Progress Report on the Implementation of the BICI Recommendations

Information Affairs Authority, Manama, 17 January 2012: H.E. Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, Chairman of the National Commission for implementing the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry recommendations held a press conference Sunday (15 January) to provide an update about the work of the commission, which held its first meeting a little over month ago. The Chairman stressed that the National Commission views its work as a guarantee against the reoccurrence of the kinds of events that took place in the Kingdom last year.

To begin with, Al Saleh reiterated the function of the Commission, which is to the review the BICI recommendations and develop relevant proposals to prepare for necessary amendments of laws and procedures.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s diligence to work to international standards with transparency, and confirmed that government has already fully implemented many of the recommendations.

The National Commission is a completely independent and decisions are made with the consensus of its 19 members. Its work is divided into subcommittees that address Legal issues, Legislative issues and a team focused on National Reconciliation.

With the lapse of half of the designated time period, the National Commission’s work is more than 50% complete, according to Al Saleh. Out of 26 recommendations, 7 have been fully implemented; 18 are in progress and have been partially implemented; and 1 is not yet applicable.

The following is a breakdown of the status of the 26 BICI recommendations.
Implemented:
1715 To establish an independent and impartial national commission consisting of personalities of high standing representing both the GoB, opposition political parties and civil society to follow up and implement the recommendations of this Commission.
1719 To adopt legislative measures requiring the Attorney-General to investigate claims of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, with independent forensic experts.
1720 To review all convictions and sentences rendered by the National Security Courts in the ordinary courts where prompt and full access to legal counsel and inadmissibility of coerced testimony.
1722h To review convictions and commute sentences (or drop charges) of all persons charged with offences involving political expression, not consisting of advocacy of violence.
1722j To compensate and provide remedies for the families of the deceased victims in a manner that is commensurate with the gravity of their loss.
1722k To compensate and provide remedies for all victims of torture, ill-treatment or prolonged incommunicado detention.
1723a To ensure that the remaining dismissed employees have not been dismissed because of the exercise of their right to freedom of expression, opinion, association or assembly.

Recommendations currently in progress of being implemented:
1716 To establish a national independent and impartial mechanism to determine the accountability of those in government who have committed unlawful or negligent acts resulting in the deaths, torture and mistreatment of civilians with a view to bringing legal and disciplinary action against such individuals.
1717 To place the office of the Inspector General in MOI as a separate entity independent of the Ministry’s hierarchical control, whose tasks should include those of an internal “ombudsman’s office”.
1718 To insure that the NSA is an intelligence gathering agency without law enforcement and arrest authority; with an independent office of inspector general to carry out the same internal “ombudsman” functions.
1722a To conduct effective investigations in accordance with the Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-Legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions of all the deaths that have been attributed to the security forces.
1722b To establish a standing independent body to examine all complaints of torture or ill-treatment, excessive use of force or other abuses at the hands of the authorities.
1722c To implement an extensive program of public order training for the public security forces, the NSA and the BDF, in accordance with UN best practices.
1722d To avoid detention without prompt access to lawyers, as well as holding detainees incommunicado. Detention should be subject to effective monitoring by an independent body and guarantee the right to due process and the rights of detainees.
1722e To establish urgently, and implement vigorously, a program for the integration into the security forces of personnel from all the communities in Bahrain.
1722f To train the judiciary and prosecutorial personnel on the need to ensure that their activities contribute to the prevention and eradication of torture and ill-treatment.
1722g There should be audiovisual recording of all official interviews with detained persons.
1723b To use all its powers to ensure that public and private employers who dismissed employees for failure to appear for work at the time of the demonstrations treat them in a way that is at least equal to that provided by the GoB to civil servants.
1723c To reinstate all students who have not been criminally charged with an act of violence and to put in place a procedure whereby students who were expelled on legitimate grounds may apply for reinstatement after a reasonable period of time; and to adopt fair standards for disciplinary measures against students applied in an impartial manner.
1723d To rebuild at GoB expense, some of the demolished religious structures in accordance with administrative regulations.
1724a To consider relaxing censorship and allowing the opposition greater access to television broadcasts, radio broadcasts and print media.
1724b To establish professional standards for the media and other forms of publications that contain an ethical code and an enforcement mechanism, designed to uphold ethical and professional standards in order to avoid incitement to hatred, violence and intolerance, without prejudice to internationally protected rights of freedom of expression.
1724c To undertake appropriate measures to prevent incitement to violence, hatred, sectarianism and other forms of incitement which lead to the violation of internationally protected human rights, irrespective of whether the source is public or private.
1725a To develop educational programs at the primary, secondary, high school and university levels to promote religious, political and other forms of tolerance, as well as to promote human rights and the rule of law.
1725b To develop a national reconciliation program that addresses the grievances of groups which are, or perceive themselves, to be deprived of equal political, social and economic rights and benefits.

The press release above has been issued by Information Affairs Authority, P.O. Box 253, Isa Town, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: (+973) 17 872 556 / Fax: (+973) 17 682 777.
For press enquiries, please contact the Press Office on press@iaa.gov.bh or Miss Luma Bashmi on lbashmi@iaa.gov.bh.