MANAMA: The Chinese ambassador to Bahrain, Anwaer Habibullah, has spoken of how impressed he found the facilities at Jaw Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre and the treatment of its inmates during a field visit yesterday with other top diplomats.
They were invited by the Interior Ministry and met by its Under-Secretary Shaikh Nasser bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa to ‘see for themselves’ following unsubstantiated allegations voiced by the European Union, aided and abetted by scurrilous and baseless reports on Qatar’s Al Jazeera TV channel.
Mr Habibullah said that he was happy to have ‘witnessed first-hand the actual conditions of this prison’.
“The management system is professional, its facilities are excellent and the treatment procedures are meticulous, which are strongest evidences on the unrelenting efforts by the Bahraini government in improving its prison conditions and protecting the human rights of inmates,” the envoy said in a statement to the GDN.
“Over a long term, Bahrain has made great achievements in this regard, under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Hamad, with the government remaining committed to maintaining the basic rights of citizens and continuously improving the standard of living of the people, irrespective of different races, ethnicities and religious beliefs.”
He also highlighted Bahrain’s tolerance and diversity in accepting social values, which he said, was among the foundations for the long-term stability and development of the country.
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Bahraini government has taken action in terms of precautionary measures, providing free treatment and vaccinations for citizens and foreign residents,” he added.
“This is not just for the protection of rights that are fundamental to life and health but also fully reflects international humanism, which the kingdom has always appreciated and been appreciated for.
“This had fetched the country international recognition, especially as in institutions like the prisons – the Bahraini government has taken special and complete measures to preserve the inmates’ health and rights.”
He was joined on the visit by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Omani Ambassador Abdullah bin Rashid bin Ali Al Medilwi, German Ambassador Kai Thamo Boeckmann, British Ambassador Roderick Drummond, French Ambassador Jérôme Cauchard, Italian Ambassador Paola Amadei, the US Embassy chargé d’affaires Margaret Nardi, Russian Embassy consular section head Feodor Efremov, head of mission of the International Organisation for Migration and acting resident co-ordinator of UN activities in Bahrain Mohammed Al Zarqani and Riyadh-based European Union delegation head to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Oman Patrick Simonnet.
Mr Boeckmann described the briefing on his Twitter social media account as a ‘welcome opportunity to exchange and ask questions in the framework of a dialogue to be continued’.
The other diplomats and officials have yet to comment on the visit.
During the tour Shaikh Nasser informed the envoys of the precautionary measures and services provided to inmates under the Reformation and Rehabilitation Law, highlighting the centre’s daily operations and the efficiency in providing services during the current extraordinary Covid-19 situation.
“The Interior Ministry continues to enforce the law and human rights by moving beyond its obligations,” he said, adding that the culture of human rights was continuingly reinforced through the work of the police in the community.
The diplomats were also briefed on the services available at the centre, including round-the-clock healthcare, plus precautionary measures put in place to deal with the pandemic.
They also visited various facilities, including clinics, visitation areas and were informed of call services provided to inmates with their families and other services.
Shaikh Nasser also discussed the free and optional Covid-19 vaccination, noting that all the registered inmates had chosen to be vaccinated.
“The call services for inmates with their families continue and have not been stopped,” he added.
“The centre is open for human rights organisations, including the National Institute for Human Rights, the Ombudsman and the Prisoner and Detainee Rights Commission that are involved in announced and unannounced visits to ensure that inmates received the stated services.”
The visit follows the statement made by the European parliamentarians on the conditions of inmates at the Jaw Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre. The GDN reported on Sunday that the Parliament’s human rights committee had described the European MPs’ statements as inaccurate, alleging that it was based on news provided by some parties that have always been systematically targeting the kingdom through false and misleading information.
As reported in yesterday’s GDN a group of Bahraini MPs have strongly condemned the allegations. In a letter to the EU, the MPs said: “Our door is open and we look forward to some of you coming to the Kingdom of Bahrain to understand better how far from the truth what you have been told really is.”
The question remains, will they be honest enough to follow in the footsteps of the diplomats and find out the truth for themselves?
raji@gdn.com.bh editor@gdnonline.com
&uuid=(email))