US praises Bahrain probe as ‘transparent, credible’

US praises Bahrain probe as ‘transparent, credible’
(AFP) – November 27, 2011

WASHINGTON — The United States on Monday praised Bahrain’s King Hamad for allowing an “unfettered” probe into a government crackdown on protests, and called its work “transparent” and “credible.”

It amounted to further US reaction to the publication last Wednesday of a special independent commission report in Bahrain that found police used “excessive force” and tortured detainees in a crackdown on the Shiite-led democracy protests in March.

“We certainly believe it was a transparent, credible process, carried out with due diligence,” State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner told reporters, adding US officials were still studying the probe’s findings.

“We do commend the commission’s work, and we commend the king for allowing it to work in an unfettered environment,” Toner said.

But he said “we’re still waiting and monitoring” when asked if he saw signs that the Bahraini government would hold accountable those responsible for the deadly crackdown.

Toner described Bahrain’s decision to set up a national committee to implement the report’s recommendations a “good first step.”

But “we would just urge the government to meet the high standards of transparency and accountability that were recommended by the report,” he said.

The White House last Wednesday called on Bahrain to punish those guilty of human rights abuses in anti-government violence this year, and said it would closely follow its ally’s actions.

White House spokesman Jay Carney welcomed King Hamad’s commitments to pursue reform following the report, which he commissioned to probe allegations of government misconduct and human rights abuses against protesters. …more