Bahraini Activists Criticize UK Over Honorary Knighthood for King Hamad

An honorary knighthood bestowed upon Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, during his visit to the UK this week, has drawn criticism from human rights activists. Three Bahraini activists, currently residing in exile, addressed a letter to Buckingham Palace, urging King Charles to revoke the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. They characterized the honor as a “betrayal” and pointed to what they termed the “arbitrary imprisonment, brutal torture, unfair trials, and arbitrary executions of innocent individuals”. A spokesperson for the Bahraini government stated that it “firmly rejects these baseless claims which overlook the substantial progress the Kingdom has achieved in advancing individual rights and the rule of law”. The spokesperson further added, “We remain committed to continued reforms and welcome constructive dialogue to address any legitimate concerns fairly and transparently.” Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also voiced their concerns. Allan Hogarth, who serves as Amnesty International UK’s head of government and political relations, commented, “You have to wonder what signal this sends when the Bahraini authorities are unjustly prosecuting their critics, when human rights defenders are languishing in Bahraini jails and when the Manama authorities refuse to reinstate the citizenship of people rendered stateless on politically motivated charges.” Buckingham Palace announced the award on Wednesday, noting it was also conferred upon King Abdullah of Jordan; both monarchs are celebrating their silver jubilees this year. Buckingham Palace has refrained from commenting on the criticism. Bahrain and the UK maintain robust diplomatic, political, and military ties. On Monday, King Hamad arrived at Windsor Castle via horse and carriage, where he was greeted with a Royal Salute from a Guard of Honour. According to Alastair Long, the British ambassador to Bahrain, who posted on Instagram, a “spectacular evening” ensued, concluding with pipers marching around the dinner table. Long reported that King Charles, in his address to the Bahraini monarch, commended him for being “guided by his concern and care for his people.” King Hamad, a Sunni Muslim, governs a nation with a Shia majority, where key political and military roles are held by members of his family. Pro-democracy demonstrations in 2011 were suppressed with assistance from forces from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this year, a royal pardon, issued to commemorate 25 years of King Hamad’s reign, resulted in the release of hundreds of political prisoners. Nevertheless, numerous individuals remain incarcerated, among them human rights activist Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, aged 63, and 76-year-old opposition leader Hassan Mushaima, who are the fathers of Maryam Al-Khawaja and Ali Mushaima, two of the individuals who signed the letter to King Charles. The third signatory, Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, now a British citizen, recounted being beaten, tortured, and imprisoned for advocating peaceful change. Niku Jafarnia of Human Rights Watch informed the BBC, “Throughout King Hamad’s rule, scores of Bahrainis have been arbitrarily detained and tortured, and some have even been killed as a result of exercising their rights to assembly and free expression.” She added, “The recent pardons he’s given don’t make up for these abuses, and it’s a disgrace that he has been granted this award while many still remain wrongfully detained.”