Bahrain lifting of Martial Law meaningless as al Khalifa continues military courts, crackdown, arrests and criminalizes Pro-democracy Advocacy

Bahrain lifts emergency law, military trials press on
MANAMA | Wed Jun 1, 2011 7:10pm EDT

MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrain lifted martial law on Wednesday in what the government hopes will be a sign to tourists and business of a return to normal, but the opposition fears repression will continue in the Gulf island kingdom.

Bahrain is especially keen to get back the Formula One race. The March Grand Prix opener was canceled because of unrest that erupted in February when pro-democracy protesters, inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, clashed with police.

A meeting of the sport’s governing body Friday could reinstate the race for later this year, but U.S.-based Human Rights Watch has said a heavy crackdown on opposition activists during 11 weeks of martial law should count in the decision.

The dusty streets of the capital, Manama, were calm on Wednesday, but in outlying Shi’ite villages there was a heavy anti-riot police presence, according to online activists. Police were checking cars around the capital and villages.

“With the end of the emergency situation, the security should not be here but they still are,” said Ali Zirazdi, a 30 year-old unemployed man, who said police had fired tear gas after a few hundred people gathered in the Shi’ite village of Diraz. ..more