European Parliament Calls on Bahrain to End Human Rights Violations

The European Parliament called on Bahrain to immediately put an end to persecution of human rights activists in the country.

News ID: 70755

Date: 15 June 2018 - 13:56

TEHRAN (Defapress)- In a Thursday resolution adopted with 479 votes in favor, 97 against and 58 abstentions, the European lawmakers called on the Bahraini regime "to immediately release all human rights defenders imprisoned for their activities, and in particular Mr. Nabeel Rajab, who has been sentenced to five years in prison for denouncing on Twitter the alleged torture in Bahrain’s Jaw prison and the Saudi Arabia-led coalition airstrikes in Yemen.

The resolution urged Manama to observe international laws and guarantee human rights for prisoners, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in the lead-up to the country's upcoming elections, suspend military trials for civilians and officially revoke death sentences.

While human rights organizations and activists hailed the resolution, Bahrain's foreign ministry strongly regretted the decision by the European Parliament.

Manama claimed that the resolution was based on false information, noting that the decision was made in disregard of improving political, social and economic situation in the kingdom.

On Monday, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah signed off on an amended version of the kingdom’s election law which bans figures of dissolved opposition parties and organizations from running in parliamentary elections.

According to Bahrain’s main opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, which was dissolved by Manama regime in 2016, the legislation deprives more than 50,000 Bahraini nationals from their civil and political right to run in elections.

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