AhlulBayt News Agency

source : AFP
Sunday

29 May 2011

7:30:00 PM
244457

International Committee for the Red Cross wants more access to detainees in Bahrain

The head of the International Committee for the Red Cross on Thursday criticized Bahrain for denying the rights group access to people detained during crackdowns on political demonstrations.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - "It is true that we are the only international humanitarian organization accepted to work in Bahrain," Jakob Kellenberger, the ICRC chief told journalists while presenting the group's annual report.

"But I have to tell you (...) what we can do so far is really very modest.”

Some UN Security Council members are currently working on a draft resolution that says the brutality leveled against Bahrain protestors amounts to a war crime.

Kellenberger also said that Bahrain has so far not honored requests by the ICRC to visit detainees arrested during its heavy-handed crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

Bahraini authorities came under strong criticism from international human rights organizations for their brutal suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations that lasted for a month in the capital Manama.

Bahraini authorities said 24 people died during the crackdown, including four who died in detention.

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