Meeting

The Council of Commissioners of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) held its second regular meeting, chaired by Eng. Ali Ahmed Alderazi, with the participation of Council members and the Secretary-General.

The meeting began with a review of the report on the work of the Standing Committees and the Child Rights Commissioner during the past period. In this context, Dr. Malallah Al Hammadi, Vice Chairperson and Chair of the Detention & Facilities Visitation Committee, presented an overview of the three visits carried out to several correction and rehabilitation centres, aimed at monitoring human rights conditions and ensuring the availability of basic rights for inmates in accordance with national laws and relevant international standards. He also outlined the planned visitation schedule for the upcoming period.

Ms. Rawda Salman Alaradi, Chair of the Complaint, Monitoring & Follow-up Committee, presented a briefing on the complaints received by the NIHR, which totalled 69 complaints. The channels through which complaints were received varied and included in-person visits, the hotline, email, smart phone applications, and complaint boxes. All cases were followed up with the relevant authorities to ensure appropriate handling.

In the same context, Counsellor Mohammed Fuzaia, Chair of the General Rights and Freedoms Committee, presented the Committee’s recommendation regarding the amendment of certain provisions of the Criminal Procedures Law, in addition to several initiatives aimed at promoting human rights awareness, including delivering English-language lectures for students of foreign schools. He also presented proposals to enhance the activation of memoranda of understanding and provide advisory opinions to both the Shura Council and the Council of Representatives.

The Chairperson of the NIHR also provided a briefing on the Institution’s participation in the meeting of the Committee Against Torture (CAT) and the discussion of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s fourth periodic report before the Committee.

On another note, the Council approved the establishment of two new working groups with civil society institutions in the areas of the right to health and women’s and children’s rights, in addition to updating the Civil Society Working Group on Human Rights to include associations related to trade and digital rights. The Council also directed that upcoming meetings be scheduled for these groups, reflecting the Institution’s efforts to expand cooperation with civil society organizations.

The meeting concluded with the Council’s approval of the NIHR’s strategic objectives for the years 2026–2029, as well as the endorsement of the third-quarter report of the General Secretariat for the current year.