The invitation stated "Despite claims to the contrary, the Alkhalifa regime of Bahrain has proven its inability to reform in any real sense. One year after Cherif Bissioni conducted his investigation, torture has now escalated to new levels of sadism. Young women and children have been raped and blackmailed into working for the security services. No political reform has been undertaken while the number of political detainees has reached new levels."
Speakers included:
Lord Avebury: Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group
Mohammed Al-Tajer: Bahraini human rights lawyer (tortured by the Bahraini regime)
Said Yousif Al-Mahafda: Head of Monitoring, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Rodney Shakespeare: Chairman of the Committee Against Torture in Bahrain
Husain Abdulla: Director of Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain
A film was shown of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations being suppressed violently by the Bahraini authorities. It included interviews with Bahraini pro-democracy activists, human rights lawyers and torture victims.
The audience were told that there are presently 90 Bahraini children in detention and that no senior officials have been held accountable for human rights abuses. A greater proportion of Bahrainis have participated in the pro-democracy Arab Spring than in any other Arab country. All of the Bahraini's present at the seminar claimed to have suffered torture. In explaining why the West is largely silent about human rights abuses in Bahrain, it was pointed out that Bahrain is home to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the United States Fifth Fleet.
Photos of Bahrain Seminar
See also:
Bahrain Independent Commission of Enquiry chaired by Mahmoud Cherif Bissioni
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Bahrain Freedom Movement
Bahrain Watch
BCHR report on human rights violations since the BICI Report - June 2012
Bahrain Post BICI Report - Part II
BBC Report: David Cameron meets King of Bahrain
Guardian: Bahrain 'torture service' official to attend royal wedding
