Bahrain Monitor: It is High Time to Close
the File of Victims
of Torture
The Bahrain Human Rights Monitor has issued a public statement
to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the victims of
torture, which took place on 26 June 2009. The statement stated
that after nine years since the beginning of the political and human
rights reform period, Bahrain is still struggling to resolve the
file of the victims of the pre-reform era. The statement added that
this issue cannot be prolonged any further and that it is the duty
of the Executive Authority, as well as local human rights organisations
and political societies, to reach an acceptable settlement which
ensure the closure of this file in a manner that prevents the re-occurrence
of any systematic human rights abuses of the kind that occurred
in the country during the pre-reform period. The statement continued
to say that the reluctance to resolve the issue of victims of torture
until today stems from the current political situation that has
been shadowed by political disagreements and the lack of trust between
the Government and political societies as well as civil society
institutions.
The statement called on the parties to agree on a specific mechanism
to compensate the victims of torture and publicly admit that violations
have occurred in the past. With regard to persecuting those accused
of human rights violations, it is possible to find a solution if
good intentions exist, the language of forgiveness prevails and
if suitable settlements accepted in accordance with the country’s
circumstances and in line with the hopes to develop the political
and human rights in the foreseen future.
|
