Mr. John Timoney, the former Miami Police Chief most notable for his violent handling of the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) Protests in 2003.

On November 2003, Tens of thousands of demonstrators who came to Miami to protest the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas (FTAA) ministerial meetings met with police harassment, provocation, and brutality. More than 100 protesters were treated for injuries, 12 were hospitalized and an estimated 250 were arrested.

Bahrain: Medics Describe Torture in Detention – Appeals Court Should Void Flawed Convictions
October 21, 2011 – HRW

The appeals court should decisively overturn the unfair verdicts against the medics and dismiss outright all politically motivated charges. The new hearing should also disallow allegedly coerced confessions.
Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch

(Beirut) – Medical staff convicted by a military court of alleged serious crimes during the period of anti-government protests in Bahrain in early 2011 were subjected to abuse and torture in detention, Human Rights Watch said today. Given the fundamental unfairness of the trial, including that civilians were tried in a military court, Bahrain’s High Court of Appeals should reverse the convictions of 20 medical staff when they hear their appeal on October 23, 2011, and order an independent investigation into the defendants’ allegations of abuse and torture.

The prosecutors should drop all charges based solely on their exercise of freedom of speech and assembly, and ensure a new trial for defendants in a civilian court only if there is evidence of possible criminal activity, Human Rights Watch said. On October 5, Attorney General Ali Al Buainain announced that the appeal will “be equivalent to a retrial.” Human Rights Watch interviewed 7 of the 20 medical staff convicted of serious crimes, who told of severe abuse in detention and extensive violations of their rights to a fair trial. …more

Bahraini authorities prevented the representative of Human Rights Watch from attending the trials
November 30th, 2011 – BYSHR

Bahraini authorities prevented today -November 30, 2011- the representative of Human Rights Watch from attending the trials of journalist Reem Khalifa and members of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society.

The trial of journalist Reem Khalifa was postponed to December 15, 2011.

The trial of members of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) was postponed to January 9, 2012. Additional information on trial ( http://byshr.org/?p=855)

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses its deep concern regarding the trial of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Teachers Society (BTS) and journalist Reem Khalifa. …source

Obama Meets with European Officials as Egyptians, Bahrainis Wait for Reform

For Immediate Release: November 28, 2011
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Washington, DC – Today, as President Obama meets with European leaders to discuss a coordinated response to developments in North Africa and across the Middle East, Human Rights First urges him to make clear that efforts to disrupt political reform in Bahrain and Egypt will not be tolerated and that the protection of human rights defenders in the region is a top priority.

“Today’s election in Egypt is only one step in that nation’s journey to a new political reality. It will be essential for the United States and its European allies to support a swift transition to elected civilian rule,” said Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley. “In response to the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry’s (BICI) report issued last week that confirmed widespread human rights abuses in the Kingdom, the United States should send a clear and unequivocal public message to the Bahrain regime that the time for stonewalling and delay is over. It must implement fundamental human rights reform now.”

Ahead of today’s election in Egypt, Human Rights First issued a blueprint outlining goals and recommendations for Egypt’s transition to democracy. The report, Blueprint: Promoting Reform in Egypt, offers recommendations for both the Egyptian and United States governments and reflects the rapidly changing situation in Egypt.

The organization was in Bahrain last week as the BICI issued its findings. According to Dooley, who attended the event, little has changed in the wake of the report and the Bahrain Government has failed make any substantive moves on human rights. Dooley stated that Bahraini security forces continue to tear gas protestors and that the sham trials of medics and others continue.

“The group of 20 medics were back in court today despite the BICI findings that they and many others had confessions extracted under torture, had been denied proper access to lawyers and been denied a fair trial process,” Dooley stated. “The BICI largely confirmed what Human Rights First and other leading human rights organizations have been saying for months, that thousands of people were wrongly detained and many of them tortured. It’s time for the international community to tell Bahrain’s leadership that such abuses will not be tolerated.” …more

Blast Damages Bus Near British Embassy in Bahrain
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS – December 3, 2011 – NYT

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — A canister containing powerful explosive material blew apart the front of a minibus near the British Embassy in Bahrain’s capital on Sunday, the Interior Ministry said. There were no injuries or other serious damage.

Interior Ministry spokesman Salah Salem described the material as “highly explosive” and said it was undergoing further analysis. Authorities gave no details on possible suspects, but security has been boosted sharply across Bahrain during annual Shiite Muslim religious ceremonies.

Bahrain’s majority Shiites began an uprising in February seeking greater rights from the Gulf kingdom’s Sunni rulers. Some apparent Sunni protesters have jeered or tossed stones at the Shiite religious processions in recent days.

Salem said the blast ripped away one of wheels from the minibus and shattered its windows in a public parking lot about 50 yards (meters) from the British Embassy in the capital, Manama.

It was not immediately clear whether the blast’s proximity to the embassy was intentional. It comes less than a week after mobs in Iran’s capital stormed the British Embassy and a residential compound for diplomatic staff, leading Britain to pull its diplomats from Iran and expel Iranian envoys from London.

Bahrain’s rulers claim Iran has links to Shiite protesters in the strategic Gulf island nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. Shiite leaders in Bahrain deny any connections to Tehran and an independent commission report into the unrest also found no evidence of ties.

At least 35 people have died in clashes and protest-related violence since February. Hundreds of people have been arrested, including prominent Shiite activists sentenced to life in prison.

On Sunday, a military court sentenced three sportsmen — all Shiite employees of the Bahrain armed forces — to one year each in prison on charges that included disobeying orders to stay away from demonstrations.

The defendants included medal-winning bodybuilder Tareq al-Fursani; Ali Said, a goalkeeper for the national football team, and Mohammed Hassan al-Dirazi, a member of Bahrain’s basketball squad, said lawyer Mohsen al-Alawi, who was in court when the court martial sentences were given.

The trial of 61 other athletes and sports officials is scheduled for Jan. 4. They include handball, basketball and volleyball players along with referees and administrators for several sports.

The charges include illegal assembly and inciting hatred against Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy. ……source