Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Recommendations

Info

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry Bahrain starting on 14 March 2011. The GoB also stated that it feared that Iranian naval vessels would attempt to deliver weapons to Shia groups participating in demonstrations during February and March 2011. This, according to the GoB, was among the factors that necessitated naval reconnaissance and patrol missions by Kuwaiti naval vessels off the coasts of Bahrain. 1569. The GoB has asserted that diplomatic officers posted at the Iranian Embassy in Manama maintained contacts with Bahraini opposition leaders and groups. The alleged contacts, according to GoB sources, included encouraging leaders of the protest movement to continue their demonstrations and to escalate their demands. The GoB also asserted that officials from the Embassy of Iran urged opposition parties not to accept the invitation to hold a national dialogue. These alleged activities by the Iranian Embassy compelled Bahraini authorities to declare one member of the Iranian diplomatic mission persona non grata. Iran responded by requesting that a diplomat posted to the Bahraini Embassy in Tehran leave the country. 1570. The GoB has alleged that throughout the preceding years, Iranian intelligence operatives established financial and commercial organisations in Bahrain, including banks, to provide financial assistance to opposition groups. GoB reports also asserted that Akhmas charitable funds 767 gathered by Shia clerics are channelled to finance the activities of politically active opposition groups and figures and to finance anti-government demonstrations. 1571. Since the mid-1990s, the GoB has repeatedly asserted that opposition political groups maintained contacts with Hezbollah in Lebanon. These assertions include allegations of the provision of assistance and training by Hezbollah to members of Bahraini opposition factions. 1572. During the events of February and March 2011, the GoB claimed that certain opposition leaders, including some who had been residing abroad, consulted with the leadership of Hezbollah in Beirut in an effort to coordinate positions regarding the ongoing protests in Bahrain. 1573. The GoB has contended that the Iranian Government employed a variety of media outlets to influence the progression of demonstrations in Bahrain during the events of February and March 2011 and to broadcast what is described as false information about developments in Bahrain. Claims have also been made that Iranian operatives launched websites and pages on internet social media platforms, such as Facebook, calling for the removal of the political system of Bahrain and inciting protesters to resort to violence. The content of programmes that appeared on these media outlets is examined in Chapter X. 767 Akhmas (plural for Khoms), which literally means “a fifth”, is a religious obligation that Shia sects, including the Twelver Shia, espouse. According to Shia doctrine, individuals are obligated to pay as a form of Islamic tax a fifth of the value of certain categories of property including precious stones, minerals and unclaimed treasure. The funds collected from the Akhmas are then distributed to a number of beneficiaries, including to charity, descendants of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), the poor of the descendants of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), those descendants of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) who are orphaned and the Imam. 384
Chapter IX — Allegations of Involvement by Foreign Forces and Foreign Actors 1574. Numerous press releases and statements relating to developments in Bahrain were issued by Iranian officials and religious figures during the events of February and March 2011. Statements attributable to the Iranian Government were issued by a number of Iranian government agencies, including the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence. 1575. The arrival of GCC forces in Bahrain on 14 March 2011 was followed by a perceptible shift in the content and nature of press releases and statements issued by Iranian officials. Iranian government representatives criticised the invitation extended to GCC forces and warned of the repercussions that they said would have on regional stability and security. In addition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other government agencies and senior political leaders began to express opinions about developments in Bahrain. Specifically, on 16 March 2011 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denounced the arrival of GCC forces in Bahrain and advised “those who sent their forces to Bahrain to learn the lesson of Saddam Hussein’s fate.” 1576. On 18 March 2011, the Speaker of the National Consultative Council, Mr Ali Larijani, stated that “the treason of the Saudi regime and its massacres against the Muslim people of Bahrain will never be forgotten.” That same day, the Assistant to the Commander of the Iranian Air Force described events occurring in Bahrain as a “massacre” and stated that “the Saudi Arabian army will regret its perpetration of these massacres.” On 21 March 2011, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran summoned the Ambassador of Bahrain to request the departure of a member of the Bahraini Embassy in Tehran. It was announced that this measure was taken in response to Bahrain’s decision to declare an Iranian diplomat persona non grata. 1577. Speaking on 21 March 2011, the Valieh Faghih of Iran and Supreme Leader of the Iranian Revolution Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that the “victory of the people of Bahrain was inevitable” and expressed the view that the ongoing events in Bahrain were similar to developments in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen. The Supreme Leader rejected accusations that Iran was “supporting the people of Bahrain because they are Shiite” and affirmed that the policy of the “Islamic Republic of Iran is predicated on defending the people and their rights against all dictatorial and egotistical rulers without distinguishing between Sunnis and Shiites.” Grand Ayatollah Khamenei added that “Saudi Arabia committed a mistake by sending its forces into Bahrain because this enrages the Islamic nations.” C. Allegations of Human Rights Violations by GCC Forces 1578. On 14 March 2011, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa requested the deployment of GCC Jazeera Shield Forces (GCC-JSF) to assist the Bahraini armed services in the defence of the Kingdom of Bahrain against foreign threats and in securing vital locations in the country. 768 768 See Chapter IV, events of 13, 14 and 15 March 2011. 385
Page 1:
REPORT OF THE BAHRAIN INDEPENDENT C
Page 4 and 5:
Report of the Bahrain Independent C
Page 6 and 7:
Page 8 and 9:
Page 10 and 11:
Page 12 and 13:
Page 14 and 15:
f. Sexual Abuse; g. Rapes; Report o
Page 16 and 17:
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21:
Page 22 and 23:
Page 24 and 25:
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31:
Page 32 and 33:
Page 34 and 35:
Page 36 and 37:
Page 38 and 39:
Page 40 and 41:
Page 42 and 43:
Page 44 and 45:
Page 46 and 47:
Page 48 and 49:
Page 50 and 51:
Page 52 and 53:
Page 54 and 55:
Page 56 and 57:
Page 58 and 59:
Page 60 and 61:
Page 62 and 63:
Page 64 and 65:
Page 66 and 67:
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Monday, 21 February 2011 Report of
Page 98 and 99:
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 Report of
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Tuesday, 22 March 2011 Report of th
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
Page 174 and 175:
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Page 180 and 181:
Page 182 and 183:
Page 184 and 185:
Page 186 and 187:
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Page 192 and 193:
Page 194 and 195:
Page 196 and 197:
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
Page 220 and 221:
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
Page 226 and 227:
Page 228 and 229:
Page 230 and 231:
d. Deaths of expatriate workers Rep
Page 232 and 233:
Page 234 and 235:
Page 236 and 237:
Page 238 and 239:
Page 240 and 241:
Page 242 and 243:
Page 244 and 245:
Page 246 and 247:
Page 248 and 249:
Page 250 and 251:
Page 252 and 253:
Page 254 and 255:
Page 256 and 257:
Page 258 and 259:
Unattributed deaths Report of the B
Page 260 and 261:
Page 262 and 263:
Page 264 and 265:
Page 266 and 267:
Page 268 and 269:
Page 270 and 271:
Page 272 and 273:
Page 274 and 275:
Page 276 and 277:
Page 278 and 279:
Page 280 and 281:
Page 282 and 283:
Page 284 and 285:
Page 286 and 287:
Page 288 and 289:
Page 290 and 291:
Page 292 and 293:
Page 294 and 295:
Page 296 and 297:
Page 298 and 299:
Page 300 and 301:
Page 302 and 303:
Page 304 and 305:
Page 306 and 307:
Page 308 and 309:
Page 310 and 311:
Page 312 and 313:
Page 314 and 315:
Page 316 and 317:
Page 318 and 319:
Page 320 and 321:
Page 322 and 323:
Page 324 and 325:
Page 326 and 327:
Page 328 and 329:
Page 330 and 331:
Page 332 and 333:
a. March 2011 Report of the Bahrain
Page 334 and 335:
Page 336 and 337:
Page 338 and 339:
Page 340 and 341:
Page 342 and 343:
Page 344 and 345: Report of the Bahrain Independent C
Page 444 and 445:
Page 446 and 447:
Page 448 and 449:
CASE NO. 8 (Examined by forensic te
Page 450 and 451:
Page 452 and 453:
Page 454 and 455:
Page 456 and 457:
Page 458 and 459:
Page 460 and 461:
CASE NO. 21 (Examined by forensic t
Page 462 and 463:
Page 464 and 465:
Page 466 and 467:
Page 468 and 469:
Page 470 and 471:
Page 472 and 473:
Page 474 and 475:
Page 476 and 477:
Page 478 and 479:
Page 480 and 481:
Page 482 and 483:
(Examined by forensic team) Date of
Page 484 and 485:
Page 486 and 487:
Page 488 and 489:
Page 490 and 491:
Page 492 and 493:
Article Five. Report of the Bahrain
Page 494 and 495:
Page 496 and 497:
Page 498 and 499:
Page 500 and 501:
Page 502 and 503:
Royal Decrees Royal Orders Report o
Page 504 and 505:
Page 506 and 507:
Page 508 and 509:
Page 510 and 511:
Page 512 and 513:
show all

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?