Leading Bahraini activist released

The president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights has been released after appearing before a military court, as anti-government protests continue across the Persian Gulf sheikdom.

The leading human rights activist, Nabeel Rajab, was freed hours after appearing before prosecutors, AP reported on Tuesday.

This is while the Bahraini Justice Ministry has warned to continue its crackdown on anti-government protesters, adding that any unrest will face “all resulted consequences.”

The Justice Ministry referred to the demonstrations as “criminal acts and abuses against the nation’s security and unity.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Bahrain Center for Human Rights stated that anti-government protests will enter a new stage on June 1.

On March 15, the Bahraini King declared a state of national safety to tighten security in the Persian Gulf country.

Since anti-government protests began across Bahrain in mid-February, the regime forces, backed by a 1,000-strong Saudi military contingent, have abducted many people, including opposition activists, journalists, teachers, students, doctors, and nurses, and destroyed dozens of mosques and other religious sites.

Scores of people have been killed and many more arrested in the Saudi-backed crackdown on peaceful protests in Bahrain.

Despite the brutal state violence against protesters, widely verified and reported by international human rights organizations and media outlets, the United States and its Western allies have largely kept silent on the major rights violations by the Saudi-backed Bahraini government.

Bahrain plays host to a huge American military base for its 5th naval fleet in the Persian Gulf.