BAHRAIN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS LOSES APPEAL CASE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANAMA 000858

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/15/2015
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM BA
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS LOSES APPEAL CASE

REF: MANAMA 823

Classified By: A/DCM Hallie Hahn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) lost its
appeal to re-open June 14. The Center, which the GOB
dissolved in September 2004, has the right to make one final
appeal in the Court of Cassation. BCHR members stated both
publicly and privately that they probably would not register
a case with the Court of Cassation as they believe the judges
would be influenced by politics rather than the law. BCHR
President Nabeel Rajab told PolOff that he and other board
members never expected the courts to side with the Center,
but they were encouraged by Amnesty International to appeal
anyway. Rajab said the BCHR would continue its activities
despite recent warnings from the GOB that it must cease all
activities or risk prosecution (reftel).
MONROE