HRW blasts Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia human rights record

Human Rights Watch 2012 Report has severely criticized Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia for violation of human rights and restrictions on their opposition activists.
The Report has severely criticized Kuwait government in the crisis of not granting citizenship to ‘Bidun’ minority group. Despite Bidun’s historical records in Kuwait, the government has denied citizenship to them, and police had crackdown on their peaceful protests.

“While 2011 saw some gains for free expression, authorities increased internet surveillance, and continued to detain and criminally prosecute individuals based on nonviolent political speech, including web commentary,” said the Report. At least 106,000 stateless persons, known as Bidun, live in Kuwait.

“In February and March 2011 hundreds of Bidun protested the government’s failure to act on their citizenship applications.”

The report has also criticized Bahrain. The report said that Bahrain has handled the crisis as if it were security issue, instead of initiating reforms. Rejecting demands to release political prisoners, rejecting persecution of government officials responsible for torturing detainees, and mounting efforts to silence human rights activists are indication that Bahrain government has not been serious in implementing promised reforms.

The report also said that Bahrain has arrested human rights activists for peaceful protests.

Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa said that during 2012 Bahrain government has taken a security approach in handling gatherings instead of implementing promised reforms.

The Report also said that Saudi Arabia has detained hundreds of protesters during peaceful gatherings, and a number of political and social activists got sentences in court for their criticisms. The Report also said that thousands are in Saudi prisons without explanation of their charges.

Saudi Ministry of Interior has banned any kind of gatherings. Saudi Security forces have murdered 14 protesters in Al Sharqiya Province since early 2011. They demanded political reforms. As Eric Goldstein, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division, has said, Saudi Arabia has intimidated all individuals who criticized government’s official line, persecuted them and severely restricted their activities.