US embassy cable - 05MANAMA823

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000823 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/07/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, KDEM, BA 
SUBJECT: GOB WARNS BAHRAIN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Hallie Hahn for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C) The Minister of Social Affairs publicly warned the 
dissolved Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) to stop its 
activities or face prosecution.  In response, the BCHR 
pledged to continue its activities, which it said were in 
line with international law and human rights standards. 
Given that the GOB has already dissolved the Center, there is 
little the government can do to punish the Center other than 
to arrest or fine its members, which is becoming more likely. 
 We are not optimistic either the Center or the government 
will be able to resolve the current impasse. 
 
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GOB Warns of Possible Prosecution 
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2.  (SBU) Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Fatima Al Belooshi 
stated publicly May 29 that the dissolved Bahrain Center for 
Human Rights had no right to operate and must stop its 
activities or face prosecution.  She said that the 1989 
Societies Law prohibits dissolved organizations from 
conducting activities and requires her to report any 
violations of this rule to the public prosecutor.  She told 
reporters that she sent a letter to the prosecutor's office 
outlining some of the BCHR's activities in Bahrain, including 
a recent seminar against torture that several thousand people 
attended.  The BCHR responded publicly May 30 and noted that 
Al Belooshi's actions went against a recent U.N. 
recommendation that the GOB lift its ban on the center's 
activities.  The Center criticized the 1989 Societies Law and 
pledged to continue its activities, which it said were in 
line with international law and human rights standards. 
 
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BCHR Activities Continue 
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3.  (C) Since the BCHR was dissolved in September 2004, it 
has scaled down its activities but it is still an active 
organization.  It regularly organizes seminars, rallies, and 
media campaigns, often in coordination with other societies, 
on discrimination, unemployment, torture, women's rights, 
Guantanamo Bay detainees, and other issues.  In some cases, 
the BCHR isn't explicitly tied to the activity, but it is 
clear the Center is involved and its members freely admit 
that.  The BCHR submitted shadow reports to the GOB's recent 
reports to the U.N. Committee Against Torture and the U.N. 
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in 
Geneva, and BCHR leaders have given several presentations in 
the U.S.  Despite the Center's defiance of the government 
ban, prominent BCHR members both publicly and privately say 
that their top priority is to normalize relations with the 
GOB.  President Nabeel Rajab told PolOff that the Center has 
made numerous requests to meet with Al Belooshi and has not 
yet received a response.  At the same time, there are 
elements in the BCHR that see provoking the government as 
part of their strategy to maintain visibility and support. 
 
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Hate Mail Campaign 
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4.  (C) Rajab said that upon his return from a U.N. Committee 
Against Torture meeting in Geneva in mid-May, an anonymous 
source launched a hate mail campaign against him.  He claims 
hundreds of letters and thousands of mobile phone text 
messages were sent to him, his family, his employees, and 
others.  The mail accused him of treason and spying for an 
unnamed foreign body.  Rajab told PolOff that sources in the 
Shura Council informed him that the Bahraini intelligence 
service and Shura Council member Faisal Fulad are behind the 
campaign.  (Note:  Fulad is a founder of the Bahrain Human 
Rights Watch Society and was also present at the U.N. 
Committee Against Torture meeting.  According to press 
reports, Fulad also received hate mail and death threats upon 
returning from Geneva.  PolOff regularly meets with both 
Fulad and Rajab, and they frequently accuse each other of 
wrongdoing.  End Note.) 
 
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Comment 
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5.  (C) Given that the GOB already dissolved the BCHR, there 
is little it can do to punish the Center other than to arrest 
or fine its members which, as a result of Al Belooshi's 
letter to the prosecutor's office, is becoming more likely. 
(Note:  A final appeals hearing on the closure of the Center 
is set for June 14, but the BCHR is not optimistic that it 
will win this case.  End Note.)  The GOB has the legal 
grounds to prosecute Rajab and other BCHR activists, but it 
risks attracting significant international criticism to 
Bahrain, as the BCHR has strong ties with Human Rights Watch, 
Amnesty International, and other well-known organizations. 
Since the BCHR's troubles started last September, both the 
organization and the government have engaged in brinkmanship 
strategies, and there is little sign that BCHR is going to 
back down.  We are not optimistic the current impasse will be 
resolved favorably. 
MONROE