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No progress made in Bahraini investigations of protest killings, says UK

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, July 20, IRNA -- British government is not aware of anything happening about investigation set up by Bahraini authorities into human rights abuses in brutal clampdown against pro-democracy protesters, according to Foreign Office Minister Lord Howell.

“We have not heard of any progress on the investigation into the deaths in recent protests,” Howell said in a written parliamentary reply, published Wednesday.

“The UK Government welcomes the establishment by King Hamad of an independent commission, composed of international figures, to look into the events of recent months and into allegations of abuses of human rights,” he said.

“It is our hope that this step will lead to concrete progress in addressing the recent serious concerns about the human rights situation in Bahrain.” the minister added.

Last week, Howell said that the British government does not know how many political prisoners are currently held in Bahraini jails but that it has raised a long list of concerns about the conduct of military trials, including against 48 health professionals.

“We have made no assessment of the exact number of political prisoners currently held in Bahraini detention centres. We remain deeply concerned by the imprisonment of leading moderate politicians and the alleged mistreatment of detainees,” he said.

In a series of written parliamentary replies, Howell has insisted that the UK government, which has been accused of adopting double standards toward the uprisings in various Arab countries, continues to press the Bahraini regime “to meet all their human rights obligations.”

He confirmed that the British Embassy in Manama was able to attend some of the many military trials currently taking place, including the trials of the 48 medical staff.

“Our primary concerns in the legal process have been the methods of arrest, early access to legal counsel, allegations of abuse in detention, methods of interrogation, alleged coerced confessions, the charges brought against defendants, and the implications that medical professionals may not be allowed to carry out their duties without fear of recrimination,” the minister said.