AhlulBayt News Agency

source : WSJ
Tuesday

14 April 2015

1:30:35 PM
683611

Bahrain Arrests 21 Activists Ahead of F1 Race

Twenty-one Bahraini opposition activists were arrested ahead of the upcoming Formula One Grand Prix.

The regime forces, backed by militiamen raided houses in several areas across the country, and arrested 21 activists, including children.

The Formula one Grand Prix is to take place on April 17, 18 and 19, at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Human rights watchdogs have voiced concern over severe repressive measures used by the Bahraini regime against pro-reform demonstrators in previous years.

During previous Grand Prix events, foreign and local journalists were barred from covering protests, with some deported from Bahrain for attempting to do so without permission.

Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling for an end to the al-Khalifa dynasty.

Violence against the defenseless people escalated after a Saudi-led conglomerate of police, security and military forces from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar - were dispatched to the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on March 2011, to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.

So far, tens of protesters have been killed, hundreds have gone missing and thousands of others have been injured.

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