23rd January 2013

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

Bahraini princess facing multiple torture charges Bahrain court upholds death penalty in police killing
A Bahraini appeals court on Wednesday upheld a death sentence against a protester convicted of murdering a policeman in March 2011. The ofcer, Ahmed al-Mreyssi, died after being repeatedly run over during anti-government protests. The court upheld a life sentence given to a second man in the case. Bahrain and its Sunni royal family have been shaken by unrest since pro-democracy protests began in 2011. Most protesters are from the Shia majority. Read More A Bahraini princess is facing charges of torturing prodemocracy activists in the Gulf island kingdom. Noura Bint Ebrahim al-Khalifa, who serves in Bahrain's Drugs Control Unit, is accused along with another ofcer of torturing three people in detention. Hundreds of protesters were detained as Bahrain struggled to put down a popular uprising that began in February 2011. The uprising, which began peacefully with calls for democratic reform, was crushed by the ruling al-Khalifas. Read More

Bahrain prepares for reconciliation talks

Bahrain on Wednesday asked pro-democracy opposition parties to nominate delegates for talks to try to break nearly two years of political deadlock in the Gulf Arab state. The island state, base for the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since protests erupted in 2011 led by majority Shi'ite Muslims demanding an end to the Sunniled monarchy's political domination and full powers for parliament. Read More

Bahrain government says reconciliation talks set to resume

Bahrain's government said on Wednesday talks aimed at breaking nearly two years of political deadlock would proceed after opposition groups seeking a parliamentary democracy accepted an invitation from the king. Bahrain is a key ally of Washington in a stand-off with Iran since it provides a base for the U.S. navy's Fifth Fleet. Read More The ministry said that it started the contacts based on the royal directives to invite political societies and independent personalities to continue the dialogue on political topics and build upon past achievements to reach further national agreements. The justice minister has been tasked with implementing the drive to hold the talks aimed at breaking the political deadlock in the country. Read More

Contacts initiated with political societies

Bahrains justice ministry on Wednesday launched contacts with political societies to nominate their representatives at the national dialogue. The representatives will attend the rst meeting between the various components to agree on the agenda of the political dialogue, the ministry said in a statement.

King seeks to break chronic political deadlock in Bahrain

Bahrain's King Hamad has called for a new round of national dialogue, previously shunned by the Shiite-led opposition, the government's Information Affairs Authority said.

King Hamad's call follows last month's plea for dialogue made by Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, as protests continue in the Shiitemajority kingdom despite a heavy-handed crackdown on demonstrations in March 2011. Read More

Bahrain Announces Dialogue

The United States welcomes His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifas call to launch an inclusive, comprehensive political

dialogue in Bahrain. We are encouraged by the positive responses thus far from some of Bahrains political groups. We call on all sides to participate fully and to engage constructively in an effort to produce a way ahead that responds to the legitimate aspirations of all Bahrainis. Read More steps in this direction and implement the reforms that will make it possible to take into account the aspirations of all Bahraini citizens. Only the resumption of inclusive dialogue can foster national reconciliation and restore calm on a lasting basis, while ensuring respect for human rights and the rule of law. Read More

the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, said: I welcome the announcement by the Government of Bahrain that the Minister of Justice will be meeting with all political societies in Bahrain to resume national dialogue. With the second anniversary of the 2011 unrest approaching, this is an important time for the country. Read More Bahrain desperately needs an end to its crisis and real negotiations would be great news, said Human Rights Firsts Brian Dooley. Weve seen false dawns before, but if a solution can be found that guarantees human rights, it would be a way out of the dangerous impasse. That said, human rights cant be used as bargaining chips in a political process. Read More and although others did try to intervene, Al-Shaikh took a number of blows to the face and was stripped of her hijab. The videos have been widely relayed online, shocking many web users across Bahrain who have taken to social networks to voice their anger. These tweets are condemning the authorities treatment of Zahra Al-Shaikh. Web users have also been sharing photos of the young woman, bleeding from the mouth. Read More

UK welcomes Bahrains renewed commitment to national dialogue

Commenting on an announcement this week that the Bahraini Government will be resuming national dialogue with political groups, Foreign Ofce Minister for

Bahrain Launch of national dialogue (January 23, 2013)

France welcomes King Hamads invitation to all Bahraini political forces to participate in a new national dialogue. The authorities and the opposition must now take

Political Solution in Bahrain Should Be Based on Rights

Any solution to Bahrains ongoing crisis must be anchored in full respect for human rights, said Human Rights First today following reports of a possible dialogue between government and opposition gures.

Bahrain's Latest Call to Dialogue: Dtente or Diversion?

Yesterday's news that Justice Minister Khalid bin 'Ali has been tasked by King Hamad to restart political "discussions" has been greeted with some cautious optimism. This latest step toward renewed talks comes some six weeks after Crown Prince's surprise call for such an initiative at the Manama Dialogue, a proposal that seemedencouraging on several levels. Naturally, the (foreign) media have

connectedyesterday's announcement with Sh. Salman's earlier call, in which case one is perhaps justied in remaining optimistic. Yet looking at the design and ofcial description of these new "discussions," it is not at all clear that they are one and the same with the Crown Prince's plan. In which case there is must less reason for hope, and Khalil al-Marzuq's stated worry that the latest announcement may be no more than a "seasonal call for dialogue" is likely right on target. Read More

Bahrain police attack on woman stirs anger

The arrest of activist Zahra Al-Shaikh by Bahrain police at an anti-government demonstration last Friday has been met with outrage within the kingdom. As we can see in these two pieces of amateur footage (here and here) that are circulating online, several dozen ofcers in riot uniform were brought in to arrest the young woman. A particularly brutal arrest;

Talk Nation Radio: Reese Erlich on Bahrain and Syria

Bahrain and Syria: in one the United States supports a brutal dictatorship against a nonviolent movement for human rights. In the other the United States supports violent opposition to the government in the name of human rights. All is not as it appears. We speak with Reese Erlich. Reese Erlich's history in journalism goes back 45 years. He rst worked as a staff writer and research

editor for Ramparts, an investigative reporting magazine published in San Francisco from 1963 to 1975. Today he works as a full-time print and broadcast, freelance reporter. He reports regularly for National Public Radio, CBC, ABC (Australia), Radio Deutsche Welle and Market Place Radio. His articles appear in the Global Post and Christian Science Monitor. His television documentaries have aired on PBS stations nationwide. Read More

UK Parliamentary Inquiry into UK Policy with Bahrain and Saudi gets under way
The rst hearing session of the UK Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry into British policy with Saudi Arabia took place today with evidence from two former ambassadors to Bahrain. Robin Lamb, Ambassador 2003-2006 and Sir Roger Tomkys, Ambassador 1981-1984, gave evidence along side Jane Kinninmont from

Chatham House and Dr. Neil Patrick from the Royal United Services Institute. The committee itself consists of 11 members from the 3 major political parties, with all but one attending the hearing. Those present included Sir. Menzies Campbell MP, former Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ann Clwyd MP who has been a long standing supporter of reform in Bahrain, Rory Stewart MP an expert in middle eastern affairs and others Read More