Manama, Sept. 18 (BNA): Chairman of the Human Rights Committee at the Council of Representatives and member of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR)’s Board of Commissioners Khalid Al-Shaer has affirmed that the joint statement issued by a group of states at the Geneva meeting is politicised, biased and ignores the landmark human rights achievements of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
It does not represent the fair and just human rights stance that contributes to consolidating and developing the human situation in the kingdom, he added, stressing that Bahrain has launched many civilised and positive human rights initiatives that seldom exist in many countries, including those signatories to the statement which includes a number of fallacies.

Such a negative statement does not reflect the reality of the human rights situation in Bahrain clearly and transparently as it relied on incredible and biased sources, included false remarks and dealt with issues that have nothing to do with the responsibilities of the UN Human Rights Council.

MP Al-Shaer added that the statement exposed the ignorance of the states which signed the statement of the real human rights situation in Bahrain, stressing the Human Rights Committee’s rejection of such a statement because of the fallacies featuring in it.

Although it mentioned some Bahraini human rights achievements, the statement was generally unsuccessful and biased, which reveals its politicised element and unacceptable stances against the kingdom, as proved by many observers and countries participating in the meeting, he said.

He stressed that the joint statement was not part of the agenda of the 30th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva including mainly the opening statement of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the periodic report on human rights in the world in which Bahrain was not mentioned.

The statement lacked credibility and neutrality, he added, explaining that its contradictory method deliberately ignored the terror acts carried out by extremist groups to intimidate citizens and residents, damage public and private property, target security personnel and undermine public order, and therefore contributed to supporting and justifying violence, which contravenes human rights values and principles.

MP Al-Shaer emphasised that the statement will not impede the human rights march in the kingdom which, he said, is keen on developing human rights for the interests of the nation and the citizens in the first place, noting that the states which are keen on consolidating human rights should have highlighted the kingdom’s positive strides fairly and impartially in their statement.

He indicated that the Council of Representatives would intensify its efforts to contact councils, parliaments and organisations to uncover facts and respond to fallacies.

It will also support all initiatives, steps and legislation aiming to develop the human right situation in the kingdom, in cooperation with all sides seeking to promote the human rights culture in communities, without politicisation or prejudice.

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BNA 1341 GMT 2015/09/18