8.20 The NIHR believes that there was no suspicion of a violation of the right to fair trial guarantees, as the trial proceedings were objective and consistent, in substance and content, with fair trial standards. This is evident in the fact that the Court allowed both litigants (the lawyer of the State Prosecution) and (the lawyers of each association) to express their opinions, defend them, and to hear their statements in full, freely and without interruption. In addition, the Court allowed the members of each association, some lawyers, human rights supporters, and representatives of a number of foreign embassies to be in the courtroom, entrenching the principle of public hearings, which is one of the main pillars of fair trial guarantees. 8.21 Recommendations: a. To issue an exclusive and integrated law on press, printing, publishing, audio-visual and printed media, and electronic media in accordance with the international and regional human rights instruments. b. To issue a law on guaranteeing the right to information as a key component of freedom of opinion, the right to expression, and freedom of the media. c. To issue a law on civil society and organizations that takes into account suitable developments of human rights, while supporting the law with all guarantees that ensure the freedom of association, in line with international human rights instruments. d. To encourage civil society organizations to expand their understanding of the right to peaceful assembly, sensitize the Parallel Report by the National Institution for Human Rights of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Human Rights Committee © 2018 52