Bahrain Gassing Deaths Set Off Alarms at UN Human Rights Office

UN Rights Office Concern at Bahrain Protest Deaths
GENEVA March 20, 2012 (AP)

The U.N.’s human rights office has expressed concern about the number of protesters in Bahrain who have died after security forces used tear gas against demonstrators.

A spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights says the Geneva-based office has received “worrying reports of the disproportionate use of force by Bahraini security forces.”

Rupert Colville told reporters Tuesday that human rights groups claim 30 people have died because of tear gas since anti-government protests began in Feb 2011.

Colville says the figures have been rising in recent months. He says the government disputes the figures.

The U.N. human rights office is sending an expert team to Bahrain at the end of the month for talks with the government. …source