26th March 2012

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

Grand Prix: A battleground in Bahrain - 24/03/12
Bahrain, the first Middle Eastern country to host a Formula One race, was dealt a heavy blow to national pride when a crackdown on a popular uprising last year prompted the sport's governing body cancel its Manama race. Read More

Bahrain police battle to control streets in ashpoint town 23/03/12

Bahraini police clashed with anti-government protesters on Saturday at a Shi'ite town where residents tried to demonstrate against the Gulf Arab state's holding of a Formula One race next month. Hundreds of riot police backed by dark blue armored vehicles and jeeps patrolled the streets of Sitra, a poor district southeast of Manama

where youths threw petrol bombs and stones at security forces who responded with tear gas canisters, Reuters witnesses said. Sitra has long been a ashpoint area where Shi'ite Muslim youths vent anger against a government they feel marginalizes them politically and economically. Read More Reprinted here:
Bahrain police battle to control streets in ashpoint town - WNEP Bahrain police battle to control streets in ashpoint town | GMA News Online | The Go-To Site for Filipinos Everywhere Bahrain police battle to control streets in ashpoint town

Bahrain protesters battle with police 24/03/12

It was a scene the Bahraini government is hoping to avoid: Hundreds of young protesters clashing with riot police and chanting slogans against next months Bahrain Grand Prix, a race which many officials here describe as a watershed for the countrys struggling economy. Read More Peaceful protests erupted into violence between police and demonstrators in several areas, exposing the divide between Bahrains formal political opposition and ranks of frustrated youth activists. Thousands of people marched in 10 rallies on Friday organised by Al Wefaq, Bahrain's largest opposition political organisation in Bahrain. Read More picked this photo from Bahrain, where police fired tear gas at protesters -- and this protester kicked it back. Tear gas has flooded Bahraini streets as the country has been rocked by protests pushing for more democracy and more influence by Shiite Muslims in the Sunni monarchy. Bahraini loyalists have condemned protesters for lobbing Molotov cocktails and stones at police, violent acts that have been caught on video. Read More harder than ever to find funding to set up and grow.

Bahrain scrambles to keep F1 race on track 26/03/12

Bahrain body count: Another protester dies in govt crackdown 24/03/12

One more activist has died after inhaling tear gas during anti-regime rallies in Bahrain. Peaceful protests erupted in violence throughout the country Friday, resulting in brutal police crackdowns that used rubber bullets and gas to disperse crowds.

Anti-regime activists said that Ahmad Abdul Nabi was killed in the western village of Shakrakan during a clash with government forces. Police reportedly used a riot hose and tear gas to bring crowds under control, injuring dozens more. Demonstrators are protesting against the brutality of the security forces and call for the ouster of the ruling al-Khalifa regime. Read More

Giving tear gas the boot in Bahrain 23/03/12

Every day on World Now, we choose a striking photo from around the globe. Today we

landed in his familys house in the village of Shahrakan, said a statement by Al Wefaq, citing family members.

Tortured Justice 23/03/12

A man and a woman died of asphyxiation caused by tear gas grenades fired by Bahrains security forces to disperse protests in villages, the countrys main opposition group said yesterday.

Bahrain's 'business angels' helping startups - 25/03/12

While the struggles of larger businesses in Bahrain have been well-documented, smaller companies have been even worse hit, finding it

One group of young people in Bahrain has tried to boost the success rate of those going it alone in the private sector by starting a business angels fund.

The opposition group said he died due to the poisoning and asphyxiating gases used by security forces against youths, who stage frequent protests against the regime. It provided a picture showing a broken window through which the canister is claimed to have entered the house. Read More

So what does the fund do and Ahmed Abdul Nabi, 31, died how can they convince after a tear gas grenade investors to put money into Bahrain once again?Read More

Bahrain acquits some teachers charged during unrest 26/03/12

A Bahraini court on Monday acquitted ve members of a teachers union who had been charged with undermining national stability by organising sit-ins outside schools during last year's anti-government protests.

Bahraini protesters battle police outside Manama - 24/03/12

Bahraini protesters battled with riot police near Manama on Friday after the funeral of a woman whose family said she died after tear gas entered her home twice in the past week. A U.N. rights body this week expressed concern over the use of excessive force and

However the union's Two killed by tear gas chairman, Mehdi Abu Deeb, and his deputy, Jalila alfired by Bahrain's Salman, remain on trial, said security forces Mohsen al-Alawi, a lawyer for two of the acquitted teachers. Two people have died as a result of tear gas used by Bahrain's security forces The Sunni Muslim-led Gulf against anti-regime activists. kingdom, which hosts the Opposition to the Sunni alU.S. Fifth Fleet, is keen to Khalifa regime has been show progress on reforms it ongoing since February 2011, pledged after international in spite of the brutal criticism of its crackdown on crackdown by Bahrani forces. demonstrations led by members of its Shi'ite Naharnet reported Bahrain's majority. Shiite opposition group said Read More Ahmed Abdul Nabi, 31, died from "poisoning and tear gas by Bahraini security forces. Police moved in with water cannon and armoured vehicles to break up hundreds of protesters as they approached a Bahraini Dissident checkpoint near 'Pearl Blogger Ali Abdulemam Roundabout', hub of proMissing For One Year democracy protests last year 25/03/12 led by majority Shi'ite Muslims complaining of One year ago this month, Ali marginalisation. Abdulemam, a champion of free speech in Bahrain, Read More disappeared. In an interview with an Egyptian newspaper next month's Forumla One Grand Prix. King Hamad bin Isa alKhalifa recently hosted Dr. Jimmy Gurul, a law professor at Notre Dame University and former U.S. assistant attorney general, to "assess the country's pretrial detention policies and procedures". Read More

asphyxiating gases" as a result of a tear gas grenade landing in his family home. Nabi's death followed that of 59-year-old housewife Abda Ali Abdul Hussein, who also died following the gassing of her home. Reuters reported her son Ali said "I consider her a victim of the clashes." Describing his mother's death he said "She collapsed in the bathroom. We called a military hospital nearby for an ambulance but they didn't have any free. By the time one came from the main public hospital she had died." Read More shortly before he vanished, he recalled how a police ofcer had told him, Ive been wanting to drink your blood since the 1990s. His offense was setting up Bahrain Online, a web forum where, using pseudonyms, ordinary people could post views about the harsh policies of the royal government. Read More

participants many of whom turned violent. All these rallies were organised by the leading opposition group, Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, and were held at the same time from 3pm to 5pm. Many of the participants violated the law and engaged in acts of vandalism. Read More

U.S. Urged to Leverage Security Cooperation with Bahrain - 23/03/12

As government crackdowns continue, Bahrain is attracting more international visitors than just those coming in preparation for

Bahrain Rally organisers summoned - 25/03/12

Police in Bahrain have summoned organisers of 10 rallies held in various parts of the kingdom on Friday for failing to control the

Arab Spring unions get top rights award 23/03/12

Two union federations that have been leaders in the "Arab Spring," in Tunisia and Bahrain, received the AFLCIO's top human rights award.

They received the award during the federation's executive council meeting in Orlando, Fla. "Worker issues such as high unemployment, lack of opportunity, declining living standards, and arrogant abuse of economic and political power by the corrupt few" spurred the prodemocracy revolts which started in Tunisia and have swept through the Middle East and North Africa," the citation said. Read More

Arab Spring unions get top rights award 23/03/12

The Royal College of Nursing has sent a video message of support to Mrs Roula al Saffar, President of the

Bahrain Nursing Society, and her health care colleagues, who are facing trial in Bahrain. The trial of the 20 health care professionals arrested after they treated patients injured in the spring protests last year is due to continue on 28 March. Read More

Dhaif, a mother of two young daughters, is one of the 20.

Nada Dhaif: Speaking Out Against Ongoing Crackdown in Bahrain 26/03/12

Last year, the Bahraini regime detained, tortured, and convicted in sham trials 20 medical professional who had treated wounded prodemocracy protestors and then spoken to the international press about the crackdown. Dr. Nada

Bahrain security forces tortured Nada. They initially held her in solitary connement for twenty-two days and subjected her to unrelenting physical and verbal abuse including electrocution. Later, she was made to sign a false confession admitting to hatred for the regime, criminally supporting the protesters, and violating her Hippocratic Oath. Read More

Pictures from Bahrain 23-26/03/12

Riot police re teargas during clashes with anti-government protesters in the village of Jidhafds

An anti-government protester walks past a grafti in the village of Bosaiba

A woman tries to stop riot policemen from arresting an anti-government protester during clashes in Bahrain Female community police ofcers warn antigovernment protesters to evacuate a roundabout on a main highway of Budaiya

Beirut holds photo exhibition on human rights violation in Bahrain 26/03/12

"People want freedom" has become a slogan which has resonated throughout the Arab world, and Bahrain is no exception. Read More

KSA fears any democracy in the region - 24/03/12

In Bahrain, another protester has been killed from inhaling toxic tear gas red by the Saudi-backed regime forces, as the al-Khalifa rule continues its severe suppression of protests. Read More

A woman runs to look for a cover from tear gas red by riot police during clashes in Bahrain Anti-government protesters run towards a roundabout on the main highway of Budaiya

Read More

Bahrainis rally to express solidarity with detained activist - 26/03/12

Bahraini anti-regime protesters have held a demonstration in the northwestern village of Diraz to express solidarity with prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, Press TV reports. Read More

'Saudi monarchy scared of Bahrain revolution spillover' 24/03/12

Another Bahraini protester has died from inhaling toxic tear gas red by Saudi-backed regime forces in Bahrain as the al-Khalifa rule continues its severe suppression of protests, Press TV reports. Read More

Two Bahrainis Die from Regime Toxic Gas - 24/03/12 Nabil Rajab to Al-Manar Website: Bahrain Battle only against King - 25/03/12
Nabil Rajab is a Bahraini rights activist, who currently heads Bahrain Center for Human Rights and Gulf Center for Human Rights, and is a legal counsel in the Human Rights Watch. Besides his work in the human rights eld, Rajab used to work in contracting, until the Bahraini authorities targeted his sourse of income, so he left it, devoting himself to the rights eld. TwoBahrainis have died from inhaling toxic tear gas red by Bahraini regime forces, one day after thousands of people marched in 10 ralliesacross the country. Activists said on Saturday that 31year-old Ahmad Abdul Nabi was killed during a protest rally in the western village of Shahrakan, prominent opposition group said. Meanwhile, a woman named Abda Ali Abdul Hussein,59, died on Friday after inhaling gases in the village of Jid Hafs, near the Bahraini capital Manama, al-Wefaq said, again citing family members. Read More

Human Rights, and is a legal counsel in the Human Rights Watch. Read More

Bahraini people face Israelistyle repression' - 26/03/12

Bahraini anti-regime protesters in the village of Diraz have participated in a sympathy march to express solidarity with the prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja. Read More

Bahraini regime forces attacked hundreds of demonstrators in several villages using tear gas 25/03/12
Bahraini regime forces have once again used tear gas to disperse antigovernment demonstrators in the towns of Sitra and Aali. Read More

Thousands of Bahrainis staged nationwide anti-regime protest - 26/03/12

Bahrainis have staged nationwide antiregime protest rallies to call on the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty to relinquish power, saying the British-backed regime has lost legitimacy. Read More

Political analyst: Saudi monarchy scared of Bahrain revolution spillover - 25/03/12

Another Bahraini protester has died from inhaling toxic tear gas red by Saudi-backed regime forces in Bahrain as the al-Khalifa rule continues its severe suppression of protests. Clashes were also reported between regime forces and protesters as thousands rallied in villages around the capital, Manama. Read More

Nabil Rajab: Bahrain Battle only against King - 25/03/12

Nabil Rajab is a Bahraini rights activist, who currently heads Bahrain Center for Human Rights and Gulf Center for