The Arthur Svensson Prize: We condemn the travel ban on Bahraini education union leader Jalila al-Salman

Jalila al-Salman og Mahdi Abu Deeb, the winners of the 2015 Arhur Svensson Prize. Jalila is now banned from travelling to Oslo and the 2016 prize ceremony.
Jalila al-Salman og Mahdi Abu Deeb, the winners of the 2015 Arhur Svensson Prize. Jalila is now banned from travelling to Oslo and the 2016 prize ceremony.

tirsdag 14. juni 2016

Monday night, Mrs. Jalila al-Salman, the vice president of the Bahraini teachers’ association, was banned from leaving the country and her passport was confiscated. The trade unionist was on her way to participate in the Arthur Svensson Prize ceremony in Oslo on Wednesday 15. June. We strongly condemn this attack and demand that the government of Bahrain lift the ban immediately.

Statement from Industri Energi, Education International and The Arthur Svensson Foundation:

Al-Salman received the Arthur Svensson International Prize for Trade Union Rights last year. The travel ban can only be understood as a direct response to her union activism and commitment to human rights issues. The fact that she is unable to return to the award ceremony of the prize she received herself last year only shows a lack of respect for basic union rights from the Bahraini government.

The Arthur Svensson ceremony is an annual celebration of the importance of union rights in fostering democracies and social justice. In addition to the prize winner Eric Lee, this year’s event is gathering union leaders from all over the Middle East to shed light on the lack of labour rights in the region. The politically motivated travel ban on Jalila Al-Salman could not be a clearer example on the challenges unionists in Bahrain are facing.

The Norwegian union Industri Energi, The Arthur Svensson foundation and Education International strongly condemn this attack against the union movement and urges the government of Bahrain to lift the travel ban immediately.

Leif Sande, President of Industri Energi

Fred van Leeuwen, general secretary of Education International

Andreas C. Halse, general manager of the Arthur Svensson foundation

 

The prize ceremony for The 2016 Arthur Svensson Prize for International Union Rights is taking place in Oslo on Wednesday 15. June.