Update | Bahrain embassy responds to criticism

Formula One has been taken to task by human rights organisation the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD). The organisation accuses F1 of ignoring suffering and abuse in Bahrain.

Formula One's message is that the sport wants to be a good partner to all countries they visit around the world. With the 15-year contract extension between the Bahrain circuit in Sakhir and F1, the sport's statement on human rights violations has been criticised. The accusations against F1 come from Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, reports BBC.com. Alwadaei is the president of BIRD and wrote a letter to Stefano Domenicali.

'F1 contradicts itself'

The letter stated, among other things, that F1's contract extension has turned its back on individuals who have been mistreated and imprisoned. The letter directly challenged F1 on its own values: "The contract directly contradicts your statement last year that you take violence, abuse of human rights and repression very seriously." The problem, according to BIRD, is that the Bahrain Grand Prix has contributed to abuse and suffering of individuals. According to BIRD, F1 has failed to use their platform in a good sense and do something about this.

Alwadaei calls on F1 to tighten their policies on this issue and to investigate the Bahrain GP. They also already asked several drivers to stand up against human rights violations. A short part of F1's response reads, "We take our responsibility in the field of human rights very seriously and set a high ethical standard for our partners."

Update | Bahrain response

However, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Kingdom told GPblog: “Bahrain has led human rights reform in the region and to suggest otherwise does not reflect current-day reality," a government spokesperson said in a statement. 

"Bahrain has the region’s most robust human rights protections in place. Independent bodies, such as the independent human rights Ombudsman – the first of its kind in the Middle East – protect against and will investigate any issue related to human rights; police code of conduct reforms and comprehensive training supports a zero-tolerance policy towards the mistreatment of any kind; and criminal justice reform, whether related to judicial reform or alternative sentencing, ensures better protections and outcomes.

"To attempt to single out Bahrain in the Formula One calendar is absurd, lacks context, and entirely undermines the enormous strides and leadership Bahrain has shown in this area. Bahrain welcomes and actively supports the role Formula One can play in shedding light on human rights issues in all countries it operates in, now and in the future," the statement concluded.