 BFHR Launches its Report Regarding Freedom ofAssembly: the Bahraini Authorities Rejected 149 Notifications for PeacefulAssemblies since 2015 The BahrainForum for Human Rights (BFHR) launched its new report “Freedom of Assembly..theProhibitedRight in Bahrain”. It reveals the Bahraini authorities rejection of 149notifications for peaceful assemblies since March 2015. The report reportedthat Bahrain had witnessed since 2011 until its release many marches andassemblies; the excessive force which led to the deaths and injuries of dozens wasused against a great part of them despite its peaceful nature under the pretextof illegality or not submitting a notification for the Ministry of Interior. “In many ofthe marches which the Ministry of Interior is notified before, the submittersof the notification or the chanters who repeat the slogans of the march or theassembly were targeted. They were summoned for interrogation and arrested overthe slogans of the march or the assembly. In some cases they were referred toBahrain’s Public Prosecution, and in many cases they were held responsible forsome individual violation in contrary to the law which prohibits accusing theorganizers over the actions of the participants in assemblies,’ the reportadded. The reportpointed out that “the marches and assemblies were banned in the Bahrainicapital, Manama, by the Ministry of Interior decision following the 2011popular demonstrations in Bahrain. It considered whoever calls for ademonstration in the capital, Manama, violates the law.” “Thegovernment prosecuted many of the citizens, political activists, human rightsactivists, journalists and photographers over practicing their right topeaceful assembly while participating in assemblies and demonstrations ororganizing them. Many of them were harshly sentenced through unfair trials inwhich the international principles of fair trials were absent,” it reported. The reportrecommended the interference of the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedomof peaceful assembly and association, Mr. MainaKiai, to pressure on theBahraini government to fulfill its commitments regarding the right to freedomof assembly; amend the Bahraini laws and legislations regarding assemblies tobe free from unnecessary restrictions and compatible with international law;release the detainees over practicing their right to assembly; stop the use ofexcessive force against the assemblies, marches and hold the perpetrators ofkilling and injuring the demonstrators accountable. |