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Supplying of surveillance equipment in Bahrain
Lead NCPUnited Kingdom
Supporting NCP(s)None Selected
DescriptionSpecific instance notified by the NGO Privacy International regarding the activities of Gamma International UK operating in Bahrain.
Theme(s)General policies, Human rights
Date1 Feb 2013
Host country(ies)Bahrain
SourceNGO
Industry sectorOther service activities
StatusConcluded
Summary

Read the initial assessment issued by the UK NCP - 21 June 2013

Read the final statement issued by the UK NCP concluding the specific instance - December 2014


In February 2013, the UK NCP received a request for review from the NGO Privacy International alleging that Gamma International UK had breached the general policies, and human rights provisions of the Guidelines by supplying surveillance equipment to police and security services in Bahrain. 

The NCP conducted an initial assessment and concluded that the specific instance merits further examination. The NCP offered mediation services to the parties, who accepted, and a meeting took place in September 2013. After this meeting, the parties exchanged correspondence over a number of weeks without making progress. And, on the basis of the Mediator's report received in December 2013, the UK NCP concluded that mediation had failed to produce an agreement and notified the parties that it would make a further examination of the issues.

After an in-depth examination of the information at hand, the UK NCP found that the actions of Gamma International UK Limited were inconsistent with the certain provisions of the OECD Guidelines (Chapter II: General Policies, paragraphs 2, 10 & 13, and Chapter IV: Human Rights, paragraphs 1,4, 5 & 6.

The UK NCP recommended that Gamma International UK Limited take the following actions to make its conduct more consistent with the Guidelines:

  • Take note of evidence from international bodies and UK government advice in its future due diligence,
  • Participate in industry best practice schemes and discussions,
  • Reconsider its communications strategy to offer the most consistent and transparent engagement appropriate for its sector,
  • Co-operate with official remedy processes where it identifies that its products may have been misused.

The full details of the NCP's examination are found in the final statement issued in December 2014 by the NCP upon conclusion of the specific instance.