Iranian Official Urges UN Action to End Violation of Human Rights in Bahrain

Chief of the Iranian Judiciary's Human Rights Council Mohammad Javad Larijani in separate letters to UN Secretary General António Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein called for action for a peaceful settlement of the situation in Bahrain.

The international community is expected to fulfil its duties under the UN Charter and international conventions to gain a correct understanding of the crisis in Bahrain and stop the continuous violation of human rights and suppression of religious and sectarian freedom in the Arab country, he added.

Criticizing the Manama regime for attributing popular civil demands to religious motivations since the beginning of unrest in 2011, Larijani listed some of the most blatant illegal measures the Al Khalifa regime has taken against the people of Bahrain, including demolition of mosques, prohibition of religious rites, serving summons on clerics and preachers, imprisoning political and religious leaders, and stripping popular Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim of his nationality.

The Manama regime’s insistence on policing and security approaches has only complicated the situation in Bahrain, he deplored.

The Iranian official further asked the UN officials to employ international human rights mechanisms to overturn unjust verdicts against Sheikh Qassim, guarantee the freedom of the cleric, his family and supporters, and have the Al Khalifa government release Bahraini prisoners who have been arrested for demanding their rights.   

Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, with Manama using heavy-handed measures in an attempt to crush the demonstrations.

Scores of Bahrainis have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested in the ongoing crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations.