Minister of Human Rights: Inviting the UN Special Rapporteur is Bahrain's prerogative

The Minister of Human Rights, Dr. Salah Ali bin Abdul-Rahman, said that inviting the UN Special Rapporteur is the Government’s prerogative and a matter of the State’s sovereignty, as well as deciding a suitable timing for the visit in order to ensure the highest national interest.The Minister, in an exclusive interview with Al-Ayam daily newspaper published today, said that it is important to reconfirm that Bahrain had requested a delaying of the UN torture rapporteur’s visit but not its cancellation.The Minister regretted that some human rights activists and organizations over-exaggerated Bahrain’s requesting a delaying of the UN special rapporteur’s visit and made many accusations and false allegations.The Government had announced its request for a delaying of the rapporteur’s visit as part of official policy in dealing with all important dossier in absolute transparency.The Minister affirmed that Bahrain as long as it is a country which protects human rights, keeps its doors open for all prestigious human rights personalities and organizations to view its rights and democratic accomplishments. The Minister added that the Government continues to develop rights work and to apply optimal practices regardless of who visits the Kingdom of Bahrain.The Minister explained that the current phase requires more focusing and attention to ensure the successfulness of the on-going National Consensus Dialogue (NCD) and to concentrate efforts, give priority and provide appropriate environment to the NCD whose fruitful outcomes the Government awaits.The Minister of Human Rights ruled out that the inclusion of any item pertaining to human rights in Bahrain in the agenda of the 24th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva this month, pointing out that the Government within one year implemented 126 recommendations out of 158 accepted by Bahrain after the second comprehensive periodic review made by the UN Human Rights Council last year .