University of Huddersfield Criticized By Human Rights Activists For Collaborating With Bahrain Government

Human rights campaigners have criticized University of Huddersfield for working with a Middle Eastern regime that executed three men by firing squad. The university has confirmed it is involved in teaching a security course for police in Bahrain-a small country in the Persian Gulf next to Saudi Arabia.

Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and Huddersfield-based politician Paul Scriven, who is councilor in Sheffield and Lib Dem Peer in the House of Lords, strongly condemned the change.

He said he found it "extremely worrying" that the university should try to make money by collaborating with the Bahraini government and asked about what had been done with due diligence.

Speaking to reporters, Lord Scriven said human rights abuses have intensified in Bahrain since the Arab Spring of 2011 and have gradually deteriorated over the past three years.

Lord Scriven claimed that the university had refused to tell him what diligence they had done or what would have caused them to leave Bahrain.

He added that in the city he grew up in, it's incredible, remarkable that someone supports and promotes abuses for human rights without due diligence.

Sayed Ahmed AlWadaei, the Advocacy Director at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, wrote on twitter that it's really surprising to see Huddersfield University academics equipping the Bahraini police force with tactics that will only reinforce state repression boasting a record of killing people through torture without accountability.

Human Rights Watch campaigners also have Bahrain as one of the world's worst countries. A university spokesperson said Lord Scriven's views were his views and the British government did not support them.

They noted that the HRW is following instructions from the UK Government and International Trade Department. They are also actively promoting cooperation with Bahrain and said the University's Security Science program provides for the Bahraini Interior Ministry, which is taught at the Royal Police Academy.

The Prime Minister visited Bahrain in December 2016, attending the Gulf Cooperation Council's annual meeting of leaders and promoting closer relations with Bahrain, understanding that these are crucial to our security and prosperity.

As the Prime Minister said, by not turning his back on this issue, the UK government will uphold principles and human rights. He said that by stepping up, communicating with these nations, and collaborating with them to encourage and support their reform plans, the nation can accomplish much more.

Nonetheless, the MSc curriculum of the University still supports these goals and was launched as part of the efforts of the Royal Academy to expose its officers to international police interactions, develop their leadership skills, and efficiently and forwardly address security issues.

The Masters program includes experimental psychology, forensic psychology, computer science (cyber security), forensic science and criminology as well as a dissertation. The courses are offered by Huddersfield staffs at the Academy who usually spend about two weeks teaching the students in the region. Such subjects are taught by academic staff from three Study Schools - Human & Health Sciences; Applied Sciences; and Computer & Technology at the said university.

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