Freedom House denied entry to Bahrain despite visas

I was supposed to go to Bahrain tomorrow, with visa approved and flight booked, only to be told that we are not welcome and our trip should be postponed. I was to go with two colleagues from Freedom House for a training that is part of a women's empowerment program that ends in February. Yet the effusively 'polite' letter paid no heed and rather claimed that the Bahrain government is "working on the implementation of the recommendations" of the report by the independent commission (BICI) even though one of those was to let in human rights organizations!

In fact, when the report was released last November, King Hamad said "any Government which has a sincere desire for reform and progress understands the benefit of objective and constructive criticism" - apparently the Bahraini government is not one of them! A copy of the letter is below and a bigger one here. *update: here is the Freedom House press release about it.

 

In fact, violence has escalated over the weekend, with reports of clashes between mourners and security forces.  My thoughts are with all of those peacefully struggling for their rights in Bahrain, please stay safe and know that the world IS watching.

** Update: Please see the story posted by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, the leading Bahraini group ensuring that monitoring and reporting on human rights abuses in the country occurs and reaches the international community.