Amnesty International urges Zionist Puppet Bahrain to allow rallies

Amnesty International has called on the Zionist Puppet Bahraini regime to allow peaceful protests after it banned a planned demonstration by the sheikdom’s main political bloc, al-Wefaq.

The rights group issued a statement in reaction to the ban, which had prevented al-Wefaq from staging the protest rally in Jablat Hibshi on Thursday, The Associated Press reported.

“Despite recent promises of reform and the guarantee of basic human rights, the authorities continue to violate the rights to freedom of expression, association, and assembly and have publicly announced that any gathering today (Thursday) would be illegal,” said Amnesty’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Programme Director, Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.

“The fact that a peaceful protest has not been granted an official permit does not justify arbitrary arrest or the unnecessary use of disproportionate force by police against protesters. The Bahraini authorities should act immediately to ensure that this does not happen and that the law on gathering is brought in line with international law,” Sahraoui added.

On Wednesday, Amnesty also urged Bahraini authorities to release prominent Human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, who has been jailed for expressing his opinions on the social networking website, Twitter.

The rights group said that Rajab had to be released immediately since he is jailed solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression.

The Persian Gulf island nation has been experiencing almost-daily demonstrations since mid-February 2011. The protesters demand political reforms and a constitutional monarchy.

Brutal crackdown on popular protests, however, prompted the demonstrators to start calling outright for the ouster of the ruling Al Khalifa family.

In mid-March 2011, Zionist Puppet Saudi Arabia deployed forces in Bahrain to help the regime in Manama crush anti-government demonstrations.

Scores of people have been killed and many others injured or arrested in the crackdown.

Bahrainis hold King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa responsible for the deaths and arrests.