International commission on rights to submit report to Bahrain king in October

Team to give complete account of events in Bahrain earlier this year

By Habib Toumi, Bureau chief

Manama: Bahrain's King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa on Wednesday announced the formation of an international commission of human rights experts to investigate the incidents that hit Bahrain this year.

The fact-finding commission, established after consultations with several rights organisations, including the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, will be headed by Sharif Bassiouni and will include Philippe Kirsch, Nigel Rodley, Mahnoush H. Arsanjani and Badriya Al Awadi.

The commission will be fully independent and will submit a report to King Hamad by October 30, a royal order said.

The report should include a complete account of the events that took place in February and March and of the conditions and circumstances in which they occurred.

It should also state whether there were violations of the international standards of human rights by any of those involved in the events.

Hospital

The report should also describe all the acts of violence, their character, how they occurred, the elements involved and the resulting consequences, particularly in the Salmaniya hospital and the Pearl Roundabout.

The team will also probe cases of alleged police brutality and acts of violence against the demonstrators as well as by demonstrators against the police and others, including foreigners.

The conditions and appropriateness of the arrests and detentions will also be investigated alongside the claims of disappearance and torture.

The team will also report on whether there was harassment by the print and broadcast media against participants in rallies and protests as well as on the cases of the alleged illegal demolition of religious buildings.

The report will also address whether there was any involvement of foreign troops or foreigners in the incidents.

"All ministers have to cooperate with the commission and support its work without any reservation," the king said as he chaired an extraordinary cabinet meeting attended by the prime minister and the crown prince.

"The deplorable incidents had created unprecedented levels of crisis and tension and led many people to have concerns that the democracy and openness policy that we adopted when we assumed power would allow extremists to take the country to chaos and extremism," King Hamad said.

Extremism

"However, I tell you today, with firmness and determination, that we will not tolerate any extremist who calls for chaos or extremism to hijack our reforms," he said.

Bahrainis have the right to express their views peacefully and to express demands without being subject to violence, King Hamad said. "However, freedom goes hand in hand with responsibility and freedom of expression must not be used to break law and order, threaten social peace, stall economic activities or harm the facilities of the state..."

The king added: "All ministers have to cooperate with the commission and support its work without any reservation."


(2011-6-30/gulfnews)