39 British MPs urge FCO to list Bahrain as country of concern

Thirty nine British MPs signed an early day motion that urges the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to re-evaluate its assistance to Bahrain in light of ongoing violations of human rights. The MPs also urged to implement the recommendations of the Foreign Affairs Committee by listing Bahrain as a country of concern in its upcoming human rights report. They expressed severe concerns about the ongoing restrictions against free speech in Bahrain, noting the recent findings by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch of reprisals against individuals exercising their right to free speech in Bahrain, including the continued ban on protests and rallies and the systematic use of torture and other cruel and degrading treatment. The motion also condemned the harassment, intimidation, detention and sentencing of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab to six months’ imprisonment for a tweet critical of the Ministries of Interior and Defence. It highlighted the MPs concern at the current trial of Mr Rajab for tweets that may lead to 10 years’ imprisonment and at the deterioration of the political climate in Bahrain and the crackdown on political dissent and fundamental freedoms in that country. Further, it called on the government of Bahrain to release all political prisoners and those imprisoned for their right to freedom of expression.