Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 March 2012
14 Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken to date to highlight the detention of Bahrainian human rights activist, Abdulhadi Al- Khawaja who has been on hunger strike since the start of February in protest at his sentencing to life imprisonment; and the steps he will take as a matter of urgency to highlight his critical condition. [17230/12]
View answer27 Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on Bahrain’s continued lack of political reform and ongoing repression of pro-democracy and human rights protesters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17229/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 27 together.
I have already made clear on a number of occasions, including in this House, my own deep concern and that of the Irish Government and people at the human rights situation in Bahrain. I am particularly concerned about the gravely deteriorating health of dual Danish-Bahrain citizen Mr Al-Khawaja, a leading Bahraini human rights activist and a former Frontline coordinator who was arrested in April 2011 for his alleged role in the unrest in Manama last year. Mr Al-Khawaja has now been on hunger strike for some 50 days and is reported to be refusing water and medical treatment.
Mr Al-Khawaja's hunger strike is in protest at his sentencing to life imprisonment on 22 June 2011, a verdict which I continue to regard as unjust and appalling. The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry report published last November has clearly described how Mr. Al-Khawaja was subject to violent abuse in detention which resulted in serious head injuries requiring urgent medical treatment. I do not believe that Mr Al-Khawaja received a trial meeting international standards. His trial was conducted in circumstances closely resembling a military trial; civilians should be tried in ordinary civilian courts.
I raised Mr. Al-Khawaja's case with Danish Foreign Minister Sovndal at the Gymnich informal meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Ministers in Copenhagen on 10 March. In addition, my officials have been in contact with the Danish, US and UK authorities in recent weeks with regard to this case, while my serious concerns have been relayed directly to the Bahraini Ambassador in London by officials in my Department. It is my understanding that Denmark has offered to accept Mr Al-Khawaja and to give him medical treatment. Our Ambassador in Riyadh has also been active in relaying my general concerns regarding the human rights situation and also the specific case of Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja to the Bahraini authorities and will continue to do so at every opportunity. I urge the Bahrain authorities to work earnestly with the Danish authorities to resolve this case as a matter of humanitarian urgency. I remain concerned at reports of ongoing repression against protestors in Bahrain as well as the unfair trials and continued detention of political detainees.
I welcomed the publication on 23 November 2011 of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry's report into the violent repression of protests earlier that year. I also welcome the fact that significant steps have been taken by the Bahraini authorities to implement the recommendations of the report, including the establishment of a follow-up commission. However, it is essential that the Bahraini authorities make further progress in a timely, transparent and thorough manner towards addressing the serious shortcomings identified in the report. I particularly urge the Bahraini authorities to release those detained for peacefully protesting and to hold accountable those who, according to the report, were responsible for serious violations of human rights.
Ireland has also been active in ensuring the EU remains focussed on the situation in Bahrain and strongly supported the EU démarche to the Bahraini authorities in January urging the authorities to release political detainees. I will continue to monitor closely developments in the case of Mr Al-Khawaja as well as the broader human rights situation in Bahrain, including the ongoing civilian retrial of a group of medical doctors and nurses, some of whom were Irish-trained.
