By Ali Al-Bassam
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain — Tens of thousands of protesters marched along a three-kilometer stretch of highway west of Manama on Friday.  It was the country’s first authorized protest in over a month since the government  announced a ban on protests in June.  The Interior Ministry said the ban was necessary to “restore order.”

Protesters chanted pro-democracy slogans, waved Bahraini flags, and demanded the release of Nabeel Rajab, a prominent human rights activist who was jailed two weeks ago for leading illegal protests.  The Al-Wefak National Islamic Society and other opposition groups led the rally, which bore the slogan, “Liberty and Democracy.”  The opposition parties voiced their demand for the elected parliament to have full powers and the ability to form governments.  It was considered to be a peaceful demonstration, and there were no clashes between government authorities and protesters.

Even though Bahrain is mostly comprised of Shiite Muslims, the country’s government, whose current structure grants King Khalifa considerable power, is Sunni.  Because of this, many Shiites in the country believe they are discriminated against by the ruling Sunni minority.  They feel that their access to government positions and better jobs is restricted.  In response to these complaints, the government has enacted some reforms, yet the opposition remains unsatisfied.

Pro-democracy protests have been ongoing since February 2011. Even when the ban was in place, many unauthorized protests occurred around the country, especially in Shiite villages.  In an interview with Al Jazeera, journalist Reem Khalifa said that since the protests began, “[i]t has never been quiet…especially in the over-populated Shiite areas.  Every day there is tension in various areas around the island.”

The Bahraini government believes that the protests have occurred under the direction of Iran, whose majority of the population is also Shiite.

On Friday, the Bahraini Ministry of Interior released a statement in which the Northern Governorate Police announced that public and private property was violated during the rally.  The statement also claimed that participants chanted illegal political slogans and “that the case will be referred to the competent authorities.”

Joe Stork of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East Division told Al Jazeera that he would give Bahrain a “very bad review,” but that the criticism the country is facing must be “having an impact.”

“It’s also true that some members of the government are very sensitive to their international image.  They’re concerned about their reputation that Bahrain has gotten over the last couple of years as a place that doesn’t tolerate any peaceful dissent,” said Stork from Washington.

For further information, please see:

Russia Today — Thousands Swamp Bahrain Highway in First Legal ‘Freedom and Democracy’ Demo in Weeks — 2 September 2012

Daily News Egypt — First Authorised Protest in Bahrain Gathers Thousands — 1 September 2012

Digital Journal — Op-Ed: Bahrain Demonstrators Call for Democracy and Release of Activist — 1 September 2012

Al Jazeera — Tens of Thousands Join Protest in Bahrain — 31 August 2012