(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses concern by the continued use of excessive force by the authorities in Bahrain during attacks on peaceful protestors. The latest cases of serious injuries (including two eye injuries) were documented on the 16th of December; the day Hamad bin Isa AlKhalifa celebrates his “sitting on the throne”.
Photo: Cycling for Freedom Event in Bahrain on 15th December 2012
16th December is celebrated by the Bahraini regime as the “National Day” which marks this year the 13th anniversary since Hamad bin Isa AlKhalifa “sat on the throne” ruling Bahrain. Meanwhile there were many protests that started on the 15th December in preparation for a major protest being planned in the capital Manama on 17th December 2012. Among the protests was an innovative event “Cycling for Freedom” which was called for by the 14th Feb Youth Coalition which took place in a number of villages and areas around Bahrain.
Photo: Protests in Bahrain on 16th December
December 17th, since 1994 has been marked by the people as “Bahrain’s Martyrs Day” following the extra-judicial killing of two Bahrainis during the 90s uprising. In preparation for the 17th of December many villages protested and faced extensive use of force using teargas, pellet shotguns and sound bombs that have caused severe and critical injuries among protesters.
Graphic Photo: Direct Shot by shotgun on the face
The BCHR documented a number of face injuries by the pellet shotgun that has lead to loss of sight in the injured eye for the two protesters (photo above). It appears from the injuries that security forces were aiming at protesters heads and upper bodies when attacking protests. Read More: (Young Man Severely Injured By Direct Shot to the Face; Excessive Force During Arrests Continues in Bahrain)
Photo: Shotgun injury on the back and stomach of a protestor
Photo: Home-based Clinics to help an injured protester
Despite Hamad Bin Isa’s claims that Bahrain will always be the nation of tolerance and liberties in his speech on 16th December, the use of excessive force is escalated against peaceful protests and the BCHR regularly receives a large number of reports of shotgun injuries, most of which are treated in private homes out of fear of being arrested from the hospital.
The BCHR also calls on the United States, the United Kingdom, the UN and all other allies and international institutions to put pressure of the Government of Bahrain to stop its use of excessive force in response to the continued peaceful protests, and to consider a meaningful solution to resolve the persistent political issues of instability in the country.
The BCHR calls on the Government of Cyprus and other Ally Governments to Bahrain to Stop supplying the government of Bahrain with arms that are used against peaceful protesters, causing injuries and deaths among them.
/129