4th October 2012

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

U.S. concerned after Bahrain upholds health-care workers jail terms
The United States said Wednesday that it is deeply concerned about a decision by Bahrains top court to uphold jail terms for nine health-care workers convicted for their roles in last years pro-democracy uprising, calling it a setback for reconciliation efforts in the gulf Arab state. We are deeply concerned that the Court of Cassation upheld the rulings against the nine medical professionals who were associated with the protests last year, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at a news brieng. Were also concerned that these convictions serve to further restrict freedom of expression and hurt the atmosphere thats so necessary in Bahrain for national reconciliation, Nuland said. Bahrains Court of Cassation on Monday rejected all appeals presented by the defendants and conrmed the previous rulings of prison terms ranging from one month to ve years. Read More and investigations into cases of police torture and killing of civilians have not been sufciently thorough. Maryam Al-Khawaja, Head of foreign relations at the Bahrain center for human rights spoke to Amnesty International on the repression her family and other human rights defenders in Bahrain are still facing on a daily basis. Read More

Bahrain's Cat and Mouse Games

Even as Bahrain accepted many of the recommendations to end human rights violations made during a UN review this week at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Bahraini human rights defenders reported threats against them as a result of their participation in the process. At the upper levels of Bahraini Government, ofcials appeared to be using the rhetoric of statesmanship to convey their wish for

sweeping reforms and maximum dialogue with citizens who have been demonstrating against the ofcial repression that has kept the tiny country's revolution alive for more than a year. Bahrain, strategically positioned in the Arabian Gulf, is a kingdom ruled by Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the King of Bahrain, and the al Khalifa family. King Hamad is a Sunni Muslim while a large majority of the country's population is Shia Muslim. Shia citizens complain against discrimination in landing top jobs, accessing credit and property ownership. Read More Bahrain's human rights activist Nabeel Rajab greets well-wishers during a funeral procession for his mother, Rabab Mohammed Jawad, who died this morning in Manama October 4, 2012. Nabeel Rajab, serving a 3year sentence for antigovernment protests, was released by the authorities to attend his mother's funeral, according to local media. Read More

Bahrain activist speaks out

Bahrain's human rights activist Nabeel Rajab greets wellwishers during a funeral procession for his mother in Manama

In Bahrain scores of activists continue to be imprisoned

Jailed Bahraini activist: Struggle for democracy must sustain

A prominent Bahraini human rights activist has called for more protests against the Saudi-backed Al Khalifa regime. Read More

Bahrains Al Khalifa regime is UK protege: Jordanian lawyer

Bahrains Al Khalifa regime is a protg of the British intelligence agencies and an agent to serve the US interests in the region, A Jordanian lawyer says. Read More

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Bahrain: Opposition Warns Regime Over its Ongoing Media Incitement and Extrajudicial Killing
The opposition parties in Bahrain warn the regime over its counting attempts to drag the country into a violence trap and on the other hand, neglect..

Bahraini Armed forces raid houses at dawn to arrest medics

Heavily armed forces broke into houses of six medics, including consultants, doctors, a paramedic and a nurse to arrested them for treating injured pro-democracy protesters when the revolution erupted in Bahrain. Read More