SENTENCES HANDED DOWN TO RELATIVES OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER MR ALWADAEI AND SITUATION IN BAHRAIN

That this House is very concerned about the three-year prison sentences handed down recently in Bahrain for alleged terrorism offences committed by three family members of the UK-based Bahraini human rights activist, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei; notes that the trial has been widely criticised, including by UN experts, and seen as an attempt to punish and silence Mr Alwadaei; is also concerned by the purported defamation in statements made by the Bahraini Embassy in the UK in connection with the case; is alarmed by the continuing deterioration in the human rights situation in Bahrain, marked by the approval of a constitutional amendment allowing civilians to be tried before a military court, the on-going trial of prominent human rights defender Nabeel Rajab and further charges, which appear to be politically motivated, brought against imprisoned opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman; recalls the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stating at the Human Rights Council session in September 2017 that the democratic space in the country has essentially been shut down and that no public relations campaign can paper over the violations being inflicted on the people of Bahrain; asks the Government of Bahrain to remove illegal restrictions on the activities of civil society and of peaceful opposition and to end politically motivated prosecutions immediately; and calls on the Government to raise these concerns with the Bahraini Government and to demonstrate the value of its assistance to them.