15 rights groups urge Biden to address Bahrain abuses

Donald Trump’s policies encourage authoritarianism in Manama, rights groups say; want Biden to reset relations.

A group of 15 rights groups urged the administration of US President Joe Biden to address the deterioration of human rights in Bahrain by adopting a rights-based foreign policy towards the Gulf. The group, which includes the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), Amnesty International, Reprieve, and the World Organisation Against Torture, wrote in a letter to US State Secretary Anthony Blinken on Wednesday that “Last December, you noted that ‘[i]n too many countries, people are imprisoned and face torture or death for speaking their minds, reporting the news, or demanding their rights.’ This statement sadly reflects the situation in Bahrain over the last four years”. The letter points to ​human rights activists Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, Nabeel Rajab​ and ​Ebtisam al-Saegh, who have been detained in Bahrain for their activism.