Fifty-three MEPs have called on the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa, on Thursday 23 July, to consider pardoning or commuting the death sentences of 12 prisoners.
In a letter addressed to the King, but also to the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, among others, MEPs explained that “such action would serve to advance the international reputation” of the country.
Among these twelve individuals are Mohammed Ramadan and Hussain Al Moosa, for whom the MEPs from the Greens/EFA, S&D, GUE/NGL, Renew Europe, ECR and ID groups in the European Parliament are requesting a pardon. On 13 July, the spokesperson for the European External Action Service called for a stay of execution (see EUROPE 12527/27).
MEPs also wanted the other ten individuals to be pardoned or have their sentences commuted, noting that the United Nations had ruled that executing them “without all possible guarantees of a fair trial and due process” or without “prompt and impartial investigation” when there were “reasonable grounds” to believe they had been tortured, would be contrary to Bahrain's international obligations.
More generally, MEPs strongly encouraged the King to work towards the establishment of a moratorium on the death penalty “as a first step towards its abolition”.
See the letter here: https://bit.ly/3jJ3XY2 (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)