Resource Centre press release - "Bahrain Grand Prix: Only 29% of Formula One companies respond to human rights concerns" [PDF], 18 Apr 2012

New articles:

Bahrain: Family of activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja 'sad' at retrial, BBC, 30 Apr 2012

Hosting of Bahrain GP backfires on Formula One, Michael Casey, Associated Press, 27 Apr 2012

Bahrain race shows flip side of sponsorship, Keith Weir, Reuters, 23 Apr 2012

Open letter to Formula 1 management (FIA) and teams, Dr Saeed Shehabi, Bahrain Freedom Movement, 20 Apr 2012

Bahrain: chequered flag - Formula One's grand prix in Bahrain has backfired before it has even begun, Editorial, Guardian [UK], 19 Apr 2012

Human rights groups have raised concerns about Formula One and its teams going ahead with the Bahrain Grand Prix, 20-22 April 2012, given the human rights situation in the country.  Nabeel Rajab, Vice President for Bahrain Center for Human Rights has said: "We would prefer it if they [the teams] didn’t take part.  I am sure the drivers and teams respect human rights.”  Human Rights Watch has warned Formula One that by holding next week's Bahrain Grand Prix, it will be endorsing the kingdom's regime despite claims that sport and politics don't mix.  An Amnesty International briefing states, “Human rights violations are continuing unabated...[As] the country prepares to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix...daily anti-government protests continue to be violently suppressed by the riot police that uses tear gas recklessly and with fatal results...Holding the Grand Prix in Bahrain in 2012 risks being interpreted by the government of Bahrain as symbolizing a return to business as usual.”

Protests in April 2012 have included demands for the release of human rights advocate Abdulhadi al-Khawaja.  Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience; Amnesty, four UN Special Rapporteurs and others are calling for his release. 

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited the following companies, teams and organizations to respond to these concerns about the race.  Below are the responses we have received, and an indication of which companies and organizations have not responded.  Below the list are the items we are asking them to respond to.

Companies that have Formula One teams
Caterham: See Caterham F1 response below
Cosworth: Has not responded
Ferrari: Response [DOC]
McLaren: Has not responded
Mercedes / Daimler: Response [DOC]
Renault: Response [DOC]
Red Bull: See Red Bull Racing response below

Formula One teams
Caterham F1: Response [DOC]
Force India-Mercedes: Has not responded
HRT-Cosworth: Has not responded
Lotus-Renault: Has not responded
Marussia-Cosworth: Has not responded
McLaren-Mercedes: Has not responded
Red Bull Racing: Response [DOC]
Sauber-Ferrari: Has not responded
STR-Ferrari: Has not responded
Williams F1: Response [DOC]

Formula One & its owners
Formula One Group of Companies: Has not responded
CVC Capital Partners (part-owner of Delta Topco, a Jersey–based company that owns Formula One Group): Has not responded
JP Morgan (part-owner of Delta Topco, a Jersey–based company that owns Formula One Group): Declined to respond

Governing body
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile: Has not responded to this request, but did respond earlier about the case of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja

Sponsors & partners
Acer: Has not responded
Allianz: Has not responded
Alpinestars: Has not responded
Casio: Has not responded
CNBC: Has not responded
CNN: Response [DOC]
Dell: Has not responded
Deutsche Post DHL: Response [DOC]
Falcon Private Bank: Has not responded
Fiat: Has not responded
GE: Has not responded
Gillette / Procter & Gamble: Has not responded
Hackett: Has not responded
Head & Shoulders / Procter & Gamble: Has not responded
Hilton HHonors: Has not responded
Hugo Boss / Valentino Fashion Group: Has not responded
Intel: Response [DOC]
Johnnie Walker / Diageo: Response [DOC]
Kingfisher Airlines / UB Group: Has not responded
Microsoft: Response [DOC]
Mitsubishi Electric: Has not responded
NEC: Response [PDF] received after our press release
NetApp: Has not responded
Petronas: Response [DOC]
Philip Morris Intl.: Has not responded
Pirelli: Has not responded
Reebok / adidas Group: Response [PDF]
Santander: Has not responded
Shell: Response [DOC]
Siemens: Has not responded
TAG Heuer / LVMH: Has not responded
Tata Motors: Has not responded
Telmex: Has not responded
Thomson Reuters: Has not responded
Total: Response [DOC]
UB Group: Has not responded
Virgin: Has not responded
Visa: Response [DOC] received after our press release
Vodafone: Response [PDF]
Whyte & Mackay / UB Group: Has not responded

Companies stating they are no longer Formula One partners
Volkswagen: Response [DOC]

Items we are inviting the teams / companies to respond to:

F1 teams urged to boycott Bahrain Grand Prix, ArabianBusiness.com

Petition: F1: Don't race in Bahrain!, Avaaz.org

F1 teams want FIA to postpone Bahrain Grand Prix, Guardian [UK]

Additional articles & reports

Bahrain Grand Prix should not proceed, Kirsty Hughes, Index on Censorship, in Financial Times, 12 Apr 2012

Human Rights Watch warns Formula 1 over Bahrain Grand Prix, Autosport, 12 Apr 2012

New human rights briefing on Bahrain released, Amnesty International, 13 Apr 2012

Bahrain, the Grand Prix and Human Rights, Nadia Bernaz, Programme Leader - Business & Human Rights, Middlesex Univ. Law Dept. [UK], on Rights as Usual blog, 13 Apr 2012

Bahrain Grand Prix Should Be Cancelled Says Labour [UK Labour Party], Huffington Post, 17 Apr 2012

Danish Institute for Human Rights calls for immediate release of human rights defender, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, Danish Institute for Human Rights, 18 Apr 2012