On 29 August 2016, the government of Bahrain prevented Nedal Alsalmam, Head of International Relation and Women and Children Advocacy at the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, from leaving the country. She was informed by the airport officials that the decision is based on an order by the public prosecution. She intended to travel to Geneva to participate in the UNHRC’s 33^rd session.

On 22 August 2016, a colleague, Enas Oun, head of BCHR’s Monitoring and Documentation Section, was stopped by Bahraini authorities at Bahrain International Airport, while on her way to a human rights workshop in Tunisia. The authorities informed her that she cannot travel based on an order issued by the CID on the previous day.

Another woman human rights defender who was targeted by the authorities is Ghada Jamsheer, who is a writer, blogger and President of the Women’s Petition Committee (WPC), a network of women’s human rights defenders in Bahrain, campaigning for reform of Bahrain’s family laws. On 15 August 2016, Bahraini authorities arrested and detained Jamsheer upon her arrival to Bahrain International Airport from London. As of today, she has not been released nor allowed any direct contact with her family or lawyer. On 22 June 2016, a Bahraini court upheld a one-year sentence against Jamsheer over charges related to remarks she made on the social media website Twitter, regarding corruption by members of Bahrain’s ruling family in one of the government-run hospitals.

These are only a few very recent cases of the authorities targeting of women human rights defenders.

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights

August 30, 2016