Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

46. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan Mendez, who was due to visit Bahrain from May 8 - 15, had his trip cancelled by the Bahraini Government; if he is concerned by this development; and if he has raised it with the Bahraini Government. [23229/13]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

59. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to a recently released report by the US State Department which detailed human rights abuses in Bahrain; the recent arrest of prominent human rights defender Naji Fateel on 2 May ; and if he has discussed these issues with his European counterparts. [23232/13]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 59 together.

The human rights environment in Bahrain continues to be of serious concern, particularly with regard to the ongoing reports and allegations of arbitrary arrest, torture and detention of human rights activists. I fully understand the disappointment expressed by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, Juan Méndez, in relation to the decision taken by the Government of Bahrain to postpone his visit to the country, which was scheduled to take place from 8 to 15 May 2013. According to the Special Rapporteur, this is the second time that his visit has been postponed at very short notice.

The Bahrain Government has stated that the proposed visit could be damaging to the ongoing National Dialogue process taking place between the Government and opposition parties. However, I believe that his visit would in fact have been timely given the ongoing concerns which have been expressed in relation to the possible ill-treatment of prisoners in Bahrain. An independent assessment of the situation would have contributed positively to the National Dialogue process and strengthened trust among the parties that the Government is truly committed to taking steps to promote a culture of transparency and respect for human rights in Bahrain.

In this case and in all others, Ireland strongly supports the office of the Special Rapporteur on torture and maintains that the independent mandate of his office must be fully respected by all countries. We believe that the Government of Bahrain should honour the commitments made to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review process in September 2012, among which was the acceptance of a recommendation to welcome a visit by the Special Rapporteur.

The US State Department’s 2012 country report on Bahrain, released in April of this year, is a useful and detailed contribution to the international community’s assessment of the human rights environment within that country. The report outlines a number of very serious concerns reported in 2012, including allegations of torture in both official government detention centres and unofficial sites. It also details the lack of due process in trials of political and human rights activists, with some resulting in harsh sentences.

Arbitrary arrest is also one of the issues outlined in the State Department report and in this context the arrest of human rights defender, Mr. Naji Fateel, at his home in north-west Bahrain on 2 May, is of serious concern. Mr. Fateel is a board member of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, and a blogger who has been active in reporting human rights violations in Bahrain. Mr. Fateel attended the Front Line Defenders 2010 Dublin Platform. According to the latest reports received, on 5 May he was transferred to the Dry Dock prison in Bahrain. It is alleged that he is suffering from several injuries received due to torture while he was in detention. On 9 May, he was charged with the establishment of a group for the purpose of disabling the constitution under article 6 of the Terrorism Act. The prosecutor has ordered sixty days further imprisonment pending investigation. I call on the Bahrain government to ensure Mr. Fateel’s human rights are fully respected during his detention.

I have repeatedly called on the Government of Bahrain to demonstrate its commitment to upholding human rights and to implement in full the recommendations of the Bahraini International Commission of Inquiry. I have ensured that Ireland’s concerns on human rights issues in Bahrain have been conveyed regularly to the Bahraini authorities and I will continue to do so. Officials in my Department make clear our concerns to the Bahraini Ambassador in London as required; and Ireland’s Ambassador in Riyadh, who is accredited to Bahrain, has raised human rights issues directly with the authorities there on every appropriate occasion, including most recently with the Foreign Minister while the Ambassador was in Bahrain over the St. Patrick’s Day period.

At EU level, High Representative Ashton and senior EU officials have regularly conveyed to the Bahraini authorities the EU’s concerns about the human rights situation in Bahrain. I fully support the High Representative’s readiness to provide, if requested, EU support for the resumed national dialogue process.