Sheikh Maytham Al Salman visits Columbia University after being Freed by Bahrain Authorities

For the first time since his August 8, 2015, arrest for “inciting hatred against the regime,” Sheikh Maytham Al Salman was able to visit Columbia University and meet with Dr. Agnès Callamard, the Director of Columbia Global Freedom of Expression.

Sheikh Maytham and Dr. Callamard discussed their concerns about a proposed law in Bahrain that would criminalize “sectarian discourse that undermines national unity,” a draft of which was introduced in the Cabinet of Bahrain on August 31, 2015. However, the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, is performing a thorough study of the impact the new legislation. Hence, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet requested recommendations from Bahrain’s Ministries of Justice, Endowments, and Islamic Affairs before making their decision.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights provided detailed coverage of the meeting between Sheikh Maytham Al Salman and Dr. Agnès Callamard in their October 6, 2015 article. The center is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, registered with the Bahraini Ministry of Labor and Social Services. For over a decade, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights has carried out many projects, including advocacy, training, workshops, seminars, media campaigns and reporting to UN mechanisms and international NGOs. The BCHR has also participated in many regional and international conferences and workshops in addition to testifying in national parliaments across Europe, the EU parliament, and the United States Congress.