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State condemns Bahrain's crackdown on political demonstrations
The State Department issued a tough and lengthy condemnation of Bahrain's crackdown on protesters Wednesday, saying the United States is “deeply concerned” by the U.S. ally's decision to outlaw public gatherings.
“Freedoms of assembly, association and expression are universal human rights,” department spokesman Mark Toner said. “We urge the government of Bahrain to uphold its international commitments and ensure that its citizens are able to assemble peacefully and to express their views without fear of arrest or detention.
“We urge the government of Bahrain to work with responsible protest leaders to find a way for peaceful and orderly demonstrations to take place. The decision to curb these rights is contrary to Bahrain's professed commitment to reform and will not help advance national reconciliation nor build trust among all parties. We also urge the opposition to refrain from provocations and violence; violence undermines efforts to reduce tensions, rebuild trust and pursue meaningful reconciliation in Bahrain.”
The latest measure also threatens legal action against protest supporters amid intensifying complaints of discrimination against the Sunni-ruled country's Shiite majority. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid bin Abdulla al-Khalifa justified the decision by accusing protesters of fomenting violence and disrupting the economy.
Al-Khalifa on Wednesday called the ban “temporary.”
“Interior Minister: banning rallies & gatherings is a temporary decision until security is restored to protect national unity,” the Interior Ministry said on Twitter. “Freedom of expression is protected within the constitution and law.”
The Obama administration has been criticized for not supporting the pro-democracy movement in Bahrain, as it has in other Arab Spring countries. Republican candidate Mitt Romney has declined to challenge President Obama on the issue.
Great Britain has criticized Bahrain, despite signing a defense cooperation agreement with the country earlier this month.
“A blanket ban of this nature is excessive,” Alistair Burt, the British minister for the Middle East and North Africa, said Tuesday.
“Peaceful protest is a democratic right. I hope the Bahraini government will rescind this measure as quickly as possible.”
The human-rights group Amnesty International has also weighed in.
“Even in the event of sporadic or isolated violence once an assembly is underway, the authorities cannot simply declare a blanket prohibition on all protests," Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, the Middle East and North Africa Program deputy director at Amnesty International, said in a statement.
"Such a sweeping measure amounts to nothing less than nullifying the rights to freedom of association, expression and assembly. Law enforcement officials must act to protect peaceful protesters rather than using the violent acts of a few as a pretext to restrict or impede the rights of all.”
