Bahrain Mirror: Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni, who chairs the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), said that Bahrain implemented the commission's recommendations, claiming that these actions led Bahrain to "overcoming the 2011 events".

After he arrived to Bahrain, he said in a statement, published by the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) on Monday (May 9, 2016) that the King's decision to establish the commission was "wise and brave".

According to BNA, Bassiouni claimed that the government of Bahrain "was fully committed to the call by the Commission to reinstate the students in their colleges and the employees in their professional positions. The injured and victims received financial compensation without forgoing their right to resort to competent civil courts." He highlighted the establishment of the Special Investigation Unit within the Public Prosecution, the Office of the Public Prosecutor within the National Security Agency, and the Ombudsman Office. The trials conducted before the National Safety Courts were reviewed in ordinary courts, abusers were punished, the laws regarding criminal procedures and punishment were amended, police officers, judges, public prosecution members and lawyers were trained and the status of places of worship was regularized, Bassiouni added.

He further stated that "the Government had adopted additional measures that included the establishment of the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission in order to protect them and guarantee there are no abuses. All the measures taken by Bahrain indicate that serious efforts had been exerted to overcome the events of 2011."

"The Government developed the necessary measures and programs to enhance national cohesion between all components of the Bahraini society and to improve the capabilities of the security services," Bassiouni also noted.

"I saw during this visit several security reports which were not available in 2011 when the BICI was preparing its report and which indicate the existence of interference by regional foreign parties," he stressed.

Bassiouni concluded by saying that "Bahrain has emerged from a difficult period, and the Government has dealt with the events through an integrated system of reforms and efficient actions that led to overcome the 2011 events in light of new conditions and variables in the region. Bahrain was moving forward with reforms, which prompts the statement that the objectives of the BICI recommendations have been achieved, and that the main guarantee to maintain and build upon what has been achieved is a continuation of the reforms project launched by the King."

Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni, head of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), who was appointed by the king, maintained since 2011 good relations with the Royal Court and Bahraini Government that cooperates with a training institution he established in Italy (International Institute of Higher Studies in Criminal Sciences). Several members of the ministries of interior and justice are trained there.

Tags: BICI Report, Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni

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