Human rights groups rapped

BAHRAIN yesterday slammed human rights watchdogs for failing to adopt an objective and balanced approach.

"Certain human rights organisations adopt a one-sided view in dealing with information they receive from Bahrain," Interior Minister Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said.

He criticised certain groups for hearing one side of the story, closing their ears to official replies and refusing to consider the other side of the narrative.

"Such a controversial approach represents an unprecedented alignment," he said.

He singled out human rights activists who aspire to reveal the truth in total objectivity.

Commenting on a speech by UN Human Rights Council president, he said that the ministry had not received any complaints from people claiming they had been threatened.

He pledged to investigate allegations by NGOs' representatives that they had been threatened and take necessary legal measures - whether in their favour or against them.

Lt-Gen Shaikh Rashid was responding to the Human Rights Council president's speech, in which she claimed that NGOs' representatives and participants attending the council meeting had been threatened.

He thanked representatives of countries which opposed the unprecedented stance of the council president contravening the protocol.

He commended the Minister of State for Human Rights and head of Bahrain's delegation to Geneva Dr Salah Ali for debunking the allegations of the council president.

He reaffirming Bahrain's commitment to co-operate with international human rights organisations.

He cast doubts on their keenness to establish contacts with official channels to demand information or voice their queries, thus abiding by the principles of neutrality and objectivity.

The minister affirmed that security is guaranteed to all citizens. "This is the country whose King forms an independent commission of inquiry in an unprecedented initiative and unique lesson to ensure justice," he said.

He described the allegations by the council president as mere words expressing a stance without ensuring their veracity.

He reaffirmed Bahrain's keenness on promoting human rights and enforcing the law, stemming from a sense of national responsibility.

"The law is the guarantor of human rights. Human rights organisations are not above the law," Lt-Gen Shaikh Rashid said.


(2012-05-27/gulf-daily-news)