One Big Thing: Are human rights in Bahrain moving in the right direction?

What is it?

• On Tuesday, June 9, Bahrain released prominent human rights activist Nabeel Rajab from prison after he was jailed in 2016 for expressing anti-government dissent regarding the island nation’s destructive actions in Yemen.
• The government of Bahrain has banned all independent media, opposition parties, and critical rhetoric. Its security forces have also been accused violent overreach and of covering up torturous practices within their prisons.

Why is it important?

• The release of Nabeel Rajab is a step in the right direction but Bahrain still has a way to go. Mr. Rajab was initially incarcerated for criticizing his government’s support of Saudi Arabia in Yemen and perpetuation of the civil war therein.
• Bahrain also has a habit of stripping its own citizens of their nationality, effectively leaving them stateless. Since 2011, over 800 people have lost their nationality following a mass trail in which relied on evidence largely gained from torture.

What can you do?

• Find out more from the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, the Gulf Center for Human Rights and the U.S. State Department.