Overview: Bahrain

Major political reforms begun in 2000 have slowed dramatically, and in some cases been reversed. Arrests of government critics have resumed. The detention of human rights defender ‘Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja and the closure of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) in September 2004 was a major blow to the reform process. Immunity has been granted to officials for acts of torture committed prior to February 2001. Crackdowns on freedom of expression occur with increasing frequency.

The King has stated his commitment to ending all discrimination against women, but violence against women continues, and there remains strong resistance to replacing the traditional family or religious courts with civil courts, as women's rights advocates have urged. Ghada Jamsheer, a leading advocate for women's rights in Bahrain, has been charged with "slander" for her criticism of family courts. Discrimination against Shiites remains a problem, and real poverty is on the rise in some Shiite communities. Economic disparities between Sunni and Shiite Bahrainis are growing. Many Bahrainis, mostly Shiites, remain classified as "bidoon", that is, without citizenship. Foreign workers remain vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, particularly female domestic workers, who have virtually no protection at all.

Three Bahrainis are detained without charge by the US at Guantanamo Bay. The death penalty remains on the books, though there are few executions.

Bahrain's Sectarian Challenge: (International Crisis Group - May 2005/PDF) »

Conclusions and Recommendations of the UN Committee Against Torture: Bahrain - 34th Session (May 2005) »