows the high professionalism of the Commissioner and the OHCHR in assessing the deteriorating human rights situation in Bahrain.

The vast majority of the people of Bahrain and its elite stand with what the Commissioner said in his speech by classifying Bahrain on the top of the list of Arab countries where human rights violations occur.

Al-Wefaq stressed that the hostility of the Bahraini government towards the United Nations and local and international human rights organizations regarding the human rights situation, the retaliation against opposition activists for their cooperation with United Nations mechanisms, and not responding to repeated appeals for providing technical expertise and support by the OHCHR - which is in line with the seventh and eighth principles of the Declaration of Bahrain - to re-promote the principles of human rights in Bahrain reflects the mentality of the authorities which only resorts to the escalation of the crisis and denial.

Al-Wefaq noted that the High Commissioner's condemnation of the legislations that affect the people with regard to their fundamental rights meets the opposition's stance, which condemns political marginalization and the confiscation of the political majority's right to full political participation according to their wishes regarding political decision-making. Al-Wefaq said that as the suppression of civil society institutions continues, the expected sentence against Bahraini opposition leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, will be issued on next Thursday in a false case.

Finally, Al-Wefaq thanked the High Commissioner for Human Rights for his stances regarding human rights issues in Bahrain and emphasized what he said in his speech about the continuation of repression and violations of human rights, stressing the need for the international community to make a move and play its role regarding the troubled human rights and political situation in Bahrain.

Arabic Version