US embassy cable - 05MANAMA164

UNCLAS MANAMA 000164 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KDEM, BA 
SUBJECT: BAHRAIN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CASE REJECTED BY 
COURT 
 
REF: A. 04 MANAMA 1489 
 
     B. O4 MANAMA 1482 
     C. 04 MANAMA 1744 
     D. MANAMA 76 
 
Sensitive but unclassified (deliberative process); please 
protect accordingly.  Not for Internet distribution. 
 
1.  (SBU) The High Civil Court rejected the case of the 
Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) against the Ministry 
of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA) January 31.  The BCHR 
filed a case against MOLSA Minister Dr. Majeed Al Alawi 
(currently the Minister of Labor) after he dissolved the 
group in September 2004 for allegedly breaching the 1989 
Societies Law.  The BCHR claimed that both the procedure and 
grounds for the closure were illegal, only a court order 
could legally dissolve the organization, and that its 
activities were lawful.  The court verdict stated that the 
1989 Societies Law allows the Minister of Labor and Social 
Affairs to dissolve any organization that breaks the law, and 
that the Minister had warned the BCHR several times before 
the closure that some of its activities were unlawful. 
 
2.  (SBU) According to the court verdict, the Center 
interfered in other countries' internal affairs (presumably a 
reference to BCHR members' call for women's voting rights in 
Kuwait) and published reports with inflammatory language. 
(Note:  Though BCHR members were active in promoting a 
petition for Kuwaiti women's voting rights, the effort was 
led by Amnesty International.  End Note.)  BCHR President 
Nabeel Rajab told the press that the verdict "only supports 
our claims that the Bahraini courts are not yet independent. 
The executive authority still controls the judicial 
authority."  The BCHR has the right to appeal the court 
ruling within 45 days.  The Center's lawyer told PolOff that 
the Center would exercise that right. 
MONROE