Physicians for Human Rights to Testify

Bahrain Human Rights Hearing Includes PHR Testimony

By Megan Prock on May 11, 2011

On Friday, PHR’s Richard Sollom will testify before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on the current human rights situation in Bahrain. Since mid-February, reports of human rights violations in Bahrain have increased significantly as Bahraini authorities have attempted to suppress anti-government protests. The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission works to promote, defend and advocate internationally recognized human rights norms in a nonpartisan manner, both within and outside of Congress.

Last month, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) released an emergency report which documents and decries systematic human rights abuses in Bahrain. For the first time, the report, “Do No Harm: A Call for Bahrain to End Systematic Attacks on Doctors and Patients,” provided forensic evidence of attacks on physicians, medical staff, patients and unarmed civilians with the use of bird shot, physical beatings, rubber bullets, tear gas and unidentified chemical agents.

Friday’s hearing will focus on human rights aspects of the Bahraini government’s response to the February protests. Specifically, the hearing will examine the targeting of medical professionals and reports of extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate shootings of unarmed peaceful protesters, torture, beatings, arbitrary and warrantless arrests and detentions, and general harassment. The hearing will take place at 10 AM on Friday, May 13, 2011 in B-318 Rayburn House Office Building. The Hearing is open to members of Congress, congressional staff, the media and the interested public. …more