PDRC delegation visits Switzerland

Manama, Dec. 13 (BNA): At the invitation of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, a delegation from the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission (PDRC) led by Mohammed Nawaf Al-Moawda last week visited the city of Berne, Switzerland. The visit aimed to activate the memorandum of understanding signed between the two countries last May, in the presence of HM King Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, on the exchange of expertise and cooperation in the field of prisoners and detainees' rights. The delegation also comprised Dr. Waleed Khalifa Al-Mani' and Maria Antoine Khoury. It held a number of meetings and conducted field visits to the Committee against Torture, a prison and a police station where it was briefed on the mechanisms of action and workflow there. Head of Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission said the visit offered an opportunity to learn about the Swiss experience in the field of monitoring prisons and detention centers. It also contributed to the exchange of information and ideas relating to promoting the respect for human rights.