Second Annual Report of the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) 2014 - Kingdom of Bahrain by the government through issuing an internal regulation promulgated by a resolution of the Council of Commissioners. The internal regulation includes, in particular, the organizational structure of the Secretary and it regulates the affairs of its employees, according to the relevant laws and regulations in force in the Kingdom. FIFTH: NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS DURING THE SITUATIONS OF EMERGENCY AND NATIONAL SAFETY 12. The situations of emergency or national safety are exceptional events that impair or violate public rights and freedoms of individuals more than any other time. Although “Paris Principles” do not explicitly refer to the reality of national human rights institutions during these cases, the examination of these Principles indicates that the role of national human rights institutions in the promotion and protection of human rights must be clearly and effectively increased. 13. In this regard, SCA recommends that the national human rights institutions should act during the case of emergency or national safety with the highest vigilance and full independence and impartiality within their mandates prescribed by the law. These institutions are entrusted with promoting and ensuring respect for and protection of the rights and democratic principles, consolidating the rule of law by monitoring and documenting violations against the public rights and freedoms of individuals, releasing data and publishing regular and detailed reports, and indicating the appropriate solutions to address pressing human rights violations. 14. The provisions of Law No. 26 of 2014 point out that NIHR role in the promotion and protection of human rights is not limited to the normal conditions, but extends a fortiori to extraordinary cases, such as the state of emergency or national safety. This is evidenced by the general provisions of the Law concerning the realization of NIHR role in the promotion and protection of human rights as well as the absence of provisions that restrict its role in certain conditions or specific periods. 15. It should be noted that NIHR, during the unfortunate security events experienced in the Kingdom of Bahrain in February and March of 2011 and the subsequent declaration of the State of National Safety, which lasted for more than seventy days, played a role, in accordance with its powers, in the protection of human rights in particular, by continuing to receive complaints and resolving them through communication with the security authorities, in addition to releasing statements on some of the events taking place at that time58. SIXTH: ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS 16. One of the most important aspects of the independence of national human rights institutions is that they have financial and administrative independence to enable them to perform their duties optimally. The legal tool that assists the national institutions in this respect is their authority to develop and modify their internal administrative and financial regulations without any interference or influence from any external authority. 17. Although “Paris Principles” do not explicitly provide for the need for national institutions to have their own regulations, they acknowledge the necessity for the institutions to have an infrastructure which is suited to the smooth conduct of its activities, in particular adequate funding. The purpose of this funding is to enable it to have its own staff and premises, in order 58 For more information about NIHR role in the promotion and protection of human rights during the National Safety period in 2011, see NIHR annual report p. 13 and p. 29. 38