Bahrainis Await U.S. Response to Human Rights Abuses

Listen to the latest podcast for an analysis on President Obama’s Middle East speech and an outline of what the U.S. could take to support democracy and human rights in Bahrain and other countries in the region. President Obama took an impressive first step towards defining a framework for U.S foreign policy in the Middle East that is grounded in sustained support and promotion of human rights and democracy. Having just returned from Bahrain on a fact-finding mission, Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley welcomes the specific references to Bahrain in the President’s speech. In a report entitled, Bahrain: Speaking Softly, Dooley documents cases of torture and illegal detentions, outlining the human rights violations and abuses committed by the Bahraini government towards pro-democracy activists and supporters. With the U.S. being muted over the past few months about abuses in Bahrain, it has much work to do to help people in the region establish universal rights—including the right to elect representatives. Human Rights First is calling for immediate U.S. government action in support of human rights and human rights defenders in Bahrain. Podcast produced by Stephen Brownell.