Bahrain Mirror: The Bahrain Human Rights Society said in a statement issued Monday (October 11, 2016) on the World Day Against the Death Penalty, that since 2009 until today, the Kingdom of Bahrain has not witnessed any execution of death penalties. They indicated that this is a good sign; however, the disappointing part is that the death penalty sentences are still upheld.

Following is the statement issued by the Bahrain Human Rights Society on the World Day Against the Death Penalty, 2016:

The international community celebrates the World Day Against the Death Penalty on October 10, where rights organizations and figures opposing this penalty, including the UN, reiterate their call to abolish the death penalty, believing it to be a heinous practice rejected by the healthy human sense. [This penalty] is considered a blatant infringement of the principle of right in life, and which has become a firm principle in the civilized doctrine of humans, who have declared their outspoken opposition and constant outrage at the loss of human soul due to this inhumane punishment.

The Kingdom of Bahrain, since 2009 until today, has not witnessed the execution of any death penalty. This is a positive side that leads us to call for the complete abolishment of the death penalty from legislations. What is disappointing however, is that the death penalty sentences are still upheld in Bahraini courts. There is a number of prisoners sentenced to death (7 defendants sentenced to death), now sitting in prison, suffering [bad] psychological and physical conditions. Their situation is very hard, as they die every second of every day. The Society's stance is based on the International Bill of Human Rights, which affirms the right to life as stipulated in the Universal Declaration of Human Right Article (3) stating that each individual has the right to life, freedom and safety. Article (6) of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights in its first Paragraph also states that "Every human being has the inherent right to life, and no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life."

This is what the Optional Protocol of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights stated, aiming at abolishing the death penalty. It also confirmed that eliminating the death penalty shall contribute to promoting human dignity.

As the Bahrain Human Rights Society shares the international community its opposition against this cruel punishment, it also sends its greetings and appreciations to the countries that showed courage, amended their laws, and declared abolishing the death penalty. The [Bahrain Human Rights] Society calls on the countries whose laws still state the practice of this punishment, to abandon it, or replace it with an alternative punishment, as it is considered an embodiment of the spirit of revenge, which proved to be ineffective, and wrong to adopt in many judicial rulings.

On this occasion, the Bahrain Human Rights Society reiterates its call on the Kingdom of Bahrain to do the following:

1-      Join and ratify the annexed Second Optional Protocol of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights related to the abolishment of the death penalty.

2-      Continue to put on hold the execution of death penalties as a first step to abolish them indefinitely.

3-      Work on limiting death penalties, leading to their indefinite abolishment.

4-      Continue the approach of criminal justice reform, including canceling this punishment and adopting alternatives for it.

Bahrain Human Rights Society

Arabic Version