Do No Harm (HR report on Bahrain)

Do No Harm is a 42-page report published by Physicians for Human Rights on April 2011 that documents and decries systematic human rights abuses in Bahrain during the February and March 2011 political unrest, and the persecution of doctors, nurses, medics, ambulance drivers, and other health workers based on their knowledge of those abuses.^[1]

Contents 1 Background 2 Main findings 2.1 Bahraini authorities used excessive force 2.2 Bahraini security forces systematically targeted, abducted, and detained physicians and other medical staff 2.3 Security forces torture patients in hospital and detainees in custody 2.4 Bahraini authorities’ militarization of hospitals and clinics obstruct medical care 3 Recommendations 3.1 Recommendations for Bahrain 3.2 Recommendations for the United States 3.3 Recommendations for the International Community 4 See also 5 External links 6 References

Background

As part of a string of protests that occurred across the Arab World following the self-immolation and eventual death of Mohammed Bouazizi in Tunisia, the mostly Shia population of Bahrain took to the streets demanding greater freedoms.^[2] The move was seen as potentially destabilising to the Sunni-led regime of Bahrain, following which a brutal government crackdown led to widespread suppressions of the Shia people across many sectors,^[3] epecially the medical field after the invasion of Bahrain by Gulf Cooperation Council soldiers led by Saudi Arabia.^[4] The Bahraini government also hired Pakistani mercenaries to maintain security against the protesters, however, lesser intermittent protests continued.^[5]

Main findings

Bahraini authorities used excessive force

• Security forces used high velocity weapons against civilians
• Security forces routinely fires birdshot at close range against civilians
• Bahraini armed forces used rubber bullets that cause permanent injury
• Bahraini security forces used tear gas in enclosed spaces violating international law
• Security forces in Bahrain used unidentified chemical agents against civilians

Bahraini security forces systematically targeted, abducted, and detained physicians and other medical staff

• Armed security forces inside Salmaniya Hospital target and beat physicians based on their Shi’a identity and professional status
• Bahraini Defense Forces and Salmaniya Hospital administrators systematically abduct and detain physicians

Security forces torture patients in hospital and detainees in custody

• Inhumane treatment and torture of patients at Salmaniya Hospital
• Bahraini authorities systematically abduct, detain, and torture civilian protesters
• Inhumane treatment of detainees may have resulted in deaths while in police custody

Bahraini authorities’ militarization of hospitals and clinics obstruct medical care

• Security forces attacked public and private medical facilities
• Government security forces stole ambulances and posed as medics
• Heavy tanks and military guard hospital entrance and masked gunmen patrol patient wards
• Widespread fear prevents patients from seeking urgent medical treatment
• Bahraini authorities forbid Physicians for Human Rights to visit hospital^[6](p1)

Recommendations

Recommendations for Bahrain

• Immediately cease and desist all attacks on medical personnel and facilities, the wanton destruction of medical equipment, as well as any intimidation, arrests, or harassment of patients.
• Immediately stop the arbitrary arrests, disappearances, and detentions of civilians.
• End the use of tear gas and other chemical agents, bird shot, rubber bullets, and high velocity weapons against civilians.
• Allow unobstructed access to medical care for all individuals, including those injured in political protests.
• Investigate deaths in police custody and hold perpetrators of any abuses accountable.
• Invite the relevant Special Rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council to fully investigate any human rights violations and work with the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to develop mechanisms that will fully protect internationally guaranteed human rights in Bahrain and establish accountability for human rights violations.
• Provide reparation for victims of torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention.^[6](p30-31)

Recommendations for the United States

• Immediately suspend any non-humanitarian foreign assistance and arms sales as well as Excess Defense Articles (EDAs) to Bahrain, until such time as Bahrain invites a full and independent investigation by the United Nations human rights mechanisms and special procedures into the violence, torture, disappearances, and egregious violations of medical neutrality in the country.
• Increase support for Bahraini civil society through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) program, an initiative of the State Department aimed at supporting participatory government in the region.
• Impose export restrictions to Bahrain according to Sec. 6(n) of the Export Administration Act (EAA) through Executive Order based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) authority to prevent the export of any articles to Bahrain which raise human rights concerns, including but not limited to tear gas, bird shot, and rubber bullets.
• The United States Congress should hold hearings into the ongoing and severe violations of medical neutrality in the MENA region as authoritarian governments crack down on the protests sweeping the region.
• The Obama Administration should lead an international effort to appointment a Special Rapporteur on Violations of Medical Neutrality through the United Nations Human Rights Council, or, at a minimum, expand the portfolio of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health to also include violations of medical neutrality.
• Senior US Embassy and other State Department officials, as well as visiting Members of Congress and Officers of the Department of Defense should visit Salmaniya Hospital and meet with representatives of the medical community in Bahrain.
• The State Department should include a section dedicated to violations of medical neutrality for the MENA region in its annual human rights country reports, given the prevalence of these violations in the region.^[6](p31-32)

Recommendations for the International Community

• The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances should formally and immediately request a visit to Bahrain to investigate the ongoing disappearances and arrests in the wake of the protests.
• The Special Rapporteurs on torture and on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health should immediately and formally request a visit to Bahrain.
• The United Nations Human Rights Council should create the position of Special Rapporteur on Medical Neutrality or, at a minimum, to expand the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health to include medical neutrality.^[6](p32)

See also

• Human Price of Freedom and Justice, a joint report by a group of Bahrain's independent human rights NGOs presenting the main key findings from the ongoing effort to document violations occurring in the state of Bahrain during the 2011 Bahraini uprising.
• Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry.
• Targets of Retribution, a 54-page report issued by Human Rights Watch on July 18, 2011 to document serious government abuses, starting in mid-February 2011 during the 2011 Bahraini uprising.
• ICG report on the 2011 Bahrain revolt, a 28-page report by the International Crisis Group on the 2011 Bahraini uprising.
• Which Future for Bahrain, a 41-report published by Human Rights Without Frontiers on October 2011 about the events of 2011 Bahraini uprising.
• Irish Fact Finding Delegation On Bahrain.

External links

• Do No Harm: A Call for Bahrain to End Systematic Attacks on Doctors and Patients

2011 Bahraini uprising Part of the Arab Spring Events Timeline Deaths Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima • Fadhel Al-Matrook • Zakariya Rashid Hassan al-Ashiri • Ahmed Jaber al-Qattan • Ali Jawad al-Sheikh Opposition groups Al Wefaq National Islamic Society • Bahrain Freedom Movement • February 14 Youth Coalition • Haq Movement • Islamic Action Society • National Democratic Action Society • Nationalist Democratic Rally Society • Progressive Democratic Tribune People Activists Ali Abdulemam • Mohammed Albuflasa • Abdulhadi Alkhawaja • Maryam Alkhawaja • Ayat Al-Qurmezi • Mahmood Al-Yousif • Naji Fateel • Nabeel Rajab • Lamees Dhaif Opposition Munira Fakhro • Hasan Mushaima • Sheikh Isa Qassim • Ali Salman • Ibrahim Sharif Government Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (King) • Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifa (Prime Minister) • Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa (Crown Prince) • Khalid ibn Ahmad Al Khalifah (Foreign minister) Human Rights reports Detailed Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (International figures appointed by King)  • Human Price of Freedom and Justice (Local NGOs) • Targets of Retribution (Human Rights Watch) • ICG report on the 2011 Bahrain revolt (International Crisis Group)  • Do No Harm (Physicians for Human Rights)  • Which Future for Bahrain? (Human Rights Without Frontiers) Short Bloodied But Unbowed (Amnesty International)  • MSF special report on 2011 Bahraini uprising (Doctors Without Borders)  • Irish Fact Finding Delegation On Bahrain (Independent Irish figures) Background Al Bandar report • 1990s uprising in Bahrain • Human rights in Bahrain • Torture in Bahrain • Corruption in Bahrain • Manama incident Other International reactions • Qorvis • Pearl Roundabout • Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark  Category ·  Commons

Human rights   Fundamental concepts and philosophies Natural and legal rights · Claim rights and liberty rights · Negative and positive rights · Individual rights and Group rights Natural law · Positive law · State sovereignty · Universal jurisdiction List of Organisations · National institutions International human rights instruments · International human rights law · International humanitarian law Civil and political rights · Economic, social and cultural rights · Reproductive rights Human rights by continent Africa Asia Europe North America Oceania South America

Human rights in Asia Sovereign states Afghanistan Armenia Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan Brunei Burma (Myanmar) Cambodia People's Republic of China Cyprus East Timor (Timor-Leste) Egypt Georgia India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan North Korea South Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Singapore Sri Lanka Syria Tajikistan Thailand Turkey Turkmenistan United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen States with limited recognition Abkhazia Nagorno-Karabakh Northern Cyprus Palestine Republic of China (Taiwan) South Ossetia Dependencies and other territories Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Hong Kong Macau

Human rights in the Middle East Countries Bahrain · Cyprus · Egypt · Iran · Iraq · Israel (see also Palestinian Territories) · Jordan · Kuwait · Lebanon · Oman · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Syria · Turkey · United Arab Emirates · Yemen Aspects Freedom of speech · Freedom of religion · Status of religious and ethnic minorities · Status of women · Status of homosexuals · Capital punishment NGOs pan-Arab Arabic Network for Human Rights Information · Arab Commission for Human Rights national Kurdish Human Rights Project · Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights · Defenders of Human Rights Center · B'Tselem · Al Mezan Center for Human Rights · Association Najdeh · al-Marsad · Saudi Arabia: Human Rights First Society · National Society for Human Rights · APDWRSA · Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association See also Human rights in Asia · Human rights in Africa · Sahrawi Association of Victims · Association Marocaine des Droits Humaine

References