Bahrain arrests rights activist Mohammed al-Maskati

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Saudi-backed Bahraini forces have arrested top rights activist Mohammed al-Maskati as Manama crackdown on opposition voices continues.It was not immediately made clear on what charges Maskati, who is also the president of Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, was arrested on Tuesday. But his detention comes days after he delivered a speech against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty in Geneva.Meanwhile, a court has rejected the request to release the head of Bahrain’s Center for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, and postponed the hearing until next month.Maskati and Rajab are among thousands of people detained in Bahrain since the beginning of anti-regime protests in the Persian Gulf country.Bahrain, which is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has been the scene of anti-regime protests since February 2011 and scores of people have been killed and hundreds more injured in the regime crackdown. Many others, including opposition leaders and human rights activists, were also given long jail terms as part of the crackdown.Bahrainis hold King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa responsible for the death and arrest of protesters. They have vowed to continue their protests rallies until their demands for an elected government and an end to rights violations are met. /129