Bahrain is lobbying for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council’s advisory committee as the Gulf state moves to clean up its public image following its bloody crackdown on Arab Spring protestors last year.
The Gulf state has submitted letters endorsing its “entirely qualified” nominee Saeed Mohammed Al Faihani, the Guardian reported, citing documents and letters sent to the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation seeking their support.
Letters from Bahrain’s National Institution for Human Rights and several local government-approved human rights organisations have endorsed the proposal, the newspaper said.
The advisory committee, which is due to elect members in September, acts as a think-tank for the UN Human Rights Council.
Bahrain faced international condemnation from governments and human rights groups following its brutal crackdown on the mostly Shi’a demonstrators took to the streets last year demanding an end to sectarian discrimination and more say in government.
A Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report said in November said 35 people died during the unrest, which began in February 2011 after revolts in Egypt and Tunisia. Five people died due to torture.
Officials last week said Bahrain would pay a total of $2.6m in compensation to 17 families following the deaths during the Arab Spring protests.
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