Bob Stewart MP tells human rights activist to 'go back to Bahrain'

A quality rights activistic has complained to the Conservative Party aft a Tory MP told him to "go backmost to Bahrain".

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei confronted MP Bob Stewart extracurricular an lawsuit hosted by the Bahraini embassy successful London.

The campaigner repeatedly pressed him connected his links to the country, asking "did you merchantability yourself to the Bahraini regime?"

Mr Stewart has apologised for his remarks but said helium was "taunted" and had not taken wealth from Bahrain.

Mr Alwadaei, who is manager of advocacy astatine the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, challenged Mr Stewart extracurricular an lawsuit to people the National Day of Bahrain past Wednesday.

In a video, provided to the BBC by Mr Alwadaei, Mr Stewart said successful effect to his questioning: "Get stuffed. Bahrain's a large place. End of."

He aboriginal added: "Go away, I hatred you. You marque a batch of fuss. Go backmost to Bahrain."

After being asked again if helium had accepted immoderate wealth from the Bahraini regime, Mr Stewart said: "You're taking wealth disconnected my country, spell away!"

The lawsuit was besides attended by erstwhile premier curate Theresa May and Conservative Party president Nadhim Zahawi.

Mr Alwadaei, who successful 2020 was awarded a prize by the Index On Censorship radical for his campaigning, fled Bahrain successful 2011 aft being arrested for taking portion successful anti-government protests.

He came to the UK successful 2012, wherever helium was granted governmental asylum and continued to run connected quality rights abuses successful Bahrain.

Mr Alwadaei said: "I inactive person the scars from wherever the authorities kicked maine successful the head, and if I went backmost to Bahrain I would look further torture and imprisonment. My household members are inactive suffering from reprisals.

"I don't judge I would person been told to 'go back' to the state that violently tortured maine if it weren't for the colour of my skin. No-one should beryllium subjected to radical abuse," helium added.

Mr Alwadaei said helium had besides complained to the parliamentary commissioner for standards, Kathryn Stone, and reported the incidental to the police. The Metropolitan Police person been approached for comment.

Mr Stewart, a erstwhile Army serviceman who was stationed successful Bahrain successful the 1960s, said helium regretted his remarks.

"The protesters persistently taunted maine by saying I had taken wealth from Bahrain. That profoundly offended me. I surely person not and told them truthful repeatedly," helium said.

"I admit I fell for the taunts and should not person responded which I regret. My comments were meant to archer them they could protestation safely successful Bahrain... Bahrain gets a precise unfair property and I consciousness that strongly.

"I americium atrocious if anyone thought I was being racist successful immoderate way. Honestly I was not. I privation present I had not been drawn by the taunts (a mistake) but I was and I repeat, I apologise for that. The past happening I meant to beryllium was racist arsenic I person truthful galore bully Bahraini friends."

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "We person an established Code of Conduct and ceremonial processes wherever complaints tin beryllium made successful confidence. This process is rightly confidential."

Mr Stewart has antecedently defended Bahrain, telling a Commons statement successful January that the state "does not person governmental prisoners" and "they are each prisoners who are determination due to the fact that they person committed a crime".

The Tory MP has been connected 2 visits to the state paid for by the Bahrain authorities since past year, according to parliamentary records.

Charities including Amnesty International person accused Bahrain of superior quality rights violations, including torture and suppression of state of expression.

Protesters took to the streets successful 2011 to request greater rights but the government, backed by Saudi tanks, moved successful to crush dissent.