Bassil al-Qattan murdered by Bahrain Security forces with Chemical Gas

Bahraini protester dies after inhaling poisonous tear gas
18 December, 2012 – PressTV

A man has been killed by poisonous gas used by Bahraini regime forces in the ongoing anti-regime protests in the Persian Gulf state.

The victim, identified as Bassil al-Qattan, died on Thursday after inhaling tear gas fumes fired during a demonstration against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty in the capital Manama last week.

His death comes amid excessive use of tear gas and stun grenades by Bahraini security forces as they continue their harsh clampdown on peaceful demonstrators who are calling for democratic reforms in the Arab country.

Locals said they had witnessed extensive use of tear gas, pellet shotguns and sound bombs during the massive ‘Bahrain’s Martyrs Day’ demonstration in Manama on Monday, which caused severe and critical injuries to protesters.

Witnesses also reported that police made at least 25 arrests, including women, during the rally.

Since mid-February 2011, thousands of pro-democracy protesters have staged numerous demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.

The Bahraini government promptly launched a brutal crackdown on the peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring states.

Dozens of people have been killed in the crackdown, and the security forces have arrested hundreds, including doctors and nurses accused of treating injured revolutionaries.

A report published by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry in November 2011 found that the Al Khalifa regime had used excessive force in the crackdown, criticizing Manama for torturing political activists, politicians, and protesters.

The protesters say they will continue to hold anti-regime demonstrations until their demand for the establishment of a democratically-elected government is met. …source

Bahrain: Suppresses the Demonstrations on the Anniversary of the King’s Accession to the Throne and Arrests Activists
18 December, 2012 – Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) expresses it grave concern due to the Bahraini Authorities suppressing the demonstrations on the anniversary of the King’s accession to the throne (16 – 17 December). Since the year 2000, the Bahraini Authorities have begun to celebrate this day as a National Day. On the other hand, the political opposition movements and the local organizations consider this day as the ‘Martyrs Day’, since two demonstrators who were calling for a constitutional kingdom died during these days in the nineties.

On 16 December, hundreds demonstrated inside the villages of Bahrain calling for the demonstrations in the Capital of Bahrain (Manama) on 17 December in solidarity with the victims of the protests of the nineties and 14 February (what was called the Arab Spring), the Security Forces had used excessive force to disperse the demonstrations and at least 3 people were injured in the face due to using (shotgun), and several others wounded as well.

On 17 December, the Bahraini Authorities closed all entrances to Manama, and tried to prevent the demonstrators from gathering, as well as using teargas and stun grenades.

During the demonstrations in Manama, the Bahraini Authorities arrested almost 24 people according to the statistics of the BYSHR, among them 3 women, and the human rights activist Mr. Sayed Yousif Al-Muhafdha from the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), and the blogger Mr. Hassan Jaber.The Bahraini authorities released almost 5 protesters later.

According to the lawyers of the BYSHR, those arrested were transferred to Hoora police station to interrogate them about their participation in the protests in Manama.

This takes places days after the speech of the Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa in the International Conference “The Manama Dialogue” about the Bahraini Authorities being ready to engage in a dialogue with the opposition for the stability of the political conditions in Bahrain, and the King’s speech about the public liberties in Bahrain.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) calls for:

1. Immediately release the detainees from the peaceful demonstrations in Manama, and other villages, and to drop all charges related to freedom of expression and gathering.

2. The Bahraini Authorities have to abide by not restricting peaceful gatherings.

3. The Bahraini Authorities have to put an end to using excessive force against peaceful demonstrators.

…source

Bahrain Jails Activist for Covering Protests on Twitter
By LIAM STACK and ROBERT MACKEY – 19 Decemebr, 2012 – NYT The Lede

Bahrain jailed a leading rights activist for posts on Twitter documenting a protest on Monday in the capital, Manama, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights said in a statement.

The activist, Said Yousif al-Muhafdah, is the center’s head of documentation and the second member of the group to be jailed for using the social network in the past six months. A photograph of Mr. Muhafdah’s arrest was later posted on Twitter.

In July, Bahrain sentenced Nabeel Rajab, the rights center’s president, to three months in prison for joking on Twitter that supporters of Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Sulman al-Khalifa, who was appointed to his post in 1971, cheered him only after being bribed.

Mr. Muhafdah was arrested for reporting on Monday’s protest as it came under attack from Bahrain’s security forces. A look at his @SAIDYOUSIF Twitter feed shows that he covered the protest in detail, transmitting photos of protesters engulfed in tear gas and displaying gory injuries from shotgun pellets to his 77,000 followers. …source