‘Unrealistic’

Manama : US State Department Spokesperson John Kirby’s statements, claiming that “the situation of human rights in Bahrain is a source of continuous concern to his country” has been slammed by several authorities and organisations in the Kingdom. 

Both branches of the Legislative Authority (House of Representatives and Shura Council) denounced Kirby’s statements, describing it as “unrealistic and not reflecting the reality in the Kingdom”.

The Human Rights Affairs Committee in Shura Council denounced the statements, describing it as “unilateral and lacking credibility”, pointing out that those statements don’t serve the Bahraini-US relations.

The committee expressed hope that relevant parties in the US adhere to professionalism and objectivity in getting information about the real situation in Bahrain. 

The committee also urged to “deal responsibly with the false information aimed at tarnishing the Kingdom’s image”, underlining the keenness of the executive, legislative and judicial branches on human rights in the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, the Manama Centre for Human Rights, the Bahrain Society for Public Freedoms and Democracy Watch and the Migrant Workers’ Society said that Kirby’s statement didn’t apply to the human rights situation in the Kingdom, stressing that the statement was “neither surprising nor reliable”.

“Ever since the regretful events of 2011, the US State Department has repeatedly issued misleading reports in which it showed to the world that the Kingdom is based on the repression of freedoms and rights, and gave advice or expressed concern or fear,” the societies said.

It affirmed that such reports affect the Kingdom negatively and impede the reform process in various fields. 

“Instead of making such statements, the US State Department should have respected the deep-rooted relations of cooperation, partnership and friendship between the US and Bahrain, and coordinated with the government civil society organisations through the legal channels to consolidate the human rights situation in the Kingdom. This would reflect positively on the friendly bilateral relations, better than direct interference in the Kingdom’s domestic affairs,” the societies pointed out.