Anniversary of Protests in Bahrain

Floor Speech

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Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, it has been 11 years since the people of Bahrain gathered in the streets of Manama to urge their leaders to grant them stronger economic, social, and human rights. Bahrainis of all backgrounds called upon their leaders for meaningful change, for a voice at the table in the matters that affected their everyday lives. But their activism was met with brutal repression from the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Journalists and human rights activists have shared with the world how Bahrain's national security forces violently beat unarmed protestors in the crowds, severely injuring and even killing protestors with tear gas, rubber bullets, and other live ammunition. The forces arbitrarily arrested and detained journalists, pursued volunteers who were helping the injured, and spared no one, not even children. This anniversary is stained by the blood of the Bahraini people, and it pains me that despite over a decade of asking for accountability and reform, there has been little change from their government.

The country's leadership continues to commit and permit appalling human rights violations. Past reports from the U.S. State Department have highlighted the mistreatment of prisoners, including torture, inhumane punishment, and lack of proper access to medical care. Conditions have been further exacerbated by COVID-19, with two major outbreaks in overcrowded prisons last year. Yet the government continues to deny access to human rights experts, including the U.N. Special Rapporteur on torture.

The Bahrain Government has also attempted to silence dissent by imprisoning opposition leaders, outlawing opposition parties, and banning online content as they see fit. The government restricts free speech on social media from their people and requires news and broadcasting outlets to be government-sanctioned, effectively stifling all independent journalism and healthy discourse. Additionally, reports indicate that the Bahrain Government monitors activists and other targets of interest by hacking into their phones.

My father was a journalist, so I know how vital freedom of speech and freedom of press are to a flourishing, stable country. As a staunch defender against government overreach and unwarranted surveillance, I cannot stand idly by as the people of Bahrain live in constant fear of surveillance, arrest, and imprisonment for simply voicing their thoughts.

America must hold Bahrain to a high standard, as we do with all our allies. The United States maintains a strategic relationship with Bahrain, as the country cooperates on U.S. defense initiatives in the region and hosts the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. The United States represents a beacon of hope and democracy to the rest of the world, and we cannot remain silent in the face of over a decade of human rights violations and repression.

This is a key year for change; Bahrain is slated to hold its parliamentary elections later this year. I strongly urge the Bahrain Government to allow peaceful demonstration and dissent, open their doors to independent oversight and international election observers, address their violations of human rights, and cease their attacks on free speech and free press. And during this pivotal year, I also urge the Biden administration to hold the Bahrain Government accountable for their overdue promises of reform.

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