Analyst:

Bahrain situation deplorable, must be internationally condemned

Rasa - The world should pressure Bahrain’s ruling Al Khalifah regime to hold a free and fair election, says an academic, adding that the situation in the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom is “deplorable”.

News ID: 441735

Date: 25 November 2018 - 18:19

RNA - “Well indeed the situation in Bahrain is very volatile. This is nothing new. If we cast our minds back to 2011 during the anti-government protests when people were on the streets demanding equal rights, the government dealt with that situation in a very brutal manner. An inquiry took place which established excessive use of force by security forces including torture and detention. So this is the historical background of the situation we have at the moment,” Kenneth Fero, lecturer at Coventry University said.

“And it seems that whilst the Bahrain regime is calling these democratic elections, they don’t seem to be very concerned about the fact that such a large part of the population is being disavowed of their rights to vote and so this is the situation which is deplorable, it should be condemned internationally and there should be pressure put on Bahrain regime to implement equal votes across the country for all citizens, for all residents,” he added.

According to Press TV, Bahrain is holding a parliamentary election from which opposition groups have been barred in a crackdown on dissent in the small Persian Gulf island.

International rights groups and experts have questioned the value of a parliamentary election in which the opposition is not allowed to participate.

Since February 2011, Bahraini people have been holding peaceful protest rallies on an almost daily basis, demanding that the Al Khalifah family relinquish power and allow the establishment of a just system representing all Bahrainis.

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