ARTICLE 19 and 25 other human rights and freedom of expression organizations have written to the head of Formula One Group (F1) to highlight their ongoing concerns that Bahrain is using the Formula 1 Grand Prix to “sportify” the country’s dismal human rights record.
Bahrain marked the 20th anniversary of the race with state media praising it as a “force for good,” but this rhetoric does not reflect the reality in Bahrain, where authorities continue to crack down on citizens’ freedom of expression and assembly, including in the race itself.
We call for an independent investigation to be launched to assess the impact of F1 on the human rights situation in Bahrain.
The full letter is as follows:
February 26, 2024
Mr. Stefano Domenicali
To: Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), teams, drivers, sponsors
We, the undersigned organisations, are writing to reiterate our concern that Bahrain is using the Formula 1 Grand Prix to “whitewash” the country’s dire human rights situation. As F1 celebrates 20 years of racing in Bahrain and claims to have been a “force for good” in the country, we call on F1 to launch an independent investigation to assess its impact on the human rights situation in Bahrain.
State media has touted the 20th anniversary of the inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix in 2004 as “20 Years of F1 Glory.” Unfortunately, this does not reflect the reality in Bahrain, where authorities continue to crack down heavily on citizens’ freedom of expression and assembly, including at the race itself.
Despite F1’s assurances that it has “always been clear with all race promoters and governments” […] Around the world, including Bahrain [they] Although the Bahraini government has warned that it “takes violence, human rights violations and repression very seriously,” the country continues to systematically violate civil rights, suppress dissent, silence journalists and commit routine violence, including torture and police brutality.
20 years of sports washing and the horrific degradation of fundamental freedoms
Bahrain’s human rights record has visibly deteriorated over the past two decades, making the Gulf kingdom one of the most repressive countries in the Middle East. According to the 2023 Human Freedom Index, Bahrain is one of the countries in the world where human freedoms have deteriorated the most between 2007 and 2021. Reporters Without Borders’ 2023 World Press Freedom Index also ranks Bahrain among the 10 worst countries in the world for press freedom. According to the organization, 10 journalists remain detained in the country for their reporting.
Since violently suppressing mass pro-democracy protests in 2011, the authorities have systematically eliminated a wide range of political rights and civil liberties, dismantled political opposition, and suppressed dissent, particularly among the Shiite population.
The race was canceled after the 2011 uprising gave the government unlimited powers to suppress protesters, resulting in deaths both on the streets and in custody. Among the victims was Kareem Fakhrawi, co-founder of Bahrain’s only independent newspaper, Al-Wasat, which was subsequently shut down by the government in 2017 as part of what Amnesty International deemed a “full-scale campaign to end independent reporting” in the country.
Notable Human Rights Abuses During the Bahrain Grand Prix
Numerous human rights violations have occurred in the context of and during Grand Prix events over the past two decades, yet F1 has failed to respond appropriately. On the eve of the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix, protester Salah Abbas Habib was killed by a police shotgun. His death sparked widespread protests calling for the race to be cancelled, but F1 went ahead with the race despite mounting pressure. The police officer accused of murder was acquitted by a Bahraini court in 2013, but F1 has never explicitly condemned his killing or investigated whether his death was linked to F1’s presence in Bahrain.
In 2017, Bahraini activist Naja Yousuf was tortured, sexually assaulted and sentenced to three years in prison for criticising the Grand Prix on social media. Naja was released under a royal pardon in August 2019 after continued international pressure, but was subsequently fired from her job as a civil servant.
F1’s presence in Bahrain during the Grand Prix provides a convenient cover and distraction while the Kingdom commits egregious human rights violations. Even when such incidents have been brought to F1’s attention, the sport has failed to protect human rights during F1 races in Bahrain.
False assurances from F1 last year
Following assurances from F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali that “individuals should have the right to protest and criticise our events without intimidation or retaliation”, four people protested near the Bahrain International Circuit, where the race was held on March 5, 2023. However, within minutes they were arrested, threatened and verbally abused, and then forced to sign a petition severely restricting their right to protest in the future.
When asked about the arrests, F1 repeated the Bahraini government’s statement denying the arrests, but the Interior Ministry Ombudsman subsequently acknowledged the arrests in an email to the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy in May 2023. Unfortunately, F1 did not correct the public record, which had the effect of covering up the actions of the Bahraini police.
In an interview with The Guardian, Stefano Domenicali said: “F1’s position is that by visiting these countries and holding them to legally binding commitments, the sport can be more effective in effecting change. F1 must put these words into action to prove its case and ensure Bahrain abides by its human rights commitments and international law.”
Our Request
F1 must not continue to be a vector for the sportswashing of human rights violations in Bahrain. In this regard, we urge:
Commission an independent investigation to evaluate F1’s response to the unlawful arrests, extrajudicial killings of protesters and repression of freedom of expression and assembly during the Bahrain Grand Prix, and assess whether Bahrain has fulfilled its commitments to F1 and whether F1 has taken appropriate measures to curb repeated human rights violations in the context of the event; Work proactively to secure redress for victims of abuses related to our activities in Bahrain, and ensure that any outstanding concerns are urgently addressed and make a public statement in this regard; Call on the Government of Bahrain to provide written assurances that individuals will not suffer retaliation for peaceful protests related to F1; Call on the Government of Bahrain to release all journalists detained in Bahrain and remove any obstacles that endanger the public’s right to access free, independent and diverse information;
Sincerely,
Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) ALQST ARTICLE 19 for Human Rights Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) Cairo Institute for Human Rights (CIHRS) CIVICUS Democracy for the Arab World (DAWN) Fair Square #FreeAlKhawaja Campaign Football Supporters Europe Freedom House Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) IFEX ILGA World – International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) International Trade Union Confederation International Human Rights Service (ISHR) MENA Rights Group Middle East Democracy Centre (MEDC) Raft Human Rights Foundation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Reprieve Sport & Rights Alliance Army of Survivors World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) World Players Association
Read the letter in PDF
Background: Repression and human rights violations in Bahrain
Political prisoners
Bahrain has the highest prison incarceration rate in the Middle East. Estimation Jau Prison holds 1,300 political prisoners, many of whom have been incarcerated since 2011. Authorities systematically deny political prisoners access to adequate medical care, causing unnecessary suffering and endangering the health of prisoners with chronic illnesses.
On August 7, 2023, hundreds of prisoners began a hunger strike at Bahrain’s Jau Prison to protest harsh prison conditions and ill-treatment. It became the largest hunger strike ever, with more than 800 prisoners participating in the strike over 36 days.
A report from the UN Committee Against Torture concluded in 2017 that “torture is widespread” in Bahrain’s penal system and that there is a “climate of impunity” for perpetrators. In September 2023, following a peaceful demonstration organized by inmates at Jau Prison in April 2021, a Bahraini court sentenced 13 people to prison terms for using violence against prison guards and destroying prison property after an unfair collective trial tainted by due process violations and allegations of torture.
Human rights defender and opposition leader
Since 2011, prominent opposition leaders and human rights defenders have continued to be imprisoned and subjected to human rights violations solely for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Dr Abduljalil Al Shinghaseh, 62, is an academic, blogger, award-winning activist and human rights defender serving a life sentence in Bahrain, whose detention was declared arbitrary by the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) in 2023. April 3, 2024 will mark the 1,000th day since Dr Al Shinghaseh began his solid food hunger strike in protest against the confiscation of his research papers.
Hassan Mushaimah, 76, is Bahrain’s oldest political prisoner, serving a life sentence in Bahrain solely for exercising his right to freedom of association and expression. Bahraini authorities have subjected Mr. Mushaimah and Dr. Al Shinghaseh to physical and psychological torture. Despite being detained in a medical facility since July 2021, both have been subjected to medical malpractice, long periods in solitary confinement and denied access to sunlight.
Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, 62, is a Bahraini-Danish award-winning human rights activist currently serving a life sentence in Jau Prison after being wrongfully imprisoned since 2011 for his role in peaceful protests. Al-Khawaja has been subjected to severe physical, sexual and mental torture and his health has deteriorated significantly during his incarceration. In 2012 the WGAD declared his detention to be unjustified.
The UN Secretary-General’s report on reprisals against those cooperating with UN mechanisms, published in September 2023, named Bahrain for the fifth consecutive year and highlighted the imprisonment of relatives of human rights defender Said Ahmed Al-Wahdaei, including Said Nizar Al-Wahdaei, who was declared arbitrarily imprisoned by the WGAD.
Death Penalty
The death penalty continues to be carried out in Bahrain. According to a report published in October 2022 by Human Rights Watch and the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), Bahraini courts continue to convict and sentence defendants to death after demonstrably unfair trials based solely or primarily on confessions allegedly coerced through torture and ill-treatment. There are currently 26 inmates on death row, all of whom are at imminent risk of execution.
February this year marks ten years since the illegal detention of death row prisoners Mohamed Ramadan and Hussein Moussa, who were sentenced to death in unfair trials tainted by allegations of torture. Both have exhausted all rights to appeal their sentences. The WGAD, which has deemed their detention arbitrary, has called for their immediate release and has also condemned it, including human rights groups such as Amnesty International.
