Meeting

The National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR)’s Council of Commissioners convened its 1^st regular meeting under the chairpersonship of HE Mr. Saeed bin Mohamed Al-Faihani.  The Board reviewed the results of participation by a delegation of the NIHR in the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of the Kingdom of Bahrain (UPR) at its 27^th session held at the UN Palace in Geneva during 1 – 5 May 2017.  Mr. Al-Faihani stated that the NIHR submitted its parallel report to the UPR, which was included in the report entitled “summary of information provided by stakeholders on Bahrain” that was contained in the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.  He added that the Kingdom of Bahrain has witnessed fundamental shifts since the accession of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, may God protect him, to the reins of governance, towards further strengthening of democracy and human rights, and that the NIHR appreciates the positive efforts made by the Kingdom in dealing with UPR’s recommendations, especially in the area of criminal justice, Child Law and combatting trafficking in person, and commends the government’s efforts to provide a suitable atmosphere for the freedom of thought, opinion, expression and belief.

Mr. Al-Faihani also made an overview of the most important events during the meetings held by the delegation during that visit, especially with Mrs. Kate Glimore, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ambassador Mr. Joaquin Martelli, President of the Human Rights Council and Permanent Representative of Salvador, Mr. Mohamed Al-Nasour, Special Assistant to the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Director of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Division, and Mr. Vladlen Stefanov, Director of the Office of National Institutions, Local Mechanisms and Civil Society Institutions at the Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Branch of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.  The delegation also met with Ambassador Mr. Valentin Zlweger, the Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Ambassador Mr. Mark Mathews, the Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom in Geneva and Mrs. Lone Thorup, the Deputy Danish Ambassador to Geneva.

Mr. Abdullah Al-Derazi, NIHR Vice Chairperson, also presented a summary of the participation by NIHR’s delegation in the meeting of the members of the Committee against Torture (CAT).during its 60^th session, where the NIHR’s parallel report was discussed and a number of questions raised by the Committee members were answered.  During the meeting, Ms. Dina Al-Lazi, Head of the NIHR’s Committee on Complaints, Monitoring and Follow-up, presented a summary of the complaints and legal assistance requests received by the NIHR as well as the monitoring cases through the media and social media and the procedures that have been taken thereupon.  The Council also adopted the report by the NIHR General Secretariat for the first quarter of 2017.