Middle East
Bahrain jails five for Iran linked militancy
Five Bahrainis were convicted on Thursday of conspiring with Iran to carry out attacks inside Bahrain, sentenced to life imprisonment and stripped of their citizenship, Bahrain's Public Prosecutor was cited as saying by the state news agency BNA. On Wednesday, the interior ministry said it had arrested 47 members of a group it said had ties to "terror elements in Iran" and was also plotting attacks.
Authorities in Bahrain arrest 10 members of group accused of bomb attacks, ties to Iran
Officials in Bahrain say they have busted a cell with ties to Iran that is accused of carrying out bombings inside the tiny Gulf kingdom. A statement issued late Tuesday on the official Bahrain News Agency said 10 people have been arrested and face charges including joining a terrorist group, attempted murder and possessing and using explosives.
Does Iran have a card to play in Bahrain
On March 6, on the fourth anniversary of Saudi troops entering Bahrain, the Shiites of Bahrain participated in rallies, led by Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, in the cities of Manama and Sitra. While these protests failed to grab headlines, a new slogan was introduced for the Bahraini Shiite movement: We are all members of the resistance. In the political language of the Middle East, resistance means the mostly Shiite front under the leadership of Iran and Hezbollah, the Shiite groups in Iraq, the Houthi movement in Yemen, the Syrian government and Hamas.
Bahrain opposition party probed for ‘criminal’ tweets
Bahrain has opened a criminal investigation against the country's main opposition party, accusing it of trying to undermine national security by publishing "criminal content" on its website and Twitter account. The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday it had referred al-Wefaq to the public prosecutor after it documented violations under Bahraini laws. It said the violations included "incitement to hatred against the ruling system and circulating false news to undermine civil peace and national security".
Bahrain human rights activist freed on bail
A prominent Bahraini human rights activist has been released on bail after being jailed last month for criticising state institutions. Speaking to Al Jazeera after his release on Sunday, Nabeel Rajab, the founder of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, noted that his latest arrest came just months after he was released from prison on previous charges.
Bahrainis rally on protester’s death anniversary
Bahrain activist Maryam al-Khawaja released
Authorities in Bahrain have released Shia political activist Maryam Abdulhadi al-Khawaja but the charges against her still stand, the Gulf state's interior ministry said in a statement. Al-Khawaja, arrested after arriving at Manama airport last month and accused of assaulting a police officer, was released dependent on a guarantee of her place of residence and is banned from travelling, Thursday's statement said. Al-Khawaja, a director of the Beirut-based Gulf Centre for Human Rights, also holds Danish citizenship and is a daughter of jailed Shia opposition icon Abdulhadi al-Khawaja. The family played a pivotal role in anti-government protests in 2011 and in sporadic anti-government protests that followed.
Bahrain sentences eight to life in prison over alleged role in bomb blast
Bahrain's Supreme Criminal Court has sentenced eight people to life in prison for their part in the killing of a policeman in a bomb blast in November, the prosecutor's office said on Sunday. The kingdom's main opposition group denounced the sentences, saying that it was likely the confessions were taken under torture. The Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab kingdom and host of the U.S. Fifth Fleet has struggled with unrest since mass pro-democracy protests, led by the majority Shia population but also included some Sunnis, erupted in 2011.
Bahraini forces arrest opposition activists
At least 13 people have been arrested by Bahrain's government forces, who have used birdshot and tear gas in areas where anti-government activists were demonstrating, according to a local group. The protests on Wednesday were organised by a group calling itself Tamarod, meaning rebellion, using social media.
Bahrain arrests ‘Iran-linked’ cyber group
Authorities in Bahrain say they have identified and arrested leading members of the Shia opposition February 14 Revolution Youth Coalition, an influential cyber-group accused of working against the government and having links to Iran. In making the arrests, the country's interior ministry accused the opposition on Thursday of taking part "in criminal acts" and "terrorist" activities.
Bahraini protesters clash with police
Thousands of anti-government protesters have rallied in Bahrain to demonstrate against a raid last week on a top cleric's home. Shia protesters in the village of Diraz, west of the capital Manama, threw stones at hundreds of riot police who responded with tear gas and water cannons, a witness said on Friday. The violence continued for more than an hour before the demonstrators dispersed.
Ecclestone: Bahrain ‘stupid’ to host Grand Prix
Opponents of the kingdom's Sunni Muslim regime use Formula One's global spotlight to focus their displeasure against the ruling Al Khalifa family. On Saturday thousands of protesters blocked a major motorway in an anti-government march. Ecclestone said: "The government here are really in a lot of ways stupid to put this race on because it's a platform for people to use to protest."
Clashes as Bahrain gears up for Grand Prix
Bahraini princess facing multiple torture charges
A Bahraini princess is facing charges of torturing pro-democracy activists in the Gulf island kingdom. Noura Bint Ebrahim al-Khalifa, who serves in Bahrain's Drugs Control Unit, is accused along with another officer of torturing three people in detention. Hundreds of protesters were detained as Bahrain struggled to put down a popular uprising that began in February 2011.
Bahrain police deploy teargas at anti-Kim Kardashian protest
Just hours after the reality TV star Kim Kardashian gushed about her impressions of Bahrain, riot police fired teargas to disperse more than 50 hardline Islamic protesters who were denouncing her presence in the Gulf kingdom. The clashes took place just before Kardashian opened the Bahrain branch of her Millions of Milkshakes shop.
Bahrain Bans All Protests in New Crackdown
Police in Bahrain clash with protesters
Police in Bahrain have fired teargas and stun grenades in clashes with hundreds of stone-throwing anti-government protesters marching in the old market area of central Manama. The protesters tried to gather on Friday in several parts of the capital after a call sent out by February 14 youth activists, witnesses said. The interior ministry said on its Twitter account that "saboteurs" threw Molotov cocktails at the police who then intervened to restore order.
Bahrain court rejects medics’ appeal
Bahrain charges police officers with torture
Bahraini Activists Document Crackdown on Protest
Bahrain Court Upholds Life Sentences for Activists
Bahrain Overturns ActivistÂ’s Twitter Case
Bahrain charges policemen over abuses
Bahrain's public prosecutor says authorities have charged 15 policemen with mistreating medics during last year's crackdown on opposition protesters. The charges on Tuesday follow an investigation into police abuses that was recommended last year by an independent commission that studied the Gulf state's Shia Muslim majority's uprising against the Sunni monarchy.
Bahrain convicts medics for role in uprising
An appeals court in Bahrain has convicted nine medics for their role in the country's pro-democracy uprising, despite widespread criticism of the trial from international human rights groups. The longest sentence, five years, went to Ali al-Ekry, formerly the senior medic at Salmaniya Medical Complex, the largest hospital in Bahrain. Eight other doctors were sentenced to between one month and three years.
Bahraini boy describes arrest and detention
Bahrain bails human rights activist Nabeel Rajab
Prominent Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab has been released on bail, a government spokesman says. Mr Rajab was arrested on 5 May at Manama airport on his return from the Lebanese capital, Beirut. He is charged with inciting illegal rallies using social networking sites and defaming Bahrain's security forces.
Bahraini activists convicted over ‘Iran plot’
A Bahraini court has sentenced six people to prison terms of up to 15 years after they were accused of plotting with suspected Iranian government agents to topple the Gulf kingdom's ruling system, a defence lawyer has said. The convictions, which were announced on Sunday, include three activists put on trial in absentia. The case reflects mounting claims by Gulf Arab states that Iran has links to the Shia-led uprising against Bahrain's Sunni dynasty.
Secret Clinics Tend to Bahrain’s Wounded
Three young men were slumped on a living room mat, groaning with pain from nuggets of birdshot lodged in a cheek, a forehead and under the lid of an eye. Bahrain s nightly protests had exacted their reliable toll. Friends dragged the men away from the clashes and the riot police, to a safe house nearby. Soon, it was time to go, but not to a hospital: the police were there, too. "No one goes to the hospital," one protester said.
The Many 1000s on the Highway
The opposition claimed that tens of thousands of people marched on the Budaiya Highway to protest that the amendments, which offered some increase in the legislature's review of Ministerial appointments and the actions of the Cabinet --- were far from enough. The images (see top of entry) indicated that estimate may not be an exaggeration.
Bahrain king enacts parliamentary reforms
King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa has ratified amendments to Bahrain's constitution, with the monarch-led government hoping the new measures will defuse turmoil in the strategic Gulf state. Opposition groups dismissed the extra powers given to parliament on Thursday as not enough, describing the moves as merely symbolic. "The process of reform that marked the beginning of my tenure in power will not stop," said the Sunni monarch who succeeded to the throne of the Shia-majority kingdom in 1999.
Bahrain accuses foreign media of exaggeration
King Hamad of Bahrain has accused foreign media of exaggerating unrest and inciting violence in the Gulf Arab state after it hosted a Formula One race last month that turned into a public relations headache. "It is quite clear that Bahrain has been targeted by purposeful, willful campaigns in some foreign media that sought to distort true facts, instigate violence, sabotage, hatred and hostility among citizens in our united nation," the king said in a speech carried by the state news agency BNA marking the International Day for Freedom of the Press on Wednesday.
Bahrain court orders retrial for 21 activists
A Bahraini appeals court has ordered a retrial in a civil court in the cases of 21 opposition activists, including hunger striker Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, alleged to have been involved in the Gulf kingdom's uprising last year. The Court of Cassation on Monday accepted the appeal of the human rights activists who were convicted by a military court last year; they include Khawaja and Ibrahim Sharif.
Bahrain activist al-Khawaja wins retrial
Interview with Bahrain’s Prime Minster: The Opposition ‘Are Terrorizing the Rest of This Country’
In one of the first interviews he has given to the Western media in years, Bahraini Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa defends his government's course of action against the country's opposition. He tells SPIEGEL ONLINE that he will not tolerate Western interference and accuses protesters of seeking to turn Bahrain into a "second Iran."
Activist found dead ahead of Grand Prix
A man has been killed in Bahrain during overnight clashes with the security forces, activists say, a day before Sunday's F1 Grand Prix. Officials said an investigation had been launched after his body was discovered in a Shia village near the capital, Manama. Tens of thousands on Friday took part in at times violent protests demanding an end to the crackdown on dissent. On Saturday, police fired tear gas to disperse new rallies, eyewitnesses say.
Bahrain Protests Intensify Before Formula One Race
Bahrain Crown Prince Race must go ahead
Petrol bomb scare fuels Bahrain concerns
Preparations are continuing for Sunday's controversial Formula One Grand Prix in Bahrain despite clashes between security forces and protesters and a firebomb scare for members of one of the teams involved in the race. Security forces on Thursday fired tear gas and stun grenades at hundreds of anti-government protesters chanting slogans against the race.
Bahrainis rally against Formula One race
Clashes erupt after Bahrain Grand Prix exhibit protest
Bahraini security forces have fired stun grenades at protesters outside a cultural exhibition in Manama ahead of Sunday's Formula 1 Grand Prix. A local journalist told the BBC the demonstrators in Old Manama were shouting "Down, down, F1" and demanding the release of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja. The activist has been on hunger strike in prison for more than two months. Mr Khawaja's lawyer earlier told the BBC that his client had removed the intravenous drip keeping him alive.
Human rights ‘crisis’ in Bahrain despite reform pledge
Teen protester ‘shot in chest’ in Bahrain
A 15-year-old boy was shot in the chest by anti-riot police in Bahrain during a funeral procession for an activist killed last month, according to an opposition group. Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Aziz was in intensive care and several others wounded when police fired on mourners with tear gas and live rounds, the Al-Wefaq group said on Saturday.
Bahrain Grand Prix to go ahead as planned, FIA confirms
Sunni mobs ‘attack Shia villages in Bahrain’
Bahrainis wielding knives and sticks attacked Shia villagers overnight, witnesses have said, as pressure grew for this month's Formula One race in the Sunni-ruled state to be cancelled over the unrest. A day after a gasoline pipe bomb injured seven policemen, men from Sunni neighbourhoods who answered an internet call to avenge the attack converged on Shia-populated villages near Manama late on Tuesday, according to witnesses.
Denmark ‘demands’ release of Bahrain activist
A jailed activist who has been on hunger strike in a Bahrain prison for the last two months is now in a very critical condition, Denmark's prime minister has said. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a Shia activist with dual Danish and Bahraini nationality, was sentenced with other opposition activists to life in jail over an alleged plot to topple the Sunni monarchy during a month-long protest a year ago.
Bahrain not to transfer jailed activist
Bahrain has rejected a request to transfer to Denmark a jailed Shia activist who has been on hunger strike for two months and also holds Danish nationality, the state-run Bahrain News Agency has reported. "The handover of accused and convicted persons to foreign countries takes place under specific conditions ... This does not apply in Abdulhadi al-Khawaja's case," a Supreme Judiciary Council official said, quoted by BNA on Sunday
Bahrainis rally in support of hunger striker
Bahraini Protester Dies After Being Shot at Demonstration
Human Rights Violations Since the BICI Report
Last week the Bahraini regime, led by King Hamad, announced that it had implemented "significant and broad" reforms since the November report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry. The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights has challenged this declaration while depicting the continuing issues of rights and justice in the kingdom.
Bahrain activists hold pro-reform marches
Hundreds of opposition supporters have marched across the nation of Bahrain to demand greater rights for the country's Shia population, with some calling for the removal of the Sunni-ruled regime, witnesses said. Police on Friday fired tear gas at about 100 protesters who tried to march to Manama's Pearl Square, which was the centre of the mainly Shia-led revolt last year.
Bahrain praises ‘progress’ toward reforms
Bahrain opposition seeks talks ‘consensus’
Opposition groups in Bahrain have set out principles under which they say they are ready to engage in dialogue with the ruling monarchy to end the political deadlock in the Gulf nation. The five main opposition associations, led by the Shia al-Wefaq, acknowledged that they had not received any invitation for talks, but said they were preparing in case negotiations were initiated.
Bahrain Propaganda 101: Bringing the Right Youth Delegation to Washington
Justin Elliott of ProPublica tells another tale of the Bahraini regime's efforts at the correct presentation of the issues in the kingdom: Earlier this month, a group of three young Bahrainis arrived in Washington to talk about reform in the small Persian Gulf nation, which has been rocked by Arab Spring protests for the last year. The delegation, including an NGO worker and a tech entrepreneur, both Western-educated, represented "the leading voice for change and reform" in Bahrain, as an email message from one of the group's representatives put it.
Bahrain opposition politician acquitted
A Bahraini court has acquitted a prominent opposition leader who was accused of taking part in "unlawful" anti-government protests that rocked the Gulf state for the last year. The last of three charges against Matar Matar, a former MP and leading member of Al-Wefaq party, a mainly Shia opposition party, were dropped on Monday by a court in Manama, the capital.
Updated List of 68 Killed Since February 2011
A Bahraini activist, Mohammad Ashoor, has updated his list of those who have died from violence in Bahrain since the start of mass protests on 14 February 2011. The list does not appear to include five policemen who have also died in clashes, according to the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry:
Protests on eve of Bahrain uprising anniversary
Bahrain police break up peaceful protest
Police used force to break up an anti-government march in the Bahraini capital, using tear gas and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of peaceful protesters. Around 200 people gathered on Saturday at the Standard Chartered bank near Bahrain's diplomatic district and set off toward Pearl Roundabout, the centre of last year's uprising. Many chanted "to the roundabout" as they marched, but they were quickly met by riot police, who warned them the rally was unauthorised
2 American activists deported in crackdowns before uprising anniversary
Bahrain protesters rally ahead of anniversary
Thousands of Bahrainis have begun a week-long rally in a Shia village, 10 days ahead of the first anniversary of the start of pro-democracy protest which was brutally crushed, activists have said. "The large number of people who participated yesterday [Saturday] wanted to deliver a message to the government that people are determined to keep up the demands that they made on February 14 last year," Matar Matar, a leading Shia opposition activist, told the AFP news agency on Sunday.
Bahrain protests grow ahead of anniversary
Almost a year since a crackdown began on demonstrations among Bahrain's Shia Muslim majority, thousands of protesters have taken part in marches to demand political reform. The government says it is listening to the demands of protesters, but the opposition says that despite promises, little has changed.
Congress protests Obama on Bahrain arms sale
Congressmen Confront Bahrain Over Recent NGO Visa Restrictions
Bahrain has failed to grasp reform – so why is the grand prix going ahead
The Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), a palm-lined, glitzy race track in the middle of the desert, is due to host Formula One in April. Behind the facade, however, lie tales of misery, blood and torture. Last year, the head of security at the BIC raided its offices alongside plainclothed police with a list. The list contained the names of every Shia employee. One by one they were dragged from their desks and beaten in front of colleagues [see footnote]. In total, 27 were arrested, and many were left in jail for months. The BIC is responsible for purging its own people. It is hardly a place that deserves to host this race again
The Clouds of Tear Gas and Death Gather Once More
On Wednesday, reports emerged that at least three people had been killed by security forces across the country. Another protester died in custody on Wednesday night after he was reportedly hit by a police vehicle. The day was one of the kingdom's bloodiest, with several protesters beaten badly and tear gas used indiscriminately against protesters. But yesterday was worse, for reasons other than the violence on the streets.
Journalist Lamees Dhaif: I Can’t Be Silent Knowing My People Are Being Oppressed
Lamees Dhaif is a Bahraini journalist and activist. She has spoken out loudly against corruption in the judiciary in Bahrain as well as trying to give a voice to those Bahraini's who were so often overlooked by the more mainstream Gulf media outlets. Her work regularly brought her into conflict with the authorities and, in 2009, when she wrote a series of articles in Al-Waqt (A Bahraini newspaper) entitled "Shameful Case - The time for silence is over", which exposed corruption in the judiciary of Bahrain, she found herself summoned to the Public Prosecutor's Office on charges which had been brought by the Supreme Judiciary Council deputy. At that time, she was facing charges of "publicly insulting the National Council" and risked imprisonment if found guilty.
Bahrain confirms teen died in police custody
Bahrain authorities say a detainee has died after being taken into custody during clashes between security forces and protesters. The government on Thursday issued a statement saying that public prosecutors are investigating the death. The brief statement gave no further details on the death, but said the detainee was hospitalised and accused of "vandalism" during widespread demonstrations on Wednesday.
Little optimism over promised Bahrain reforms
A new round of modest constitutional reforms proposed by the king of Bahrain will do little to stop the nearly year-old uprising in the island kingdom, activists and opposition leaders said on Sunday. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa delivered a televised address on Sunday morning in which pledged to limit the power of the executive branch. Under the proposed reforms, members of parliament would have more power to question cabinet ministers, and more protection from dismissal by the king.
Bahrain court overturns two death sentences
The court of cassation in Bahrain has overturned a ruling by the court of appeals that had sentenced two Bahraini anti-government protesters to execution. Monday's decision will require the court of appeals to re-examine the case and issue a new verdict for the two protesters earlier sentenced to death, and five others who had been sentenced to life in prison. The defendents, two of whom were tried in absentia, were accused of "deliberately killing" two policemen in March.
Countess of Wessex ‘should return bloodstained’ gems to Bahrain
Gems accepted by the Countess of Wessex from Bahrain's royal family should be sold to benefit victims of the regime's crackdown on pro-democracy campaigners, according to a former foreign office minister. The countess received two suites of jewels as presents during a day-long visit to the Arab state in December, while her husband Prince Edward received a pen, a watch and a silk rug.
Bahraini activist beaten by ‘riot police’
Nabeel Rajab, the head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, has been beaten and briefly detained after a march he took part in the capital Manama was dispersed. Speaking to Al Jazeera from his home soon after leaving the Sulaimaniya hospital, Rajab said that he was attacked after riot police charged the crowd he and other protesters hid in nearby homes.
Bahrain police clash with mourners
Riot police in Bahrain fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades as they clashed with hundreds of opposition supporters following the politically charged funeral of a 15-year-old boy. Thousands of opposition supporters carrying Bahraini flags and chanting anti-government slogans converged on Sunday on the island of Sitra, south of the capital Manama, to mourn the death of Sayed Hashim Saeed
Bahrain riot police clash with protesters
Are Police Allying with Thugs For Attacks
Bahrain forces attack opposition headquarters
Protests and Clashes Across the Kingdom Tonight
Are Sunni Groups Moving Away from the Regime
Citizens continue to engage in acts of protest, including road sabotage using oil and other projectiles. The state continues to deploy security forces to confront (or preempt) these activities. These security services continue to disperse crowds with tear gas, percussion grenades, and, at least in the case of Zainab al-Khawajah, forced removal. The U.S. condemns the actions of security forces and protesters. At least one protester dies. The government vows to investigate. A funeral is held. The funeral turns into a political march. Repeat.
Tear Gas in Bahrain: Suppression and Suffering Through Lethality Reduction
On Sunday in Bahrain, a funeral was held for Abdulali Ali Ahmed, a 73-year man who choked to death in his home from tear gas inhalation. The funeral itself was attacked by police with tear gas. This was a far from unprecedented development. The streets of Bahrain have been filled all week --- indeed, all year --- with the acrid, poisonous toxicity of tear gas. Abdulali's death comes a week after the death of a 5-day-old child, Sajeda Faisal Jawad, killed in similar circumstances, and at least ten more deaths from tear gas have reportedly occurred in Bahrain since the wave of protests in February.
Bahrain forces clash with protesters
Bahraini security forces have clashed with protesters attempting to march along a highway leading to Manama, the island kingdom's capital. Tear gas and stun grenades were used on Thursday to disperse hundreds of anti-government protesters near the town of Diraz and other opposition stronghold villages west of the capital.
Bahrain governemnet tinkering with Wikipedia entries!
Many articles about Gulf Arab states have been tinkered with to distract readers from human rights abuses. Tthanks to some brilliant journalism by The Independent and bloggers Tim Ireland and Marc Owen Jones, we know a British public-relations firm, hired by the Bahraini regime, has been carrying out that white-washing. Bell Pottinger's employees have tampered with Wikipedia entries, helping their clients by ensuring that unsuspecting readers would not pick up knowledge of the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy equality protesters and the human rights abuses committed by the regime.
Bomb explodes near British embassy in Bahrain
A bomb has exploded near the British embassy in Manama, the Bahraini capital, according to the country's interior ministry. "Given the strength of the explosion and the debris it scattered, it was a highly explosive substance that was used," a ministry spokesman tweeted from a news conference. "The explosion was the result of a package placed under the front tyre," he said. He described the vehicle as a minibus parked some 50 metres from the embassy compound.
How The Regime Is Restoring Peace, The American Way!
Last week, the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry released a 501-page report detailing the human rights abuses committed by the Bahraini regime at the height of unrest in February and March (See the text and our separate analysis.) In response, the King and his advisors have decided to shake up their law enforcement. And they have picked an American, with vast experience in handling difficult situations, to help sort things out:
Bahrain replaces national security chief
Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has dismissed the head of the state's security apparatus. Tuesday's announcement to replace Sheikh Khalifa bin Abdullah, a member of the ruling Al Khalifa family, as the head of the National Security Agency comes a week after an inquiry exposed widespread rights abuses during a crackdown on protests led by the kingdom's Shia Muslim majority.
Bahrain creates panel to study unrest report
Bahraini Shia say crackdown-report inadequate
Thousands in Bahrain's Shia village of Muqasha have marched in protest following the release of a report slamming the government for its use of torture to crush protests. The protesters are saying the report fell short of the mark. Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has set up a commission to implement the findings of the report, including an examination of the protesters' grievances.
Bahrain hints at evidence of Iran protest links despite report rejection
Two very different Bahrains, 10km apart
I'm writing from A'Ali, a predominantly Shiite village in the centre of Bahrain, which was the site of clashes all morning between anti-government protesters and the police. A few hours later, 10 kilometres down the road, the Bahraini government has released the official report into this year's alleged human rights abuses. The government hopes the report is a chance to turn the page and "move forward," as a spokesman said earlier this week. Ask anyone here in A'Ali, and they'll tell you those abuses are still going on.
Clashes with police follow Bahrain funeral
The evening call to prayer in this village on Thursday was punctuated by the explosions of sound bombs fired by Bahraini police. Tear gas canisters arced overhead as residents crouched on their rooftops and huddled in doorways, chanting allahu akhbar and yasqat Hamad ("down with Hamad"). "This is Bahrain now," one teenaged boy said, wearing a scarf over his face to shield his identity.
The Commission of Inquiry’s Report and 14 Key Points About It
The 501-page report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry deserves to be read in its entirety. This is a meticulous effort to document the events and transgressions of February and March, from the outbreak of pro-reform protests on 14 February to the regime's crackdown of 16 March and beyond.
Report Details Excessive Force Used Against Bahrain Protests
The head of an international commission investigating Bahrain s sweeping crackdown on antigovernment protests over the summer said on Wednesday that security forces used excessive force, including torture and forced confessions, against detainees in a campaign that deeply polarized the country, a prominent American ally in the Gulf.
Bahrain braces for official rights report
The Bahraini government hopes this week will be a chance to turn the page on months of popular protests. In a sign of how deeply divided the country remains, police clashed with protesters during a funeral march on Tuesday afternoon, just hours before an official commission was set to release its report into alleged human rights abuses committed during months of protests.