Today, on the request of the S&D Group, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the immediate release of Nabeel Rajab and all political prisoners. The prominent human rights defender, sentenced to five years in prison for peacefully expressing his views, is just one of dozens of human rights defenders, political activists, opposition leaders and journalists that authorities in Bahrain have unjustly imprisoned since quelling anti-government protests in 2011.

 

 

No amount of high profile public relations campaign by Bahrain can hide the reality of harsh crackdowns on all forms of dissent. Nabeel Rajab, sentenced for five years in prison, has done absolutely nothing that would have justified this punishment. He only dared to criticize, on social media, the alleged torture in Bahrain’s Jaw Prison and the Saudi-led military operations in Yemen. Unfortunately, he is far from being the only victim of the government’s brutal crackdowns. More and more human rights defenders and peaceful opposition activists face prison sentences, exile, travel bans, revocation of citizenships or severe threats and intimidation as a result of their peaceful work. The recent increase in the use of the death penalty is also extremely concerning.

 

All these acts of violence, harassment and intimidation should stop immediately and all activists detained unjustly for their peaceful human rights and political activities must be immediately released.

 

We call on the EU member states to halt all transfers of weapons, surveillance and intelligence equipment that can be used by Bahrain in its ongoing crackdown on human rights. It is high time to also consider imposing targeted measures against the human rights violators.