21st October 2012

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

Bahrain detains 3 activists near tense village
Authorities in Bahrain have detained the daughter of a jailed opposition leader and two other activists seeking to enter a village under a security clampdown following a bombing last week that killed a policeman. Police took Zainab al-Khawaja and the two others into custody outside Eker, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the capital Manama, where authorities say a homemade explosive was detonated late Thursday. The policeman died the following day. An Associated Press photographer witnessed the detentions Sunday. Al-Khawaja's father, Abdulhadi, is among eight opposition gures convicted of anti-state crimes last year and sentenced to life imprisonment. Bahrain's majority Shiites have led an uprising seeking a greater political voice in the Sunniruled Gulf kingdom. Read More a violent crackdown in retaliation at the weekend.

Bahrain detains seven over killing of policeman

Seven Bahrainis have been detained over clashes that killed a policeman, Bahrain's government said on Sunday, as activists tried to break through police checkpoints around the village where he died.

The Gulf Arab kingdom has been convulsed by unrest since February last year after mass demonstrations led by majority Shi'ites demanding democratic change in the Sunni-led monarchy. The ruling Al Khalifa family brought in Gulf Arab troops, mainly from Saudi Arabia, and imposed over two months of martial law to end the uprising. Read More which is located just south of the capital Manama, is being dealt "a collective punishment" for a Thursday bombing there that left a young police ofcer dead. Prominent human rights activists Zainab Al-Khawaja, Said Yousif Al-Muhafdhah, and Naji Fateel werereportedly arrested todayas they marched toward the village carrying medical supplies. Read More policemans death, for which the government is blaming the people. The government of Bahrain announced that a policeman, Omran Mohammed Ahmed, died on Friday morning as a result of a bomb explosion that took place in Al-Eker. Moreover, a second police ofcer sustained serious injuries due to the explosion. [1] Following the incident, a lock down was immediately imposed on the whole village of Al-Eker as a form of a collective punishment. Read More

What's going on in Bahrain's Al-Eker village?

Bahrain's Center For Human Rights todayissued an urgent appeal on behalf of residents in the small village of Al-Ekar, whom it says are under "siege." The group said in a statement that the village,

Bahrain security forces launch crackdown after policemans death

The death of a policeman in Bahrain has raised fears of a further escalation in violence across the Gulf state, with state security forces launching

Imran Ahmed, 19, died on Friday after his patrol was hit by a homemade bomb in the village of Eker, according to Bahrains Interior Ministry. Another policeman was seriously injured in the attack. Read More (subscription needed) The opposition has also announced that a team of the opposition along with human rights defenders, activists and medics will visit al-Eker in the morning-10am. The opposition will also hold a protest outside the UN ofces in Manama at 4pm to protest against the siege that is entering its third day.

The opposition to head to al-Eker to lift the regime's oppressive siege

The opposition parties (Wefaq, Waad, Wahdawy. Qawmy, Ekhaa) in Bahrain have announced steps to lift the oppressive and inhumane siege on al-Eker, south of the Capital Manama. The opposition is to head to alEker on Sunday 21st Oct to lift the oppressive security siege on the area.

Bahrain: Al Eker Village under police siege for more than 48 hours
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights:

Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its deep concern over the escalated measures and the crackdown to which the The opposition also calls on population of the village of the people of Bahrain to deliver humanitarian aids to al- Al-Eker is being subjected to over the last two days. Eker through any possible This follows the news of a non-violent manner. Read More

policemans death, for which the government is blaming the people.

Bahrain: Urgent Appeal Al Eker Village is Under Arbitrary Police Siege for more than 48 hours As a Collective Punishment
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its deep concern over the escalated measures and the crackdown to which the population of the village of AlEker is being subjected to over the last two days. This follows the news of a

The government of Bahrain announced that a policeman, Omran Mohammed Ahmed, died on Friday morning as a result of a bomb explosion that took place in Al-Eker. Moreover, a second police ofcer sustained serious injuries due to the explosion.[1] Following the incident, a lock down was immediately imposed on the whole village of Al-Eker as a form of a collective punishment. Read More for the suspension of courses, stalling the educational process, staging sit-ins outside schools, working for the forceful overthrow of the political dispensation, inciting hatred against the regime and broadcasting false information. Under Bahrains law, Mahdi Abu Deeb and Jaleela Al Salman who appealed the sentence pronounced last year can take their case to the Cassation Court for a nal ruling that cannot be challenged. Read More

Bahrain court cuts jail terms of Shiite teachers

Bahrain's appeals court on Sunday cut the jail terms of two Shiite teachers' union leaders, convicted of calling for the toppling of the Sunni monarchy during last year's protests, a prosecution statement said. The court halved the 10-year jail sentence handed down to the head of the teachers'

union, Mahdi Abu Deeb, and reduced the three-year sentence for his deputy Jalila al-Salman to six months, the statement and lawyers said. The charge of calling for the overthrow of the monarchy was dropped, according to the statement carried by BNA state news agency. But the pair's convictions for exploiting their union positions to instigate protests, calling for teachers' strikes and disrupting school were upheld. Read More Jalila took part in a three day strike in February last year at the start of the uprising against the authoritarian regime ruling Bahrain. I am just a teacher like any teacher, she said. All of Bahrain went to the Pearl Roundabout to protest. There were over 100,000 of us. We just wanted democracy and our rights. Read More

Jail terms reduced for Bahrain uprising duo

Bahrains appeals court on Sunday halved the sentence against Mahdi Abu Deeb, the former head of the teachers association, from 10 to ve years in prison. The court also reduced the jail term of Abu Deebs deputy, Jaleela Al Salman, from three years to six months. The two defendants were tried on charges of exploiting the teachers association to call

Bahrain teacher Jalila al-Salman speaks out on eve of sentencing

Jalila spoke to Judith Orr about her struggle for justice in Bahrain. The Bahrain Teachers Association (BTA) was under focus even before the uprising because of our work. said Jalila. The regime sees us as a problem because we educate teachers about their rights.

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the oppressive security siege on the area.

Bahrain opposition parties to head to alEker to lift the regime's oppressive siege + Pics
The opposition parties (Wefaq, Waad, Wahdawy. Qawmy, Ekhaa) in Bahrain have announced steps to lift the oppressive and inhumane siege on al-Eker, south of the Capital Manama. The opposition is to head to alEker on Sunday 21st Oct to lift

Read More

Al-Khalifa Forces Lay Siege on Protesting Town, Prevent Access to Food Stuff
Bahrain's police and security forces surrounded al-Akar town, South of Manama, and cut the roads and transfer of food supplies to the town after a bomb attack on Thursday killed one policeman and injured another following clashes between protesters and the Saudi-backed security services.

Bahraini Human Rights Group Urges Trial of Al-Khalifa Interior Minister

Bahrain's human rights association called on the International Court of Justice to try Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa for his direct involvement in the massacre of peaceful protestors in the tiny Persian Gulf country. Read More

Bahrain al-Khalifa forces severely attack anti-regime protesters in Manama, Ekr + Pics
Bahraini protesters have once again held anti-regime demonstrations in deance of a heavy security crackdown. Read More