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[Page S1590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
BAHRAIN
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, February marks the anniversary of the
massive, peaceful protests against Bahrain's repressive regime in 2011.
Bahraini citizens, men and women of all ages and backgrounds, demanded
more accountability from their leaders and more agency in their lives.
Instead of sitting down with the protestors as leaders in Oregon or
Washington, DC, often do, Bahrain's rulers unleashed the country's
security forces on them. I am afraid that it has now become a rather
sad tradition of mine to remind the Senate of these events, and so
before February gives way to March, I just wanted to offer a few words
on why this issue continues to resonate.
Bahrain held elections in November 2018, but they were hardly on the
level. ``The Economist'' termed them ``unfair.'' The head of Human
Rights First called them ``fake elections.'' The Project on Middle East
Democracy and Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain said
they were a ``sham.'' The list goes on.
This should come as no surprise to anybody paying attention to
development in Bahrain because the regime banned opposition parties
from participating altogether. That is not exactly a recipe for a free,
fair, or legitimate outcome.
Indeed, the regime has spent the past couple years detaining,
intimidating, and silencing the political opposition.
But don't take my word for it, that's how Amnesty International
characterized the situation before the November elections.
The repression extends far beyond the ballot box. Human rights
advocates say the regime has arbitrarily stripped hundreds of
individuals of their citizenship in the past few years.
Human Right Watch indicates that the regime closed the last remaining
independent newspaper in 2017. Freedom House says the regime continues
to bully journalists and to persecute those who are critical of the
regime.
Bahrain is a longtime U.S. ally in a tumultuous region. My intent
with these annual statements is neither to insult the Kingdom nor to
demand the administration cut ties.
No, the point of these statements is to make it clear that I believe
the United States should always promote basic rights and values and
further, that I believe the United States must--must--hold its friends
and partners to a higher moral standard.
I was concerned that the previous administration did not do more to
push Bahrain's rulers on this point, but I am deeply disappointed that
the Trump administration seems hell-bent on setting a new low.
The President himself has made clear that he views the world through
a transactional lens and is willing to overlook rights violations in
the name of arms sales or greater defense cooperation.
So it is hardly surprising to read that Trump administration
officials fail to raise human rights concerns with their Bahraini
counterparts.
This must change. I hope it will change. And I hope that the influx
of new members of Congress following the 2018 midterm elections will
cause it to change.
Today I renew my call on Bahrain's monarchy to stop brutally
repressing peaceful protest, to release political prisoners like
Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab, and to offer Bahrainis a greater
voice in their country's future.
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