Bahrain should stop persecution of Shi’a Muslims and
return its citizenship to their spiritual leader
GENEVA (24 April 2014) – The United Nations Special
Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Heiner
Bielefeldt, today urged the Government of Bahrain to stop
the harassment and persecution of the most senior religious
leader of the Bahraini Shi’a Muslim community, who was
reportedly forced to leave his country following threats
from state security agents to arrest him and his son.
“I have received information from reliable sources that
on 23 April Hussain Mirza Abdelbaqi Najati was forced to
leave his own country for Lebanon after being exposed to
enormous pressure and harassment by the authorities,” the
human rights expert said.
Following Bahrain’s Ministry
of Interior own statement, issued on its website on 23
April, it appears that the decision revoking Mr. Najati’s
Bahraini citizenship and the orders to expel him from the
country may have been made due to his position as a senior
and influential religious authority among Shi’a believers,
who make up the majority of the population.
“I have
expressed to the Government of Bahrain my grave concerns at
what appears to be an act of religiously motivated
discrimination which would seem to impose unjustified
restrictions on Mr. Najati’s fundamental human rights,
including his right to practice and profess peacefully his
religious beliefs,” Mr. Bielefeldt stressed, warning that
the case may have far-reaching implications for Shi’s
Muslim community in the country.
“Targeting the most
senior and influential Shi’a religious figure in Bahrain
may amount to intimidating and thus discriminating against
the entire Shi’a Muslim community in the country because
of its religious beliefs,” the Special Rapporteur
stressed.
Mr. Najati is one of 31 individuals whose
Bahraini citizenship was revoked on 7 November 2012 by the
decision of the Ministry of Interior, a decision that
rendered him stateless. In this regard the UN expert urged
the Government to reverse its decision, which appears to be
arbitrary, and to facilitate Mr. Najati’s return from
Lebanon.
“International law, in particular the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, prohibits arbitrary
deprivation of nationality, including on religious
grounds,” the expert noted. “Discrimination on the
grounds of religion or belief constitutes a violation of
human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
“I understand
that Mr. Najati has consistently refrained from engaging
into politics, and has maintained his position and
activities strictly in the realm of his religion,” the
Special Rapporteur said. “He is not known to have
advocated violence or its use, or to have committed acts
that would undermine national security or public order, nor
has he been charged or sentenced for committing such
acts.”
ENDS