The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, registered with the Bahraini Ministry of Labor and Social Services since July 2002. Despite an order by the authorities in November 2004 to close, the BCHR is still functioning after gaining a wide local and international support for its struggle to promote human rights in Bahrain.
Their Mission
To encourage and support individuals and groups to be proactive in the protection of their own and others' rights; and to struggle to promote democracy and human rights in accordance with international norms. To document and report on human rights violations in Bahrain. To use this documentation for advocacy to influence international policies according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Their Values
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) has a responsibility and commitment to defend people whose rights are violated. They aim to inspire hope and raise awareness to get people involved in documenting and reporting on human rights violations, and to stand up for their rights. They believe all people are equal and deserve their attention, regardless of their gender, sect, affiliation, identity or origins. It is important for BCHR to retain trust and credibility from all concerned. They promote the peaceful exercise of human rights and non-violent dissent.
Objectives
Structure and Funding
The 26-founding members include prominent doctors, lawyers, journalists, and NGO leaders, men and women. The vast majority of their operations are carried out in Bahrain, while a small 'office in exile', founded in 2011, is maintained in Copenhagen, Denmark, to coordinate their international advocacy program. The BCHR currently receives a small amount of funding from the Sigrid Rausing Trust - a non-political charity based in the UK, dedicated to defending and promoting human rights - and the Bertha Foundation. Their staff is employed almost entirely on a voluntary basis. The current President is Nabeel Rajab, who had served a two year prison sentence for charges related to freedom of expression; and was released on 24 May 2014. Rajab was sentenced to six months in prison for tweeting, upheld on appeal in 2015, and later freed in July 2015. He was re-arrested on 13 June 2016 for "spreading false news and rumours about the internal situation in a bid to discredit Bahrain". His trial was postponed three times and is now scheduled for 31 October 2016 where he is facing up to 15 years of prison if convicted. Vice-President S. Yousif Al-Muhafdah is currently exiled in Germany. Most of the staff inside Bahrain remain anonymous, including a second Vice-President and the Documentation Team.
The BCHR receives small amounts of funding from the Sigrid Rausing Trust, the Bertha Foundation, Norwegian Human Rights Fund, Hivos, Action Aid, the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights and the National Endowment for Democracy, as well as small grants from partners for advocacy efforts.
Activities
For more than fourteen years, the BCHR has carried out many projects, including advocacy, training, workshops, seminars, media campaigns and reporting to UN mechanisms and international NGOs. The BCHR has also participated in many regional an international conferences and workshops in addition to testifying in national parliaments across Europe, the EU parliament, and the United States Congress.
