Bahrain sees another day of protests against regime crackdown

Bahraini demonstrators continue protests against the unrelenting crackdown on pro-democracy activists in the country.

According to reports on Saturday, the protesters took to the streets in the villages of Noyderat and Aker, demanding a referendum and the release of all political prisoners.

Manama regime forces clashed with demonstrators, using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters who were chanting slogans against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty.

On Friday, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights censured the Bahraini regime for arresting the prominent human rights activist, Nabeel Rajab.

The activist, who is the director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, was detained on Wednesday for tweeting a message that allegedly offended the Bahraini Interior Ministry.

“Human rights defenders in Bahrain must be able to carry out their work without fear of reprisals,” said Rupert Colville, the spokesman for the High Commissioner for Human Rights, at a press conference in the Swiss city of Geneva.

On September 5, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights voiced concern over “ongoing violations” of freedom of expression in Bahrain.

Since February 2011, demonstrators calling for an end to monarchy in Bahrain have been faced with a heavy-handed clampdown.

The Manama regime has put hundreds of political activists behind bars as part of its oppressive measures to stifle the anti-regime protests.

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured in the crackdown on demonstrations.

Manama is under sharp criticism by international human rights organizations for its brutal tactics to deal with the protests in the kingdom.