Meeting

The National institution for Human Rights (NIHR)’s Committee on Complaints, Monitoring and Follow-up convened its 24^th regular monthly meeting by teleconference under the chairpersonship of Ms. Maria Khoury and membership of Dr. Hameed Ahmed Husain, Mr. Ammar Ahmed Al-Bannai and Mrs. Rawdha Al-Aradi. 

The Committee opened its meeting by praising the speed response and seriousness of cooperation shown by the concerned parties in the National Authority for Regulating Medical Professions and Health Services regarding the response to some inquiries made by the NIHR on one of the complaints submitted to the NIHR by a citizen related to exposure to abuse by some employees of a private hospital in the State, where the Committee appreciated the interest of the addressee, which indicates its eagerness to stop any act that violates the rights of individuals to enjoy their right to health guaranteed to them under the Constitution and the relevant national laws.

Then, the Committee reviewed its statements related to the complaints received by the NIHR, the legal aids submitted and the cases monitored via the media and social media during the period from 24 February to 18 March this year, where it dealt with (4) complaints, submitted (48) legal aids, monitored (6) cases via the media and social media and received (213) calls via the NIHR toll-free hotline, and discussed the actions taken thereupon.

In completion of the discussion of the measures taken by the NIHR in light of monitoring the phenomenon of environmental pollution, the spread of yellow spots in some areas of Bahrain and the damage to the property of a number of individuals as a result, the concerned parties in the Supreme Council for Environment will be addressed in order to ensure the procedures that the Council has taken to examine the causes that led to this phenomenon and to deal with it seriously to protect the right to a clean and safe environment, given that the right to a clean environment is one of the most fundamental human rights guaranteed under the Constitution and relevant national, regional and international laws.  This is part of the Committee’s keenness to exercise its monitoring role in monitoring human rights violations by receiving complaints, monitoring them through social media or the media and providing the necessary legal aids.

The Committee also discussed the course of field visit conducted by the Committee to one of the inmates of the Correction and Rehabilitation Centre, in light of monitoring a news report on one of the social media websites stating that an inmate had been assaulted by another inmate, where the inmate's physical health was reassured and the necessary measures were taken to continue to ensure that he enjoyed the necessary health care.

The Committee concluded its meeting by discussing all its previous decisions and recommendations and the actions taken thereupon.