March 28, 2013
"A year after their trial started, two years after the alleged incidents, these medics have finally been vindicated after being mistreated or tortured in custody."

—

Brian Dooley of Human Rights First. 

Twenty-one medics arrested at a hospital during anti-government protests in Bahrain two years ago have had their convictions overturned.

They had been found guilty last November of misdemeanours after treating protesters injured by police clearing a landmark in the capital. The medics and 28 of their colleagues were arrested in April 2011 when the country was under martial law.

They alleged they were tortured and coerced into making false confessions. The confessions were used to convict them before military tribunals.

Of the 28 others, most have been acquitted by a civilian court but three remain in jail and several of those acquitted have not been allowed to return to their work as doctors.

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Filed under: Bahrain 
February 21, 2013
Antigovernment protesters rallied in Sitra, Bahrain, Wednesday. Clashes erupted in several opposition villages around the kingdom on the eve of the second anniversary of the start of a pro-democracy uprising. Hasan Jamali/Associated Press

Antigovernment protesters rallied in Sitra, Bahrain, Wednesday. Clashes erupted in several opposition villages around the kingdom on the eve of the second anniversary of the start of a pro-democracy uprising. Hasan Jamali/Associated Press

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(Notes: 4)
  
Filed under: Bahrain photojournalism 
February 21, 2013
An antigovernment protester held a Molotov cocktail during clashes with riot police in Sanabis, Bahrain, Thursday. Street battles left at least one person dead on the second anniversary of an uprising in the Gulf nation, activists said. Hasan Jamali/Associated Press

An antigovernment protester held a Molotov cocktail during clashes with riot police in Sanabis, Bahrain, Thursday. Street battles left at least one person dead on the second anniversary of an uprising in the Gulf nation, activists said. Hasan Jamali/Associated Press

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(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: Bahrain photojournalism 
January 20, 2013
Shiite women mourned Habib Ebrahim Abdullah in Malikiyah, Bahrain, Sunday. Mr. Abdullah, 88 years old, died after developing respiratory complications. His relatives said his death was due to the inhalation of tear gas that police used during a 2012 protest. Mohammed al-Shaikh/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

Shiite women mourned Habib Ebrahim Abdullah in Malikiyah, Bahrain, Sunday. Mr. Abdullah, 88 years old, died after developing respiratory complications. His relatives said his death was due to the inhalation of tear gas that police used during a 2012 protest. Mohammed al-Shaikh/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

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(Notes: 2)
  
Filed under: Bahrain Habib Ebrahim Abdullah photojournalism 
January 8, 2013
"Demonstrations will continue following this type of ruling in the courts. And this kind of ruling will further build the strength for the people who are seeking democracy. We hope that a political solution emerges that gives priority to democracy, human rights and freedom, that will benefit everyone in Bahrain."

— Sheikh Ali Salman of the Bahraini opposition party Al Wefaq says protests will continue undeterred in Bahrain despite a court’s decision to uphold the prison terms of 13 top dissidents.

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Filed under: Bahrain 
January 8, 2013
An antigovernment protester prepared to throw a gas bomb at riot police during clashes in the village of Malkiya, Bahrain, Monday. Bahrain’s highest court upheld jail sentences against 20 opposition figures convicted of plotting to ‘overthrow’ the state. Hasan Jamali/Associated Press

An antigovernment protester prepared to throw a gas bomb at riot police during clashes in the village of Malkiya, Bahrain, Monday. Bahrain’s highest court upheld jail sentences against 20 opposition figures convicted of plotting to ‘overthrow’ the state. Hasan Jamali/Associated Press

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(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: Bahrain photojournalism 
January 7, 2013
"Bahrain’s top court has upheld the convictions of 13 opposition leaders on allegations of plotting to overthrow the U.S.-backed regime. The activists were sentenced by a military court in 2011, eight of them to life behind bars, after leading massive protests against Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy. Today’s ruling marks the end of their legal options after an appeals court upheld the convictions in September. Another seven activists were also convicted in the initial case, but did not file appeals because they were tried in absentia. Bahrain is a key U.S. government ally, hosting the Navy’s Fifth Fleet."

— Bahrain’s Highest Court Upholds Convictions of Opposition Leaders

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Filed under: Bahrain 
January 3, 2013
"Two policemen in Bahrain have been sentenced to seven years in jail each for beating an opposition member to death. The victim, Karim Fakhrawi, was the founder of an independent newspaper. He died in custody in April 2011. Bahrainis held fresh anti-government protests this week, despite an ongoing crackdown against demonstrators. Bahrain is a key U.S. ally and home to the Navy’s Fifth Fleet."

— Bahraini Policemen Sentenced to 7 Years for Beating Detainee to Death

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Filed under: Bahrain Karim Fakhrawi 
December 18, 2012
"In Bahrain, government forces cracked down on a pro-democracy rally in the capital Manama on Monday, firing tear gas and arresting demonstrators. Among those detained was Yousef al-Muhafedha, the acting head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, whose founding president, Nabeel Rajab, is currently serving a two-year term. The U.S.-backed Bahraini monarchy banned all public demonstrations earlier this year."

— Bahraini Forces Fire Tear Gas, Arrest Demonstrators at Pro-Democracy Rally

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Filed under: Bahrain 
November 30, 2012
"Bahrain has revoked the citizenship of 31 opposition activists for having allegedly “undermined state security.” The list includes two former members of parliament with Bahrain’s main opposition party, the Shia al-Wefaq, and the son of a prominent opposition activist who is serving life behind bars. The move comes days after the U.S.-backed Bahraini monarchy banned all protests and gatherings following a wave of demonstrations. Bahrain is a key U.S. government ally, hosting the Navy’s Fifth Fleet."

— Bahrain Revokes Citizenship of 31 Opposition Activists

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Filed under: Bahrain 
October 31, 2012
"The U.S.-backed monarchy in Bahrain has banned all protests and gatherings in the face of continuing pro-democracy rallies. It is the second time Bahrain has banned public demonstrations since protests erupted in early 2011."

— Bahrain Bans All Demonstrations

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Filed under: Bahrain 
October 22, 2012
An anti-government protester throws a Molotov cocktail at riot police during clashes in the village of Mameer, south of Manama, Bahrain, October 21, 2012. REUTERS/Hamad Mohammed

An anti-government protester throws a Molotov cocktail at riot police during clashes in the village of Mameer, south of Manama, Bahrain, October 21, 2012. REUTERS/Hamad Mohammed

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Filed under: Bahrain photojournalism 
September 29, 2012
 Bahraini teenager killed in protest Seventeen-year-old dies after police fire shotgun pellets at anti-government rally in Manama on Friday. Bahraini riot police have killed a teenager when they fired shotgun pellets during clashes with protesters in the country’s capital, Manama, on Friday, the country’s opposition said.The teenager is the second young protester to die in Bahrain in six weeks.Thousands rallied on Friday in an officially authorised protest called by the main opposition group al-Wefaq, but as the event ended around 100 demonstrators clashed with police.Witnesses said riot police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse those demonstrators, who, the authorities said, were throwing petrol bombs and wielding iron bars.The police described the incident after the protest as a ”terrorist attack” on a security patrol that “targeted the lives of members of the patrol” late on Friday evening.The police had defended themselves “according to their legal authority”, a statement said on Saturday, confirming one of the protesters had died.Mass demonstrationsBahrain, headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since mass demonstrations started at the heightof Arab Spring unrest last year, led by its Shia Muslim majority.The protests were put down by the Sunni monarchy which imposed martial law and invited Saudi Arabia to send troops insupport.In mid-August, a 16-year-old protester was killed in a similar incident, when police opened fire with birdshot during clashes after a demonstration, opposition activists said.The opposition says more than 45 people have been killed in protests since martial law was lifted in June 2011. The Interior Ministry says protesters have injured more than 700 police officers and that the authorities have exercised restraint.Al-Wefaq named the dead protester as 17-year-old Ali Hussain Nima and distributed photographs showing a body covered in blood and flecked with birdshot wounds. The pictures could not be independently verified.Bahrain and Saudi Arabia accuse Iran of fomenting the unrest in the island kingdom and among Saudi Arabia’s Shia Muslim minority, who mostly live in a province situated next to Bahrain. Iran denies the accusations. The death comes a day after the UN Human Rights Council appointed a Bahraini as the Asia representative to its advisory committee.

 Bahraini teenager killed in protest

Seventeen-year-old dies after police fire shotgun pellets at anti-government rally in Manama on Friday.

Bahraini riot police have killed a teenager when they fired shotgun pellets during clashes with protesters in the country’s capital, Manama, on Friday, the country’s opposition said.

The teenager is the second young protester to die in Bahrain in six weeks.

Thousands rallied on Friday in an officially authorised protest called by the main opposition group al-Wefaq, but as the event ended around 100 demonstrators clashed with police.

Witnesses said riot police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse those demonstrators, who, the authorities said, were throwing petrol bombs and wielding iron bars.

The police described the incident after the protest as a ”terrorist attack” on a security patrol that “targeted the lives of members of the patrol” late on Friday evening.

The police had defended themselves “according to their legal authority”, a statement said on Saturday, confirming one of the protesters had died.

Mass demonstrations

Bahrain, headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since mass demonstrations started at the height
of Arab Spring unrest last year, led by its Shia Muslim majority.

The protests were put down by the Sunni monarchy which imposed martial law and invited Saudi Arabia to send troops in
support.

In mid-August, a 16-year-old protester was killed in a similar incident, when police opened fire with birdshot during clashes after a demonstration, opposition activists said.

The opposition says more than 45 people have been killed in protests since martial law was lifted in June 2011. The Interior Ministry says protesters have injured more than 700 police officers and that the authorities have exercised restraint.

Al-Wefaq named the dead protester as 17-year-old Ali Hussain Nima and distributed photographs showing a body covered in blood and flecked with birdshot wounds. The pictures could not be independently verified.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia accuse Iran of fomenting the unrest in the island kingdom and among Saudi Arabia’s Shia Muslim minority, who mostly live in a province situated next to Bahrain. Iran denies the accusations.

The death comes a day after the UN Human Rights Council appointed a Bahraini as the Asia representative to its advisory committee.

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(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: Bahrain 
September 26, 2012
"In Bahrain, a leading pro-democracy activist has been sentenced to two months in prison for tearing up a picture of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Zainab Alkhawaja already spent a month behind bars earlier this year for taking part in the protests against the Bahraini monarchy. Her father, Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, is a leading Bahraini activist who’s currently serving a life sentence. Bahrain is a key U.S. government ally in the Middle East, hosting the Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Zainab’s jailing came just as President Obama addressed the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday and spoke of the merits of free speech."

— Bahraini Activist Sentenced to 2 Months in Prison

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Filed under: Bahrain 
September 18, 2012
"

Bahrain’s public prosecution has charged seven police officers over the torture and maltreatment of Shia medics detained in the aftermath of nationwide protests last year, authorities said.

The two defendants facing the “most serious” charges have been referred to the High Criminal Court over the “use of torture and threats against six medic detainees, for the purpose of forcing a confession,” a government statement said on Monday.

It said all coerced confessions were dismissed during the widely-criticised trial of the medics.

The rest of the officers would appear in the Lower Criminal Court, it said.

"

—  Bahrain charges police officers with torture

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(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: Bahrain police brutality 
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