Embassy Protest Against Bahrain’s Anti-Union Repression

26 May 2011: A protest delivered to the Bahrain Embassy in Brussels today by international, European and Belgian trade union organisations calls on the authorities in the Gulf state to stop their violent campaign against the country’s trade union movement, to reinstate over 1,000 workers sacked and to drop false charges against union leaders, journalists and human rights defenders.

“The Bahraini authorities have launched a vicious crackdown on peaceful and legitimate civil society organisations, including the trade union movement. There are real threats to the personal safety of people who are simply calling for legitimate reform and social justice. The government’s attempts to promote division and avoid change by misusing the power of the state are wrong and unsustainable. We are calling on them to stop repression, release all detained trade unionists, teachers, journalists, students and workers. The only way to end this impasse which threatens the country’s future is to open genuine dialogue for progress, and stop the repression,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

Embassy officials refused to talk to the delegation delivering today’s protest, which, led by ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow, included the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Education International (EI), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Belgian trade union centres ACV/CSC, ABVV/FGTB and ACLVB/CGSLB, as well as the Tunisian trade union centre UGTT.