Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 June 2015
208. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views regarding the position of human rights and political freedoms in Bahrain following the detention of opposition leader, Sheikh Ali Salman; if he or his officials have discussed these matters with European Union colleagues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25220/15]
View answerI am familiar with the case of Sheikh Ali Salman, Bahrain’s main opposition leader, who was reportedly jailed for four years last week. The apparent arrest, detention and prosecution of Sheikh Ali Salman for the peaceful exercise of the right to freedom of expression is of great concern. Ireland was one of 47 member states who delivered a joint statement expressing serious concern over the human rights situation in Bahrain at the 26th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in June 2014. In the statement, the signatories expressed their concern regarding the protection of human rights in Bahrain and called on the government to expedite the implementation of the recommendations received from the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry in this regard. At the 27th session of the Human Rights Council in October 2014, in a national statement, Ireland welcomed the positive steps taken by the authorities in Bahrain with respect to cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights while again expressing our serious concerns about the human rights situation, in particular condemning ‘the continuing arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, detained for peacefully exercising their human rights’.
At the 28th Session of the Human Rights Council in March 2015, Ireland raised further concerns as regards to the detention or persecution of civil society actors in Bahrain for peacefully exercising their rights.
As noted by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, during the 29th Session of the Human Rights Council on 15 June 2015, “the way forward to ensure peace, stability and prosperity for all Bahrainis is through genuine dialogue between the Government and the opposition, without preconditions”, and I would like to echo his call for all those detained in connection with their peaceful activities to be released.
Ireland will continue to follow closely the human rights situation in Bahrain and to monitor the case of Sheikh Ali Salman in this context.
