Bahrain MPs lash out at EP report

Manama : Bahraini MPs have strongly criticised the latest resolution taken by the European Parliament (EP) on human rights situations in the Kingdom, considering it a “biased” resolution.

Commenting on it yesterday, Parliament’s Human Rights Committee member Mohammed Al Maarifi said: “The resolution comes within a series of foreign interferences in Bahraini affairs and serves an agenda driven by malicious parties.”

He said the EP’s announcement is politicised and lacks credibility, impartiality and objectivity.

“The annual EP report on human rights is manipulated by lobbies that consist of certain States, European parties and sectarian organisations that falsify the reality to harm the international positions of countries that include the Kingdom of Bahrain,” he added.

The lawmaker called upon the GCC General Secretariat and the Arab League to issue statements rejecting the resolution and urge the EP to not interfere in Arabian affairs and respect the international laws in this regard.

He mentioned that the recent precautionary steps taken by the Kingdom come in line with similar procedures taken by the Arab League against condemned behaviours of Iran, Hezbollah terrorist militias and their allies.

The MP also remarked that a delegation of the Arab Parliamentary Union must visit the EP to “deliver a clear message that the Kingdom of Bahrain is part of a system and doesn’t stand alone.” Al Maarifi  even called for political and economic procedures against the European Union States, demanding to summon their ambassadors and officially convey their protest to them.

“EU should respect Bahrain’s sovereignty”

Meanwhile, National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) member and parliamentarian Khalid Al Shaer also slammed the European body. “The independency and sovereignty of Kingdom of Bahrain should be respected.”

He defended the recent strict procedures taken by the government against a number of violating organisations and individuals. The MP added that the EP had repeatedly targeted the anti-terrorism procedures taken by the GCC States, without considering the dangerous security developments in the region.

Al Shaer insisted that Bahrain is committed to protecting human rights and has joined 24 international human rights pacts and agreements.

EU condemned

Moreover, Vice Chairman of the council’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee, MP Mohammed Al Jowder, lashed out at the EU, considering its recent resolution as blatant interference in Bahraini affairs.

“The acts of terrorism in Bahrain are documented and clear to all. The European countries realise it. They also acknowledge the validity of the judicial and security measures taken by the government to protect the country’s national security. Yet, they show biased attitude,” Al Jowder added.