MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Bahrain, including those on death row and human rights defenders
9.3.2021 - (2021/2578(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure
Thierry Mariani, Harald Vilimsky
on behalf of the ID Group
B9‑0197/2021
European Parliament resolution on the situation in Bahrain, including those on death row and human rights defenders
The European Parliament,
- Having regard to article 144 of its rules;
- Having regard to the 1966 United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
- Having regard to the United Nations Convention
- Having regard to the resolution of the European Parliament of June 14, 2018 on the human rights situation in Bahrain;
- Having regard to the resolution of the European Parliament of July 7, 2016 on the repression of human rights defenders in Bahrain;
- Having regard to the declaration of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights of April 18, 2019;
- Having regard the decision of the Gulf Cooperation Council of March 2011 to intervene in Bahrain and the dispatch of Saudi armed forces;
A. Whereas since the protests began in Bahrain in February 2011, the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain has engaged in a total and indiscriminate crackdown on mostly peaceful protests;
B. Whereas the Shiite population, despite being the majority in Bahrain, is the object of systematic persecution and discrimination by the government;
C. Whereas the interventions decided by the Gulf Cooperation Council, marked by the troops of Saudi Arabia, since March 2011, have led to a hardening of the repression and the death of several people;
D. Whereas the special report of UN Experts in february 2020 is showing mistreatments of political prisoners in bahraini jails amount to torture;
1. Calls for an end to discrimination against Shiite religious leaders, journalists, opposition leaders, and defense lawyers;
2. Hopes that a national political process will be put in place in order to give the political representation of Bahrain a configuration more in tune with its population;
3. Underlines to importance to keep security and stability in the whole region: asks for the withdrawal of Saudi troops and, if necessary, the country's intelligence services; notes also the neighboring countries, including Iran, constant interference in the internal affaires of Bahrain;
4. Deplores the 2017 decision to outlaw all independent media; urges Bahrain to rescind its arbitrary bans on opposition parties, to respect freedom of expression and peaceful assembly; asks the government of Bahrain to renounce the use of torture; improve its judicial system which lacks of transparency;
5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, the Government of Bahrain and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.