(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - According to a report released by Human Rights First on Friday, the Bahraini regime is continuing its severe repression of dissidents and crackdown on civil society despite the ongoing national talks launched earlier this month.
The report, which is based on eyewitness accounts and testimonies from human rights defenders, says the continuing intimidation, torture, detention of human rights activists, and shooting of civilians shows that the Bahraini government is not interested in ending the months-long protests in the country through talks and that there are political motives behind the so-called national dialogue.
"Human rights defenders with whom we spoke are wary that the dialogue is anything more than elaborate play-acting for the international community's benefit," said Human Rights First's Brian Dooley who just completed a fact-finding mission to Bahrain.
Human Rights First also documented reports of injured detainees being tortured on their wounds, sexual abuse, and attacks at medical facilities.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has urged Manama to investigate the firing of thousands of workers from state-linked firms and government jobs for participating in anti-government protests earlier this year.
According to HRW, more than 2,000 workers and union activists were dismissed from jobs at government ministries, schools, hospitals and firms that include the state-run Bahrain Petroleum Company as part of the government's crackdown on anti-government supporters.
"The dismissals may have violated Bahraini labor laws as well as international standards, in particular those prohibiting discrimination on the basis of political opinion," the rights group said in a statement calling on Bahraini authorities to investigate and reinstate unlawfully dismissed workers.
Since mid-February Bahraini protesters are holding anti-government protests demanding an end to the rule of the Al Khalifa dynasty which they say has instituted despotic governance, discriminations, and suppression of any dissent.
The regime, backed by Saudi troops, has met the popular protests with a brutal crackdown, killing scores and arresting hundreds.
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