Posts from — June 2011

The Determination of the Arab Revolutions
By ESAM AL-AMIN – counterpunch.org

After the relatively swift triumphs of the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions in deposing their dictators earlier this year, other Arab dictators drew a different set of lessons than their populations did.

Fed up with decades of repression, corruption, and the break down of state institutions, as well as the complete loss of faith in any meaningful political or social reforms in their societies, people across the Arab world this spring have waged simultaneous mass movements to force sweeping changes.

Arab autocrats, sustained for decades by the powerful security state, were shocked and startled as they observed in horror the dismantling of the security apparatuses in Tunisia and Egypt, facing fearless populace willing to sacrifice their lives to liberate themselves from the yoke of tyranny and regain their freedoms and dignity.

To their credit, in both the Tunisian and Egyptian models, the armies refused to shoot at their people after the failure of the security forces to clamp down. The popular uprisings spread across each country with incredible determination and zeal as the fear barrier of the ruthless regimes completely broke down.

Shortly after the fall of the Egyptian dictator, people across the Arab world took to the streets in peaceful uprisings against their long time repressive rulers. The concurrent massive demonstrations were especially widespread in Yemen, Libya, Syria, and Bahrain, against the decades-old repressive regimes of Muammar Gaddhafi in Libya (41 years), Ali Saleh in Yemen (33 years), the Assad family in Syria (Bashar and his father before him- 40 years), and the minority Al-Khalifah dynasty in Bahrain (230 years.)

The primary lesson learned by the Arab masses watching the revolutions unfold in Tunisia and Egypt was that the people’s collective power and determination can ultimately triumph in the face of isolated regimes that have been ruling them with an iron fist.

However, the authoritarian regimes drew different lessons from the Tunisian and Egyptian experience. They did not see the power and determination of the people but the weakness of the regimes and fragility and indecisiveness of its leaders.

In each case, though engulfed in its own particular circumstances and distinct features, the overall framework of how each regime dealt with its own popular uprising is strikingly similar.

As in the Tunisian and Egyptian models the first response of each regime was to rely on the security forces to put a quick end to the uprisings before they spread. When such attempts fail within the first few days, the next step is to try to contain the demonstrations by embracing the demands of the protesters while asking for a return to calm in order to implement reforms.

The problem with these initial steps is that they are perceived by the people as disingenuous and are almost always too late. Like Tunisia and Egypt before them, in each of the cases in Yemen, Libya, Syria, or Bahrain, the initial brutal response of the security forces had an adverse effect and did not stop the protests. In fact, the increasing casualties in the streets intensified the opposition and the revolts became widespread. …more

Iraq News
Al Jalabi calls on Saudi Forces to withdraw from Bahrain
Saturday, June 04, 2011 13:50 GMT
Head of Iraq’s National Congress Party Ahmad Al Jalabi called on Saudi Forces to withdraw from Bahrain. Al Jalabi urged the Bahraini government to resolve the crisis peacefully, stop the killing and release detainees.

Head of Iraq’s national congress said before the set off of the humanitarian aid convoy to Bahrain, that this country was chairing the Arab League when US Forces invaded Iraq in 2003. Bahrain requested from the Security Council back then to ask from the United States to announce its occupation to Iraq, he said.

Since Iraq will chair the upcoming Arab Summit, we call on Saudi Forces to leave Iraq, Al Jalabi concluded. …more

Bahrain: Violations of the Rights of the Child worse than ever: Deaths by excessive force, and military trials at age of 15

29th May 2011

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its deep concern for the government’s targeting of children during its brutal security campaigns, especially the last campaign that started in the last few months and after the declaration of national safety (martial law) state. Hundreds of children were victims of excessive force by policemen that resulted in two children death at least. They were also subjected to arbitrary arrests that targeted them in their class rooms and homes, physical and psychological assaults during night raids to arrest their parents, and great damage inflicted upon them by the Authority as a result of targeting thousands of parents with arrest and arbitrary dismissal from work.

BCHR has published several previous reports[1] in the last 6 months condemning the government’s targeting of children in security campaigns launched by the authorities against opponents, but its appeals for the authorities to respect the international conventions, which it pledged to them, including the Rights of the Child Convection, had fallen on deaf ears in the silence of the international community. However, these violations of the Rights of the Child have become worse and reached dangerous limits.
Victims of violence and excessive force use:

Children became victims of Bahraini regime excessive use of force to crackdown peaceful protests, as it neglected their safety during the attack on the Pearl Roundabout on 17th Feb 2011 at 3 a.m. without warning with tear gas, rubber and live bullets and bird shotgun, despite the presence of many children sleeping in the tents.[2] They were subjected to excessive and indiscriminate use of force under a policy of collective punishment. A baby girl was injured shotgun shot in her arm [3] on 16th March 2011 in an attack by riot police on peaceful gatherings in the vicinity of the Pearl Roundabout. …more

Bahrain: human rights briefing

Posted: 03 June 2011

In a new briefing today, Amnesty International said that serious human rights violations continue to be committed in Bahrain. These include:
Arrests
Following the declaration of the state of emergency, hundreds of people were arrested and in many cases detained incommunicado; some were reportedly subjected to unprovoked assaults at the time of their arrest, often at their homes in the early hours of the morning. Some detainees allege that they were tortured while held at undisclosed locations. In April, at least four detainees died in custody in suspicious circumstances.

Trials
A number of those arrested in relation to the protests have already been tried and sentenced by the National Safety Court. This is a military court established under the state of emergency that is being used to try civilians. It will continue to conduct trials after the lifting of the state of emergency on 1 June.

To date, those tried include 15 people who were convicted of “participating in illegal demonstrations” and “inciting hatred” against the government during the protests and sentenced in May to prison terms of up to four years. Amnesty International believes they may be prisoners of conscience imprisoned for their peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

Fourteen alleged leaders of the protests, including leading members of Bahrain’s majority Shi’a community, are now on trial before the National Safety Court – seven others accused are being tried in their absence. International observers have so far been barred from the trial in which at least one accused has told the judge he was tortured in pre-trial detention.

Death sentences
Four people have been sentenced to death on charges of deliberately causing the deaths of two police officers; two of these have had their sentences confirmed by the National Safety Appeals Court and now face possible execution.

Job dismissals
More than 2,000 people have been dismissed or suspended from their employment in the public and private sector, apparently for having participated in the protests.

Failure to investigate
The government has failed to conduct independent investigations into alleged abuses by Bahraini security forces in response to peaceful and other public protests in February and March. These include the use of lethal and other excessive force against protestors and assaults on medical workers seeking to help the wounded.

Amnesty is calling on the Bahraini authorities to:

* Release all prisoners of conscience

* Release all other detainees unless they are to face recognisable criminal charges and to be tried in full conformity with international fair trial standards, with civilians being tried before ordinary criminal courts not military courts, and without recourse to the death penalty

* Independently investigate all allegations of torture or other ill-treatment, excessive use of force and unlawful killings and deaths in custody and bring to justice those responsible human rights violations. …more

Bahrain:Medical Doctors before a military court
June 4th, 2011

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) is deeply concerned about summoned at least 7 Medical Doctors by National Safety court ( Military court ).

Tomorrow ( 5 June, 2011 ) , The first hearing session for:

1-Dr. Fatima Haji, rheumatologist.

2-Dr. Ahmed Jamal, former head of Bahrain Doctors’ Association.

3-Dr. Nabeel Tammam, ENT surgeon.

4-Dr. Zahra’ Alsammak.

5-Dr. Nada Dhaif.

6-Dr. Jalila Al-Aali, endocrinologis.

7-Dr. Nehad Al-Shirawi, ICU consultant (specialist).

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights did not get information about the trial of doctors and nurses ” Still in custody”.
( Ref: http://bahrain.phrblog.org/the-missing )

On 3 May 2011 , Bahraini authorities announced charges against the medical staff ( Ref: http://byshr.org/?p=410)

An official document certified that the transfer of medical equipment from the Salmaniya Hospital was done legally ( Ref:http://byshr.org/?p=493)

Bahrain crown prince to visit Washington
Posted By David Kenner Friday, June 3, 2011 – 3:27 PM Share

Bahrain’s crown prince will arrive in Washington next week for an official visit as his country seeks to return to normalcy following the lifting of the emergency law earlier this week.

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa will meet with President Barack Obama and other senior U.S. officials, according to three sources with knowledge of the visit. The crown prince is perceived to be one of the more liberal figures in the ruling regime, and he supports granting opposition groups a greater say in how the country is governed.

Bahrain lifted the state of emergency, which had been imposed in March following widespread protests against the ruling Khalifa family, on June 1. However, the government has continued to crack down on protesters — security forces fired bullets and tear gas to break up a demonstration near the capital of Manama on Friday.

Obama referred to Bahrain as a “longstanding partner” in his May 19 speech on U.S. policy toward the Arab revolutions, but also insisted that “mass arrests and brute force are at odds with the universal rights of Bahrain’s citizens” and criticized the government for destroying Shia mosques in the country. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet — a factor that has caused the United States to temper its criticism of the government’s repressive techniques, which have included prosecuting doctors that treat injured protesters. …more

“Now F1, plus Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, and every other team will be directly linked with a bloody crackdown that’s ruined the lives of hundreds of innocent people.”

Teams see red as the Bahrain GP gets a green light
Saturday, 4 June 2011

The Formula One teams appear to be on a collision course with the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone after yesterday’s contentious decision regarding the rescheduling of the Bahrain Grand Prix. It is understood no team is interested in racing in Bahrain on October 30 this year, the date voted for by the World Motor Sport Council following their meeting in Barcelona.

The pressure is on the teams to make a stand, with a human rights group claiming the WMSC decision is “a kick in the teeth for the Bahraini people”.

Pro-democracy demonstrations earlier this year led to the deaths of 30 people, with hundreds of protesters detained, many of whom still remain in custody, and the cancellation of the race.

Bahrain has since lobbied hard for their grand prix to return to the calendar, despite the apparent ongoing oppression of their people.

However, with martial law no longer in place, Al Jazeera television on Thursday showed protesters who had bravely returned to the streets being fired upon with tear gas and rubber bullets by Bahraini police.

As further incitement, one woman was killed by the tear gas, with her funeral held yesterday and attended by hundreds of mourners. …more

Opposition: Thousands hit Bahrain streets to mourn fallen protesters
By the CNN Wire Staff
June 4, 2011 — Updated 0400 GMT (1200 HKT)

Manama, Bahrain (CNN) — Thousands of Bahrainis hit the streets again to vent their anger at the Arab nation’s government on Friday, an opposition source said, days after the justice ministry warned against “any type of activities that could affect the security or harm the national peace and safety.”

Sanabis, just west of the capital, Manama, was the hub of the day’s biggest demonstrations. Thousands marched late Friday in the suburb, an opposition source said.

Earlier, about 1,000 people had gathered to mourn Zainab Ali Altajir, a 69-year-old woman who died Thursday after allegedly inhaling tear gas fired by authorities as they clashed with protesters, an opposition figure said.

In a statement on Bahrain’s interior ministry website, the government denied that the woman died from tear gas inhalation, saying she had chronic heart disease and died of natural causes.

Later Friday, the opposition source said, about 1,000 demonstrators congregated in Manama to remember Salman Abu Idrees, a 63-year-old who had been missing since mid-March. Images of Idrees’ body showed his injuries — including one that the source said was a rubber bullet in the stomach. …more

Bahrain police open fire at protesters in capital
Activists shout slogans during a rally outside the Saudi Embassy in Washington, DC, recently. The American Council for Freedom in Bahrain and other organisations held a rally against rights abuses in Bahrain. Picture: AFP
DUBAI

Saturday, June 4, 2011
BAHRAINI police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters marching toward the landmark Pearl Square in the country’s capital yesterday, two days after authorities lifted emergency rule.

The downtown square was the focus of weeks of Shia-led protests against Sunni rulers earlier this year. Witnesses in the tiny island kingdom said there were no immediate reports of casualties among the hundreds of opposition supporters who again took their grievances to the streets.

The country’s security force moved against the protesters shortly before Formula One’s governing body deemed the kingdom safe enough to host the Bahrain Grand Prix in October.

The annual F1 race has been Bahrain’s most profitable international event since 2004, when the island nation became the first Arab country to stage the Grand Prix. Bahrain organisers insisted they are ready to host the race this year despite the deadly crackdown. The season-opening March auto race was postponed because of political unrest. The Bahraini government lifted emergency rule Wednesday.

Tanks and soldiers left the heart of capital, but authorities warned they were not easing pressure on anti-government protesters. Opposition groups have called supporters to return to the streets, the first such appeal since the military overran the protesters’ encampment at Pearl Square after martial law was imposed in mid-March.AP …source

Ban meets with Bahraini officials, welcomes call for national dialogue
Politics 6/4/2011 9:16:00 AM

UNITED NATIONS, June 4 (KUNA) — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain, Bahrain Defense Deputy Force Commander-in-Chief and Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, his press office said late Friday in a statement.
It said Ban welcomed the lifting of emergency laws, the decision by His Majesty King Hamad to call for a national dialogue and expressed hope that such a dialogue would be “genuine, meaningful and inclusive and respond to the legitimate political, economic and social aspirations of all Bahraini people.” Ban also welcomed the role played by His Royal Highness in support of such a national dialogue and reiterated the readiness of the United Nations to assist in this process. He reiterated his call on the Government and security forces in Bahrain to uphold international human rights norms and standards and welcomed the commitment and assurances made by the Crown Prince in this regard, the statement concluded. …source

Bahrain: Targeting of active women by authorities because of the freedom of opinion and expression
June 2nd, 2011

Ms. AlKhawaja (Left) and Ms. Alqurmozi (Right)

Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern about targeting Ms. AlKhawaja and Ms. Alqurmozi.

Ms.Ayat Alqurmozi – a 20 years old poet and student at the Faculty of Teachers, was arrested on Wednesday, March 30th 2011.

She was reading political poem- criticized government policy- in the Pearl Roundabout. ( Ref:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8-qOerX3xI )

According to information obtained by the BYSHR, That there are allegations of ill-treatment in custody and she was not informed by police about the trial.

Today ( 2 June, 2011), The first hearing session for Ms. Alqurmozi before a military court (National Safety court).

Ms. Zaynab Alkhawaja – a 27 years old Cyber Activist, better known as Angryarabiya on twitter.

Ms. AlKhawaja, inspired the recent mass hunger strike in Bahrain after going on hunger strike in support of her detained father and prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja (former MENA Coordinator with Frontline Defenders and former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights). Ms. Alkhawaja continued her strike for a period of 8 days until she was pressured to end the strike by international human rights organization.

Ms. Alkhawaja had previously written an open letter to President Obama calling for the US to take responsibility for what is happening in Bahrain and holding him responsible should anything happen to her father ( http://angryarabiya.blogspot.com ). Ms. Alkhawaja’s twitter account was very active after the February 14th unrest and has over 11 thousand followers. She was subjected to many threats and a smear campaign by pro-government tweeters. …source

Mosley warns of PR disaster if Bahrain GP goes ahead
ESPNF1 Staff
June 3, 2011 « Damon Hill leads opposition
Max Mosley: warnings about sponsor reaction

Former FIA president Max Mosley has said the Bahrain Grand Prix should not take place in 2011 and would certainly not have done had he still been in charge.

“If I was president today, Formula One would go to Bahrain over my dead body,” Mosley said. “It cannot happen.”

He also warned that if it is rearranged for later this year, then pressure on sponsors may mean many will want their logos removed from cars for the race.

“The grand prix will be used to paint a picture of Bahrain that will be false,” he said. “They will be attempting to use the grand prix to support what they are doing, almost using Formula One as an instrument of repression. …more

For immediate release – 1 June 2011
PRESS RELEASE
International Special Rapporteurs for Free Expression Call for Internet Speech Rights

Budapest 01:06:11: The four international special rapporteurs on freedom of expression have today released their annual Joint Declaration on Freedom of Expression and the Internet.
The new declaration calls on national governments and other parties to respect freedom of expression in internet communications. It reminds governments that international human rights rules on freedom of expression apply to internet communications, and that it is necessary to develop tailored approaches which emphasises speech rather than simply applying traditional rules on media.

The declaration sets out principles in key areas of internet policy including intermediary liability, filtering and blocking of web sites, criminal and civil liability, network neutrality, and access to the internet.

“Freedom of expression on the internet must be fully protected”, says Dr Agnes Callamard, ARTICLE 19 Executive Director. “These principles provide important guidance for national governments to meet their obligations,” continued Dr Callamard.

The four special mandates on freedom of expression are Frank La Rue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression; Dunja Mijatovic, the Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe; Catalina Botero, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression for the Organisation of American States; and Pansy Tlakula, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information for the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights. They were brought together by

ARTICLE 19 in November 2010 and draft of the declaration was assisted by ARTICLE 19 and the Centre for Law and Democracy. The special rapporteurs have issued a Joint Declaration each year since 1999.

The principles were released at a press conference in Budapest at the Open Society Archive on 1 June.
[Read more →]

Bahrain GP back on the calendar

Motor Sport: The Bahrain Grand Prix, postponed in March due to violent civil unrest, will now go ahead on October 30th with India moving to the end of the season.
No date was set for the inaugural Indian race, which was originally scheduled for October 30th, but it is most likely to be December 11th – which would be the latest finish to a championship since 1963.

The season was due to end in Brazil on November 27th.

“After considering all the factors and taking into consideration all stakeholders’ concerns, the WMSC (world motor sport council) unanimously agreed to reinstate the Bahrain Grand Prix in the 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship,” an International

Automobile Federation (FIA) statement said.

“The WMSC feels that reinstating the Grand Prix is a means of helping to unite people as the country looks to move forward.”

The decision was highly controversial, with human rights campaigners calling for the Bahrain race to be called off entirely and the teams unhappy about the season extending well into December.

The teams’ association, Fota, said in a statement that they acknowledged the decision taken, while indicating also that the matter was far from closed.

“That decision is likely to be discussed internally within Fota, and a more detailed joint position may be defined after those discussions have taken place,” it said.

The FIA meeting in Barcelona followed a visit by Spanish FIA vice-president Carlos Gracia to the Gulf kingdom this week to assess the situation and meet officials and international organisations.

The country lifted a state of emergency this week after 11 weeks of martial law, with troops from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates arriving in March to help quell protests mostly by majority Shi’ites. …source

MB Chairman: Democracy Means Respecting the Will of the Majority
Muslim Brotherhood chairman Dr. Mohamed Badie called on Egypt’s political forces to respect the values of democracy which stipulates one should respect the opinion of the majority.
Thursday, June 2,2011 18:30 – IkhwanWeb

Muslim Brotherhood Chairman Dr. Mohamed Badie called on Egypt’s political forces to abide by the principles of democracy, which stipulate that in a transparent and free elections the minority must respect the choice of the majority.

Referring to the March 19th referendum, Badie maintained that it was wrong to try to change the outcome of a vote after the people have already made their choice with vast majority

Speaking about the MB’s principles, Badie cited that the group is prepared and obliged to accept the will of the people so long as they are demonstrated through the ballot boxes in a free and transparent elections captured the respect of the free world. He added that the group is committed to the morals and values of Islam, which respects and promotes democracy.

Badie argued that each individual is entitled to defend his or her rights, but we must value the views of others. Badie maintained that the rules of democracy must be respected and that discussing an opinion which has already been made defeats the purpose of going to the polls and can create chaos and instability.

Calling political forces to unite, Badie urged them to put their differences aside for the wellbeing of Egypt, and get to work preparing for elections instead of wasting their energy trying to the impose their extreme views on the majority of Egyptians. …more

Nazi tyrant Adolf Hitler got things done, says Bernie Ecclestone
Jul 5 2009 Lauren Crooks, Sunday Mail
FORMULA ONE chief Bernie Ecclestone has sparked outrage after praising Hitler’s ability to “get things done”.

The outspoken billionaire also slammed today’s politicians for being weak and declared Britain was wrong to help overthrow Saddam Hussein. He claimed democracy had done nothing for Britain and we would be better off with a government based on tyranny.

He said: “In a lot of ways – terrible to say this I suppose – but apart from the fact that Hitler got persuaded to do things that I have no idea whether he wanted to do or not, he was in the way that he could command a lot of people, able to get things done.

“All these guys – Gordon and Tony – are trying to please everybody all the time.”

He claimed democracy was a failure, saying: “It hasn’t done a lot of good for many countries – including this one.”

He also claimed close friend Max Mosley would do a better job as prime minister.

Motorsport boss Mosley – son of Sir Oswald Mosley who headed up the British Union of Fascists – was recently accused of being a dictator by F1 racing teams. ..more reminiscing

Bahrain return angers Formula One teams
AFP
Bahrain return angers Formula One teams AFP/File – A general view shows the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir in February 2011. Bahrain is ready to …
by Tim Collings

LONDON (AFP) – The Bahrain Grand Prix was reinstated on the Formula One calendar on Friday, a decision that sparked opposition from teams, drivers and promoters.

F1’s governing body the FIA unanimously voted to reschedule the race which was canceled in March due to civil unrest in the Gulf state. The 2011 Bahrain GP will now be held on October 30, the original slot for the inaugural Indian GP which has been shifted to a season-closing date on December 11.

Mercedes Grand Prix team chief Ross Brawn said this week that he had told F1 commercial ring-master Bernie Ecclestone that a December 11 finale was not an option.

Brawn said: “I think it is unacceptable and we’ve told Bernie that and he knows our opinion.

“If we continue to take those sort of approaches then we will run into problems because our people cannot be expected to work in that environment and situation.” …more

F1 holds breath before Bahrain decision
Friday June 3, 2011 05:24:47 AM UTC

The F1 world is holding its breath early on Friday as the sport considers returning to troubled Bahrain later this year.

Bernie Ecclestone wants the race’s $40 million fee and said recently politics should not influence sport.

But that did not stop him hypothesising about the reason for the kind of protests seen in Bahrain and elsewhere in recent months and days.

“Too many overeducated people,” he told CNN earlier this week. “If we can find a way to do something about that then a lot of our problems will disappear.”

It is believed the team bosses agreed during a meeting in Monaco last weekend that, on the grounds of logistics, they are uniformly opposed to the rescheduling in 2011.

That would give the FIA an easy reason to cancel the event but still support Bahrain’s ongoing place on future calendars.

Privately, the sport’s figures are also taking the political situation into consideration, like BRDC president Damon Hill, who thinks F1 should stay away on those grounds alone.

The team bosses and drivers, however, are largely keeping quiet — except Australian Mark Webber, who was a lone voice among his peers on Twitter late on Thursday.

“When people in a country are being hurt, the issues are bigger than sport. Let’s hope the right decision is made,” he said.

He is referring to Friday’s World Motor Sport Council, and ahead of that Barcelona meeting Spanish official Carlos Gracia travelled to Bahrain to assess the latest situation there, according to Marca sports newspaper. …more

June 3, 2011, 12:53 pm
Bahrain Grand Prix Approved Despite New Clashes
By ROBERT MACKEY
Activists in Bahrain said that this video was recorded during a protest on Friday in Sanabis, outside Bahrain’s capital, Manama.

Hours after Bahrain’s security forces again fired teargas at protesters on Friday, the World Motor Sport Council unanimously approved a decision to hold the Bahrain Grand Prix in October. The race was to have been held in March, but was postponed as the country struggled to come to grips with mass demonstrations against the government.

As video circulated online showing force being used against protesters chanting “Peaceful! Peaceful!” the governing body of Formula 1 racing issued a statement explaining that a fact-finding delegation had visited Bahrain on Tuesday “to assess the situation in the country.” The day after the racing officials left the country, Bahrain lifted martial law and protesters returned to the streets. …source

Bahrain police ‘suppress protest’
Eyewitnesses say police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters marching in capital, Manama.
Last Modified: 03 Jun 2011 16:21

Anti-government protests took place around the country after emergency laws were lifted on Wednesday [EPA]

Bahraini police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters marching against the government near the capital Manama, eyewitnesses say.

The crackdown on Friday came just two days after the tiny Gulf kingdom’s authorities lifted emergency rule.

The protesters in Manama were marching adjacent to the city’s Pearl Roundabout, which was the epicentre of weeks of protests against the kingdom’s Sunni rulers, with demonstrators in particular demanding more rights for the island nation’s majority Shia population.

There were no immediate reports of injuries during the protests, the eyewitnesses said. They spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing reprisals.

Witnesses said that police fired tear gas at a crowd of hundreds of people who had gathered to mourn Zainab Altajer, who died on Thursday. Opposition activists said she died as a result of exposure to tear gas, but the government said her death was due to natural causes.

This video, uploaded to YouTube by user Bhtv100, appears to show the security forces’ crackdown on protesters in Sanabis on Friday. Al Jazeera cannot independently verify the footage, as the Bahraini government has barred journalists
from entering the country.

The protesters marched through the village of Sanabis, adjacent to the Pearl roundabout.

Also on Friday, hundreds of mourners gathered at a cemetery in Manama to bury Salman Abu Idris, a 63-year old protester who died in hospital earlier in the day of injuries from a demonstration in March, a witness told Al Jazeera.

Security forces had set up multiple checkpoints around the cemetery in Gudaibya, where they were checking the identities of those attempting to attend the funeral, and refused entry to “many”, the witness said.

He said that people at the funeral were “calm”, and while some in the crowd did raise slogans against the ruling al-Khalifa family at one point, “not many people chanted with them”.

He said some left after the funeral to protest at the slums near Bab al-Bahrain, but were stopped by security forces armed with tear gas and rubber bullets. It did not appear that security forces used these weapons in that confrontation, however. …more

Bahrain: human rights briefing

Posted: 03 June 2011

In a new briefing today, Amnesty International said that serious human rights violations continue to be committed in Bahrain. These include:
Arrests
Following the declaration of the state of emergency, hundreds of people were arrested and in many cases detained incommunicado; some were reportedly subjected to unprovoked assaults at the time of their arrest, often at their homes in the early hours of the morning. Some detainees allege that they were tortured while held at undisclosed locations. In April, at least four detainees died in custody in suspicious circumstances.

Trials
A number of those arrested in relation to the protests have already been tried and sentenced by the National Safety Court. This is a military court established under the state of emergency that is being used to try civilians. It will continue to conduct trials after the lifting of the state of emergency on 1 June.

To date, those tried include 15 people who were convicted of “participating in illegal demonstrations” and “inciting hatred” against the government during the protests and sentenced in May to prison terms of up to four years. Amnesty International believes they may be prisoners of conscience imprisoned for their peaceful exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

Fourteen alleged leaders of the protests, including leading members of Bahrain’s majority Shi’a community, are now on trial before the National Safety Court – seven others accused are being tried in their absence. International observers have so far been barred from the trial in which at least one accused has told the judge he was tortured in pre-trial detention.

Death sentences
Four people have been sentenced to death on charges of deliberately causing the deaths of two police officers; two of these have had their sentences confirmed by the National Safety Appeals Court and now face possible execution.

Job dismissals
More than 2,000 people have been dismissed or suspended from their employment in the public and private sector, apparently for having participated in the protests.

Failure to investigate
The government has failed to conduct independent investigations into alleged abuses by Bahraini security forces in response to peaceful and other public protests in February and March. These include the use of lethal and other excessive force against protestors and assaults on medical workers seeking to help the wounded.

Amnesty is calling on the Bahraini authorities to:

* Release all prisoners of conscience

* Release all other detainees unless they are to face recognisable criminal charges and to be tried in full conformity with international fair trial standards, with civilians being tried before ordinary criminal courts not military courts, and without recourse to the death penalty

* Independently investigate all allegations of torture or other ill-treatment, excessive use of force and unlawful killings and deaths in custody and bring to justice those responsible human rights violations. …source