NOVANEWS26Human Rights NGOs: Arrest of Nabeel Rajab confirms the Bahraini Government’s hostility towards human rights defender |
 26human rights organisations released a joint statement regarding thelatest arrest of Nabeel Rajab, which further illustrates the animosity theBahraini authorities have towards human rights defenders and their legitimateworks. In the statement, the organisations demanded the swift release of NabeelRajab and the rest of the prisoners of conscience. The statement added: “Nabeel Rajab exercised his basic right ofexpressing his opinion, which he did on social media platforms regarding theviolations in Jaw Prison. It was necessary of the authorities to open a seriousinvestigation, and to present those implicated in torture to justice, ratherthan arresting Nabeel Rajab and referring him to the prosecutor.” The statement clarified further, saying: “NabeelRajab is a prominent human rights figure, chairing Bahrain Center for HumanRights, and is the Deputy Secretary-General of International Federation forHuman Rights. His arbitrary arrest displays Bahrain as a country which stiflesfundamental freedoms.” The statement concluded by stating: The arrest coincided with a number of majorinternational and regional events. This displays a clear method of exploitingthe world’s preoccupation with international events in order to damage humanrights, which is prominent inside and outside of Bahrain.” The organizations called for the following: “The United Nations, and especially theHigh Commissioner for Human Rights, are urged to intervene and protect thedefenders rights and freedoms, and enable them to exercise their work freelyand safely.” The signatory organisations are as follows: Bahrain Human Rights Observatory Bahrain Forum on Human Rights Bahrain Society for Human Rights Arab Commission for Human Rights Bahrain Center for Human Rights Amman Center for Human RightsStudies International Centre to supportthe rights and freedoms – Egypt SALAM for Democracy and HumanRights Center for Origins for HumanRights Yemen Organization for DefendingRights and Democratic Freedoms Lua Lua Center for Human Rights Jordanian Society for HumanRights Center for Media on Human Rightsand Democracy – Palestine Empowerment Organization forDevelopment and Human Rights – Yemen Media Center Arab Group for Media Monitoring(Tunisia) International Council for theSupport of Fair Trials and Human Rights – Geneva Khiam Rehabilitation Center forVictims of Torture Syrian Rehabilitation andDefence of Human Rights federal organizations and humanrights bodies Defence Committees DemocraticLiberties and Human Rights – Syria Defence of Prisoners of ConscienceOrganization – Syria National Organization for HumanRights – Syria DAD Kurdish Organization forHuman Rights in Syria The Arab Organization for HumanRights in Syria, Human Rights Organization inSyria – Maf Kurdish Observatory Committeefor Human Rights in Syria |
