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.