Bahraini Regime Bans Human Rights Seminar

Local Editor

Bahraini opposition party al-Wefaq said that authorities have banned a seminar detailing abuses committed by the regime against pro-democracy protesters. "Authorities have banned a presentation on 'the atrocities of human rights violations since February 14'," the Islamic National Accord Association (al-Wefaq) announced on Wednesday. Hadi al-Mousawi, a former lawmaker of al-Wefaq, said the party was warned against going ahead with the presentation, AFP news agency reported. He added that the leading opposition movement was contacted by a security official who claimed that the event was "illegal because authorities were not informed." Mousawi was one of 18 MPs that resigned in protest to the repression of demonstrations in March. He also expressed surprise at the official warning since the group was never required to notify authorities of seminars held inside its own premises in the past. For its part, the interior ministry said the seminar was not banned and that "organizers were asked to present notification according to law for being a public meeting." Last week, Bahrain announced it has lifter a state of emergency it imposed in mid March. Thousands of anti-government protesters have been staging demonstrations in Bahrain since mid-February, demanding various reforms, an end to ethnic discrimination in offering government jobs and allowing political representation, and a constitutional monarchy. On March 14, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates deployed troops to the kingdom to help Bahraini forces to suppress the nationwide protests. Scores of people have been killed and many more arrested in the Saudi-backed crackdown on peaceful protests in Bahrain. Bahraini forces have abducted many people, including opposition activists, journalists, teachers, students, doctors, and nurses, and have also destroyed dozens of mosques.

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