Bahrainis rally for release of political prisoners

Thousands of Bahraini anti-government protesters have rallied near the capital, Manama, to demand the release of political prisoners.

The demonstrators also condemned Manama’s crackdown on protests and called on government forces to stop attacks on protesters.

They also honored a journalist killed by Saudi-backed regime forces about a week ago.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has called on the Manama government to release political prisoners, including 14 opposition leaders.

The London-based watchdog said in a statement on Friday that it urges Bahrain to ”immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience” sentenced “solely for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression.”

It also urged Bahrain to investigate accounts of torture, deaths in custody and unlawful killings… committed since the beginning of the February 2011 protests” and hold to account those responsible for a brutal crackdown on demonstrations regardless of their status or rank.

Scores of Bahrainis have been killed and hundreds more have been arrested since the beginning of anti-regime protests in the country.

As part of Manama’s efforts to intimidate protesters, long jail terms have been handed to opposition leaders and those taking part in protest rallies.

Last year, eight opposition leaders, including leading human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, Hassan Mushaima and Abd al-Jalil Singace, both of the Haq movement, were sentenced to life in prison for plotting to overthrow the government.”

Khawaja has been on a hunger strike for more than two months to protest against his detention and Bahrainis have held several demonstrations in his support since he refused to eat early in February.

But despite national and international calls for Khawaja’s release, the Bahraini government has so far refused to free the top rights activist.