Bahrain slams Amnesty International for ‘inaccurate’ report

Following Amnesty International’s report on Bahrain published last Monday, the Bahraini Foreign Ministry slammed the international human rights organisation, accusing them of publishing inconsistencies in their report.

The report, which was conducted by interviewing over 90 alleged victims of human rights abuses, along with their family members and lawyers, was published in order to give an insight into the way the Bahraini government cracks down on personal freedoms.

The report also assessed the extent that the UK government has trained and supported the Bahraini Ministry of Interior’s ombudsman as well as the Arab Gulf monarchy’s Special Investigations Unit, and thus directly contributing to human rights abuses in Bahrain.

“In its propagation of allegations that were not proven in a court of law, the report presents a cover that regretfully contributes to excuse illegal practices not related to human rights or the rule of law,” the Bahraini foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Bahrain is notorious for its crackdown on freedom of speech and other rights, after what was suspected to be an Iran-backed revolt of primarily Shia Bahrainis was crushed in 2011.

Since then, journalists, academics and citizens who speak out against the government have been systematically arrested and allegedly tortured while in prison for their dissent.