Freeing political prisoners ahead of elections in Bahrain

That this House notes that parliamentary elections will take place in Bahrain on 12 November 2022 amidst ongoing repression; decries that leading opposition figures including Hassan Mushaima, Abduljalil Al Singace, Abdulhadi Al Khawaja, Abdulwahab Husain and Sheikh Mohammed Habib Al Muqdad remain behind bars serving life sentences for their roles in the 2011 pro-democracy uprising in Bahrain, along with the leader of Al Wefaq, Sheikh Ali Salman, despite international calls for them to be released; raises concerns that Bahrain’s 2018 political isolation law prohibits members of dissolved political societies and sentenced individuals from running for office or voting, even if they were pardoned; further raises concerns that tens of thousands of people will not be able to stand as candidates in the election as a result of this legislation; denounces threats made by Bahrain’s Office of the Public Prosecution that anyone who calls for the elections to be boycotted will face imprisonment and a fine; contends that Bahrain’s parliament lacks the legislative power to effectively scrutinise government Ministers or officials; fears that Bahrain’s elections will lack legitimacy and make a mockery of democratic principles; calls upon Bahrain to release opposition leaders, all political prisoners and death row inmates highlighted in the recent report by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and Human Rights Watch ahead of elections; and calls on the Government not to recognise the outcome of these elections and to urge Bahrain to release all opposition figures immediately and unconditionally and repeal its repressive political isolation law.