Rights groups condemn F1’s “double standard” for racing in Bahrain amidst “continued institutionalized repression”

15 March 2022 – 27 NGOs wrote to the CEO of Formula 1 (F1), Stefano Domenicali, to condemn the company’s “clear double standard” on Ukraine in comparison to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend. Rights groups raised concerns over F1’s failure to engage with rights groups in spite of “continued institutionalized repression” in Bahrain, whilst calling on F1 to use their platform to secure redress for victims in Bahrain, reconsider their policy on racing in Gulf states due to their role in waging war in Yemen, and evaluate their contract with Bahrain, said the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) and Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) today.

Husain Abdullah, Executive Director of Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), commented: “When Formula 1 finally adopted a human rights policy, it failed to make any meaningful impact on the victims who have suffered due to the staging of their races in the Gulf. We once again call upon F1 to refrain from sportswashing and to stand up for the victims of abuse and war in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Yemen once and for all, just as they have done in Ukraine.”

ADHRB urges the Council to pressure Bahrain to immediately release Dr. AlSingace and hand over his book to his family

On 9 March, ADHRB has delivered an oral intervention at the United Nation Human Rights Council session 49 under item 3, during the interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, to urges the Council to pressure Bahrain to immediately release Dr. AlSingace and hand over his book to his family.

 

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Faris Husain Salman

Faris Habib Husain, was an 18-year-old student when he was beaten and arrested without a warrant in a house raid. He was consequently tortured and subjected to fair trial violations. He is currently in Dry Dock Detention Center awaiting the issuance of the judgment against him.

On 9 February 2021, Faris was summoned by a call to his fatherrequesting that he be brought to the CID in Adliya. When they attended on the next day, his father was asked to sign papers without reading them and told that he and his son should go to the headquarters of the Supreme Criminal Court on the next day.

Faris and his family went to the court building on 11 February, and there, the court held its first session. Four charges were brought against him in connection with the February 2020 protests. Faris denied all the charges and was arrested on the same day then held for a month in Dry Dock Detention Center.

During his detention, Faris was subjected to several violations, including threats of raping his parents. He was interrogated and brought to the prosecution without the presence of his father or a lawyer. He was also threatened by a police officer that he would be re-arrested after he turned 18 in case he was released, as reprisal for his family filing a complaint against the police officer after he cut Faris’s hair without his consent and assaulted him. Due to the mobilization of activists and international human rights groups, Faris was released and was sentenced to 6 months of agricultural work as an alternative sentence on 11 March, on charges of illegal assembly, riots, possession of Molotov cocktails, and burning tires on 14 February 2020.


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