Human rights 'crisis' in Bahrain

Human rights are still being violated in Bahrain, despite promises of reform, according to Amnesty International.

Bahrian human rights crises are not over yet. More than 40 people died in last year's unrest and 1,600 were arrested. They are only portraying the country as being on the road to reform but there are still reports of torture and use of unnecessary/excessive force against protests.

Clashes over Formula 1

A 18 year old student said he was forced to stand for 11 hours, his feet was beaten with a hosepipe and was threatened with rape. A 14 year old boy and 81 year old woman died after tear gas was fired into their homes. In London, two protesters climbed onto the roof of Bahrain's embassy on Monday, to draw attention to the fate of imprisoned opposition activists. 

Bahrain response

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) report acknowledged numerous human rights abuses and systematic torture of detainees as security forces put down anti-government protests. King Hamad promised lessons would be learned and laws would be reformed to protect freedom of speech and other basic rights.

The government says that a victims’ fund and civil settlement initiative to compensate relatives of victims, an ombudsman and inspector general appointed to investigate of abuse and a special prosecution unit was set up.

The human rights group is calling on the Bahraini government to release all prisoners of conscience and to hold accountable people suspected of carrying out torture and abuses.

Today, it can only point to a handful of low-ranking officers who have been put on trial. Amnesty cites the cases of eight policemen who have been charged in connection with the death of protesters, but who remain in their jobs while they are investigated.