By Eileen Gould
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East
MANAMA, Bahrain – In an effort to thwart the efforts of pro-democracy protestors, Bahrain has detained a human rights lawyer and two doctors. Many Shi’ite protestors were inspired by the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia to rise up against Bahrain’s Sunni-led government.
Last month’s uprising was the worst that Bahrain has seen since the 1990s. The government imposed martial law in the capital city and also invited the troops of its Sunni allies, including Saudi Arabian troops, to prevent the protestors from getting out of hand.
Activists claim that at least four people have died from the government’s crackdown and have arrested hundreds more. Amnesty International has issued a statement, requesting that Bahrain provide information about the whereabouts and status of over four hundred opposition activists who have been detained over the last few weeks.
Human rights lawyer, Mohammed al-Tajer, was arrested on Saturday, when military forces stormed into his home. Tajer represented the leader of a Bahraini opposition group, Hassan Mushaimaa, who returned from exile in London in February and was subsequently arrested. Some protestors claim that the government arrested Tajer to instill a sense of fear in lawyers.
In addition, opposition protestors claim that the government has tried to intimidate doctors, and have even detained a few doctors, to prevent them from providing medical treatment to protestors.
Bahrain claims that Iran is instigating the pro-democracy demonstrations.
Meanwhile, Iran has requested that the United Nations Security Council take action to protect the opposition protestors.
Earlier this week, Bahrain’s Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs also announced that it planned to dissolve the Al-Wefaq opposition party. Wefaq is the largest of seven Shi’ite opposition group in Bahrain and controls eighteen of the forty seats in parliament. The United States, among other nations, opposed the government’s plans to dissolve Wefaq, and on Friday, Bahrain abandoned its plan. In March, Wefaq parliament members resigned from their positions in the legislature to protest the government’s handling of the protests.
For more information please see:
Reuters – Bahrain Arrests Prominent Lawyer, Doctors: Opposition – 16 April 2011
Radio Free Europe – Bahrain Backs Off On Closure of Opposition Group – 15 April 2011
Voice of America – Bahrain Backs Away from Opposition Party Ban – 15 April 2011
CNN – Daughter of Prominent Rights Activist in Bahrain on Hunger Strike – 12 April 2011
