العربية
US Department of State said that Bahrain experienced during 2016 a sustained period of unrest, including mass protests calling for political reform, noting that the most serious human rights problems included limitations on citizens’ ability to choose their government peacefully.
In its report on human rights practices for 2016, US Department of State noted that problems also included restrictions on free expression, assembly, and association; and lack of due process in the legal system, including arrests without warrants or charges and lengthy pretrial detentions used especially in cases against opposition members and political or human rights activists.
According to the report, other significant human rights problems included lack of judicial accountability, defendants’ lack of access to attorneys and ability to challenge evidence, prison overcrowding, violations of privacy, and other restrictions on civil liberties.
Meanwhile, the US report highlighted that societal discrimination continued against the Shia population in Bahrain, as did other forms of discrimination based on gender, religion, and nationality.
To read the full report on Bahrain, click here.