Bahraini official says human rights abuses distorted
Bahrain, Politics, 9/22/1997

A Bahrani official on Saturday called for countries who are concerned with human rights to get the full facts about the situation in the country before making any judgments, according to Gulf News and Khaleej Times reports.

British Parliamentarian Stanley Newens has presented a bill to the European Parliament dealing with human rights in Bahrain.

The source said that the situation in Bahrain is "totally different" than the way it has sometimes been portrayed internationally, and that the country's efforts to confront violence should be supported. Bahrain is proud of the rights that its citizens enjoy, according to the source, and should see continuing "democratic dialogue" within the law.

Exiled opposition groups--some London-based--have often alleged human rights violations against the Bahraini government. A string of arsons earlier in the year marked anti-government unrest linked to Shiite efforts to gain more rights under the Sunni government.

Bahrain has sometimes come under fire from international human rights organizations. A July report by the Human Rights Watch organization cited a "broad denial of fundamental political rights and civil liberties" in the country and "arbitrary detention; physical and psychological abuse of detainees; denial of access to legal counsel; and denial of the right to a swift and impartial judicial hearing" on the part of security forces. The report said that the situation has been worse since late 1994.

Amnesty International called for a halt to what they called "unfair trials" in Bahrain last March, specifically in relation to the trials of 81 people--22 in absentia--suspected in an alleged Iran-backed coup plot. The group criticized a refusal to allow independent observers at the trials and the inability of the people on trial to appeal any verdicts to a higher court.

The source urged international organizations to very facts, rather than placing undue weight on "distorted" reports and allowing those disseminating the reports to "justify terrorism."

Previous Stories:
  Khalifa optimistic about Qatar border dispute settlement   (9/19/1997)
  Bahraini restaurant burned by unknown men   (9/1/1997)
  U.S. jets deployed in Bahrain   (8/27/1997)

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