Transparency International today called on the government of Bahrain to lift its travel ban on Sayed Sharaf Almosawi, the chair of its partner organisation in Bahrain, the Bahrain Transparency Society.

This is the second time the authorities have barred Sharaf from travelling to Beirut to attend a meeting on the United Nations development goals for 2030, without giving an explanation.

This also comes ahead of Sharaf’s planned travel to Geneva to attend discussions on Bahrain’s report for the 27th Session of the United National Universal Periodic Review Working Group on 1 May at the UN Human Rights Council.

Last year he was banned from travel twice to attend the 32nd and 33rd sessions at the Human Right Council in Geneva.

Transparency International strongly condemns the ongoing intimidation and harassment of anti-corruption activists and human rights defenders in Bahrain.

Today, Abdulnabi Al-Ekry, the former chair of the Bahrain Transparency Society, was called in for questioning, along with other human rights activists, by the public prosecutor without any explanation.Transparency International urges the government of Bahrain to show its support for civil society by ending the harassment of activists and by upholding the commitments it has made to protect the freedom of expression, assembly and association of its citizens, including civil society activists.

Bahrain ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption in 2010. Article 13 of the convention specifically promotes the active participation of civil society in the fight against corruption. We ask the government to reaffirm this commitment by rescinding the travel bans affecting activists and by guaranteeing the safety of those who speak out when they see corruption and injustice.

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