NIHR’s Committee on Complaints, Monitoring and Follow-up is convenes its 14th Regular Meeting via Teleconference
31 May 2020
In compliance with the precautionary measures and instructions issued in the context of preserving the health of all, which is a basic human right, the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR)’s Committee on Complaints, Monitoring and Follow-up convened its 14th regular monthly meeting via teleconference under the chairpersonship of Ms. Maria Khoury and membership of Dr. Hameed Ahmed Husain, Mrs. Rawdha Salman Alaradi and
Mr. Ammar Ahmed Albannai.
The Committee extended its warmest congratulations to the leadership and all citizens and residents on the occasion of Al-Fitr feast, praying to Allah to return it to everyone with health and safety and to end the Corona pandemic, stating at the same time that citizens and residents should adhere to the guidelines and directives issued by the competent authorities and to abide by social distancing standards as much as possible, since the commitment of everyone to the instructions preserves human rights in general and the right to health in particular.
The Committee reiterated its praise for the precautionary and preventive measures adopted by the General Administration of Correction and Rehabilitation of the Ministry of the Interior during the current exceptional conditions, especially those related to providing medical consultations and treatment to the inmates of the correction and rehabilitation centres using communication and videoconference techniques, based upon the keenness of the administration of those centres to combat the Coronavirus (Covid-19) to preserve the health and safety of the inmates. The Chairperson of the Committee pointed out that Jaw prison provided (40) medical consultations by consultants from different Bahrain hospitals within twenty days only from the activation of the service of receiving remote treatment and medical advice.
The Committee discussed its periodic statement including cases relevant to the application of the provisions of the Law on Alternative Penalties and Measures and stated its continued communication with the relevant bodies in order to coordinate with them with regard to the requests that fulfill the requirements of the Law no. (18) of 2017 on Alternative Penalties and Measures.
Based upon the competencies granted to the NIHR with regard to the protection and promotion of human rights, as well as the NIHR’s supervisory mandate in general and the mandate of the Committee in particular to monitor human rights situation especially in the correction and rehabilitation centres, the Committee contacted stakeholders in order to emphasize the importance of continued respect for the right of inmates to education at various educational levels by providing them with textbooks to prepare for semester exams.
The Committee discussed a number of requests for assistance received from some foreign convicts covered by the Royal High Pardon, who asked for facilitating their travel and repatriation procedures under the current conditions, appraising the efforts by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of interior in coordination with embassies of foreign countries in Bahrain to ensure meeting the necessary precautionary measures.
The Committee discussed all its previous resolutions and recommendations and the actions taken thereupon. The Committee reviewed a number of complaints, legal aids and cases monitored via the media and social media from April to May 2020, which amounted to (5) complaints with various contents including the right to health and the right to physical and moral integrity. It also provided (41) legal aids, monitored (6) cases via the media and social media and received (93) calls via the NIHR’s toll-free hotline during the said period.
Due to the current conditions and the precautionary measures taken by the Kingdom of Bahrain to combat the Coronavirus (Covid-19), in compliance with the directives and guidelines of the official authorities to limit the spread of the virus, based upon its keenness to the health and safety of everyone, the NIHR continues the provision of its services through the smartphone mobile application (NIHR Bahrain), its website (www.nihr.org.bh) or the toll-free hotline (80001144).
