Second Annual Report of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) 2014 - Kingdom of Bahrain EIGHTH: THE QUASI-JUDICIAL COMPETENCY OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS 33. “Paris Principles” and SCA General Observations62 grant national human rights institutions “the authority to hear and consider complaints and petitions concerning individual situations. Cases may be brought before it by individuals, their representatives, thirds parties, non-governmental organizations, associations of trade unions or any other representative organizations”63. In order to enable the national institutions to perform these quasi-judicial mandates, “Paris Principles” indicate that the national institutions have the mandate to seek an amicable settlement through conciliation or inform the party who filed the petition of his rights, in particular the remedies available to him, facilitate his access to them, hear any complaints or petitions or transmit them to any other competent authority and make the appropriate recommendations in this regard. 34. The provisions of Law No. 26 of 2014 address these quasi-judicial authorities in Article 12, paragraphs (e, f, g), which state that in fulfillment of its objectives, NIHR will have the mandate to monitor violation of human rights instances, conduct the necessary investigation, draw the attention of the competent authorities and provide them with proposals on initiatives to put an end to such violations and, where necessary, to express an opinion on the reactions and positions of the competent authorities, receive, examine and consider complaints related to human rights, refer the complaints to the relevant authorities, follow-up the complaints effectively, or inform those concerned of the procedures that should be applied, help them take such procedures, or assist in the settlement of complaints with the relevant authorities, conduct field visits in accordance with the applicable principles in order to monitor human rights situation in reform institutes, detention centers, labor gatherings, health and education centers, or any other public place in which it is suspected that human rights violations are committed. This is consistent with the international decisions in this regard based on NIHR role in the protection of human rights. 62 General Observation (2 - 10) Administrative Regulations of National Human Rights Regulations, p. 139. 63 “Paris Principles” relating to the Status of National Institutions for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Additional principles concerning the status of commissions with quasi-jurisdictional competence, p. 7. 42