NIHR denounces violence, stresses keenness on civil peace

Manama, Jan. 30 (BNA): The National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) has followed on with deep concern the incidents related to kidnapping and aggressing Bahraini youngsters in some areas in Bahrain. An 18-year-old Bahraini citizen was killed while two others, aged 16 and 26 sustained scattered injuries after they had been subject to a physical assault which resulted in temporary incapacity of one of them as well as physical and moral suffering for the other who was deprived of freedom and held captive in breach of the law. In another incident, a 17-year-old youngster sustained serious injury in his head during a shootout between two groups of masked men and hurling stones early in the morning on January 26. The NIHR received with great sadness the Interior Ministry’s news on the martyrdom of First Lieutenant Hesham Hassan Al Hammadi who was shot dead. It expressed strong denunciation of such violent and criminal acts which targeted citizens and security officers and stressed categorical rejection of the use of violence and weapons against the state, affirming that targeting the security officers and the community is absolutely rejected. The NIHR asserted that the right to life and security are basic human rights and are considered as main elements in the democratic society. It denounced all acts of violence and called to promote values of tolerance, justice, sovereignty of the law, respect of human rights as well as political, civil, economic, social and cultural freedom. The institution also urged to shun fanning hatred and deepening division, calling to face violence and take unified and effective procedures to stop all illegal acts undermining national unity and cohesion. The NIHR called on all citizens to throw their weight behind the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to continue the reform approach and guide Bahrain into a more promising and prosperous future. It also reiterated commitment to respecting human rights as well as international covenants and conventions.