Manama, July 26. (BNA) – Human Rights Affairs Minister Dr. Salah bin Ali Abdulrahman said that the kingdom of Bahrain has made remarkable strides in its human rights march through institutionalizing human rights work.

He explained that Bahrain has established many bodies and institutions to protect human rights and dignity, in line with the precepts of the Islamic Religion, the principles of the constitution and international charters and covenants it had ratified, which, he said, testifies to the keen interest of the wise leadership and the government to give human rights top priority.

In this context, he praised the approval of the cabinet, during its recent regular session, to create an independent national mechanism that allows monitoring prisons, detention centres and detainees through the “Commission of the Rights of Prisoners and Detainees” (CRPD), affirming that the move is a significant development in the kingdom’s landmark human rights achievements that enhances its pioneering position in this regard.

He underlined that the establishment of CRPD is in accordance with the conventions ratified by the kingdom, particularly the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, noting that the Commission will be a national human rights body under whose dome all segments of the Bahraini society meet.

Dr. Salah highlighted the government’s desire to ensure the success of CRPD in order to promote the kingdom as an Arab and international model concerning mechanisms specialized in monitoring prisons, detention centres and juvenile centres, noting that such advanced initiatives reflect the kingdom’s keenness to benefit from the experiences of countries developed in the field of human rights.

He explained that the Commission of the Rights of Prisoners and Detainees will in charge of monitoring prisons, detention centres, juvenile centres and other places used for detention (e.g., hospitals and mental institutions), in order to verify the condition of the detainees, the treatment they receive, and ensure they are not subjected to torture, or inhumane or degrading treatment.

He said that CRPD will comprise eminent judicial figures and representatives from the Secretariat-General of the Ombudsman, the National Institution for Human Rights and civil society institutions in order to ensure it carries out its duties independently, impartially and professionally.

He added that CRPD will develop its own work mechanism, without any interference from any side, and will be able to determine the time it deems suitable to visit inmates or detainees in detention centres in order to verify their conditions and the treatment they receive, and make sure they are not subjected to torture, or inhumane or degrading treatment, in accordance with international standards.

He said that the protection of human rights is a constitutional right, and asserted that the establishment of CRPD is an activation of a clear constitutional principle guaranteeing the rights of suspects, and another step to consolidate the kingdom’s efforts to strengthen its legislative human rights framework.

WHQ