bird newsletter - issue #3: ngos urge new foreign secretary hammond to redirect uk policy on bahrain

8/11/2019 BIRD Newsletter - Issue #3: NGOs Urge New Foreign Secretary Hammond to Redirect UK Policy on Bahrain

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20/08/2014 16:48BIRD Newsletter - Issue #3: NGOs Urge New Foreign Secretary Hammond to Redirect UK Policy on Bahrain

Page 2 of 11http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=9cc11be31ec725f7cbe9a22b1&id=b012f83d3f&e=a3985a0dc3

Foreign Secretary Urging 'fresh' UKPolicy on Bahrain

16 July 2014 - A group of 29 NGOs have sent a letter to the newly

appointed Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,

Phillip Hammond, urging a shift in U.K. policy on the situation in

Bahrain. The letter calls for a fresh approach to be adopted by the

new Foreign Secretary in light of the FCOs failure to heed a Foreign

Affairs Committee recommendation that the U.K. should designate

Bahrain as a country of concern in its 2014 human rights report. The

FCO subsequently failed to acknowledge Bahrain as a country ofconcern, and instead, listed it as a case study praising specific areas

of reform. The letter highlights the inconsistencies in U.K. policy

towards Bahrain in recent years, specifically referencing recent

statements made by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan

Mendez, who referred to the human rights situation in Bahrain as a

situation of grave concern. Despite Hammond's recently reported

encounters with Bahraini government lobbyists, the joint effort is

hopeful that Mr. Hammond can consider a renewed Foreign Office

response to the ongoing human rights and political crisis in Bahrain.


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For full letter and press release click here.

Signatories:

Aman Network

Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB)

Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI)

Article 19 (Bahrain)

Avocats Sans Frontires (ASF)

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR)

Bahrain Human Rights Observatory (BHRO)

Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD)

Bahrain Justice and Development Movement (BJDM)

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR)

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)

CIVICUS

CM Solutions

English PEN

European Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights (EBOHR)

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

Khiam Rehabilitation Center (KRC)

Lawyers Rights Watch CanadaLawyers Without Borders

Maharat Foundation

PEN International

Privacy International

Redress

Reporters Sans Frontires (RSF)

Reprieve

The Gulf Center for Human Rights

Tunisian Initiative for Freedom of ExpressionVivarta
http://birdbh.org/2014/07/28-ngos-submit-letter-to-newly-appointed-foreign-secretary-philip-hammond-urging-a-change-of-policy-on-bahrain/


4/11



Weekly Highlights

Arms Dealers at London Science Museum

Faced with Protest


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14 July 2014 - On Monday, arms dealers from Algeria, Bahrain(above), Indonesia, Libya and others were greeted by a crowd

of protesters, condemning the Farnborough International Arms Fair

networking event that took place at the London Science Museum.

The Farnborough International Arms Fair is an event criticized by

NGOs for being the place where weapons sales are promoted to

human rights abusers. Those networking on Monday included military

buyers from unstable or authoritarian regimes, who were noticeablynervous by the turnout of protesters.


6/11



U.S Foreign Secretary John Kerry tags

Bahrain conditions on US Envoy

'unacceptable'

13 July 2014 - In a phone call to the Bahraini Prime Minister this

Sunday, Secretary of State Mr. John Kerry tagged Bahraini

conditions on having a member of their foreign office present at

high level US meetings with opposition groups an 'unacceptable'

demand. Kerry also expressed US concern for the charges filed

against two opposition leaders who met with Assistant Secretary

of State Tom Malinowski. Sheikh Salman and Khalil al Marzooq

were charged for having a meeting with Malinowski without thepresence of a foreign ministry representative, an act that is illegal

under Bahraini legislation since 2013. In September 2013, the

United States requestedBahrain to "rescind that requirement", a

request which was reiterated in the US statement on Malinowski's

expulsion last week. Pointing to the condition's 'violation' of

'international diplomatic protocol', the US has now gone forward

with a formal complaint with the Bahraini embassy in Washington.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/tension-between-bahrain-and-u-s-continues-over-diplomats-expulsion-1405387624http://online.wsj.com/articles/tension-between-bahrain-and-u-s-continues-over-diplomats-expulsion-1405387624http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/07/228839.htmhttp://online.wsj.com/articles/tension-between-bahrain-and-u-s-continues-over-diplomats-expulsion-1405387624


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UK FCO Omits Torture against Bahrain 13

UK FCO representative Mr. Hugh Robertson made a clear effort to

avoid using the word 'torture' when responding to questionsby

Labour MP Mr. Jim Cunninghamon the Bahrain 13 last Tuesday.

Robertson referred to the BICI report claiming its findings

confirmed that "defendants had been abused" when in fact the

BICI report concluded that the Bahrain 13 were victims of

torture. When asked if he would raise the release of the Bahrain 13

with his Bahraini counterpart, Robertson emphasized that theBahrain 13 had been re-tried in civilian courts and made no

promise to demand their immediate release. The UK FCO has

been consistently resisting calls to take a stronger position against

human rights violations in Bahrain.

Freedom for the Bahrain 13
http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/mr-jim-cunningham/308http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm140707/text/140707w0004.htm


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NGO Review

Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)

Bahrain Prime Minister to OfficerAqcuitted on Torture Charges: "Thank

You For Your Work"

BCHR expressed its concern over the growing

culture of impunity in Bahrain after a video was

released with the Bahraini Prime minister thanking

an acquitted officer accused of torture, for his

'work'. During his visit to the acquitted officer,

Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa

extended his solidarity, claiming "We do not allow

any harm towards you". To read more follow this

link.

Main FeaturesDrop Charges Against

Opposition Leaders

Human Rights Watch

Tension between Bahrain and

US Continues over Diplomat's

Expulsion
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/07/11/bahrain-drop-charges-against-opposition-leadershttp://bahrainrights.org/en/node/6219


10/11



Wall Street Journal

Kerry Calls Bahrain Minister

over Expulsion of US Official

Reuters

Philip Hammond succeeds

William Hague As Foreign

Secretary in Cabinet Reshuffle

The Guardian

Belfast Telegraph

BIRD @birdbahrain_ birdbh.org

Copyright 2014 Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), all rights reserved.*|Newsletter Issue 1|*

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bird newsletter - issue #3: ngos urge new foreign secretary hammond to redirect uk policy on bahrain

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