Bahrain blasts rights group's report on human rights records

MANAMA, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Bahrain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a report on Wednesday on the country's human rights situation to respond to a critical report that questioned its human rights records.

The ministry denounced the report of Amnesty International, a London-based non-governmental rights group, saying it contains false allegations and interpretations of what the group called "suppression of the opposition."

"Amnesty International, as a human rights organization, should review with the authorities concerning the information rather than adopt false allegations and interpretations based on false information from vague sources," the ministry said.

The ministry added that Bahrain is making every effort at all levels to promote and protect human rights in spite of all challenges.

Amnesty International's report is said to be based on its investigators' findings of Bahrain's alleged human rights violations from June 2016 to June 2017, without mentioning its method of verifying the credibility of its sources.

"It is striking to refer to the killing of some demonstrators and not to use the same description for members of the security forces," argued the Bahraini ministry's report, which is entitled "The Legal protection of Human Rights -- Achievements and Challenges."

As for the shutdown of Al-Wasat newspaper the organization mentioned, the ministry's report stated that the legal procedures to suspend the issuance of it in June 2017 came as a result of the newspaper's repeated violations of laws and involvement in spreading false news that would incite sectarian hatred and racism.

The ministry also cited examples in which the Bahraini government compensated victims of human rights violations in February and March 2011. Enditem