Bahrain should stop persecution of Shi’a Muslims and return its citizenship to their spiritual leader
GENEVA (24 April 2014) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Heiner Bielefeldt,
today urged the Government of Bahrain to stop the harassment and persecution of the most senior religious leader of the
Bahraini Shi’a Muslim community, who was reportedly forced to leave his country following threats from state security
agents to arrest him and his son.
“I have received information from reliable sources that on 23 April Hussain Mirza Abdelbaqi Najati was forced to leave
his own country for Lebanon after being exposed to enormous pressure and harassment by the authorities,” the human
rights expert said.
Following Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior own statement, issued on its website on 23 April, it appears that the decision
revoking Mr. Najati’s Bahraini citizenship and the orders to expel him from the country may have been made due to his
position as a senior and influential religious authority among Shi’a believers, who make up the majority of the
population.
“I have expressed to the Government of Bahrain my grave concerns at what appears to be an act of religiously motivated
discrimination which would seem to impose unjustified restrictions on Mr. Najati’s fundamental human rights, including
his right to practice and profess peacefully his religious beliefs,” Mr. Bielefeldt stressed, warning that the case may
have far-reaching implications for Shi’s Muslim community in the country.
“Targeting the most senior and influential Shi’a religious figure in Bahrain may amount to intimidating and thus
discriminating against the entire Shi’a Muslim community in the country because of its religious beliefs,” the Special
Rapporteur stressed.
Mr. Najati is one of 31 individuals whose Bahraini citizenship was revoked on 7 November 2012 by the decision of the
Ministry of Interior, a decision that rendered him stateless. In this regard the UN expert urged the Government to
reverse its decision, which appears to be arbitrary, and to facilitate Mr. Najati’s return from Lebanon.
“International law, in particular the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, prohibits arbitrary deprivation of
nationality, including on religious grounds,” the expert noted. “Discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief
constitutes a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
“I understand that Mr. Najati has consistently refrained from engaging into politics, and has maintained his position
and activities strictly in the realm of his religion,” the Special Rapporteur said. “He is not known to have advocated
violence or its use, or to have committed acts that would undermine national security or public order, nor has he been
charged or sentenced for committing such acts.”
ENDS