On Monday, protesters called for action against the government officials who were accused of restraining the peaceful demonstrations. As Bahraini's gathered to rally for reform, Bahrain's king set up an international panel in an effort to investigate the Shi'ite-led protests and the deaths of over 30 people as a result.  Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni, the head of the five-member panel, reported on Sunday that the panel would meet with both government officials ...

Hugh Tomlinson, writing in The Australian, reported that "sources in Washington and the Gulf have confirmed a growing consensus around the idea of relocating the fleet after the recent crackdown on anti-government protests that left at least 32 dead." The idea of possibly moving the Fifth Fleet, currently based in Bahrain, began days after Bahraini security forces began beating, torturing, and killing protesters. The call to move the fleet reportedly ...

Writing in Foreign Policy last week, Justin Gengler discussed the growing anti-American radicalization in Bahrain. In contrast to the narrative of Shiite radicalization, a radical anti-American narrative has spread with pro-government Sunnis, and been legitimized and supported by the regime. As examples, Gengler cited the media campaign against the U.S. and President Barack Obama, government-orchestrated protests against American interference, and regime support for a cleric who has blamed the U.S. for ...

In response to opposition group al-Wefaq's withdrawal from the National Dialogue, Human Rights First today called on the U.S. government to "immediately and publicly declare whether it still supports the Bahraini government’s National Dialogue." After his recent trip to Bahrain, Brian Dooley reported that "a wide range of human rights defenders in Bahrain told us last week the dialogue is cosmetic, and the U.S. government is losing credibility by being associated with ...

On Monday Partners for Democratic Change hosted the Society for International Development, Washington’s Middle East Workgroup for a monthly brown bag lunch entitled “An Update from Bahrain with Bahraini Human Rights Activist, Maryam al-Khawaja.” Monalisa Salib, Senior Manager, Partners for Democratic Change opened the event. Cole Bockenfeld, Advocacy Director for the Project on Middle East Democracy provided background information on events in Bahrain and introduced Maryam al-Khawaja. Notes on the event ...

Human Rights Watch released a report detailing attacks by Bahraini security forces on doctors, nurses, clinics, hospitals, and other medical personnel. The report's summary noted the attacks included, "denial of medical access to protesters injured by security forces; the siege of hospitals and health centers; and the detention, ill-treatment, torture, and prosecution of medics and patients with protest-related injuries." 48 medical personnel remain on trial for protest related crimes.

Al-Wefaq, Bahrain's largest Shiite opposition group announced on Sunday that it planned to pull out of the national dialogue that had been begun with the government.  An al-Wefaq spokesman said that the national dialogue was "not serious" and members would not be participating in Sunday's session.  In addition, members of al-Wefaq were unhappy about the number of seats they were granted at the table, which was 35 out of 300. ...

Bahraini security forces have been increasing their use of tear gas against protesters, which have resulted in numerous deaths including the death of Zainab Hassan, 47 year old mother of two girls. In addition, riot police attacked people's homes in Sitra on Friday and chased people out of the village. An Irish group began a fact finding mission in Bahrain to determine the condition of detained medical workers and doctors that ...

Human Rights First released a new report today on the continuing crackdown in Bahrain. The report provides firsthand accounts of the government's continued intimidation, torture, and detention of activists, and violence against civilians. Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley, who recently finished a fact-finding mission to Bahrain, said that activists "are wary that the dialogue is anything more than elaborate play-acting for the international community’s benefit." And many are calling on the U.S. ...

On Wednesday, the Institute for Gulf Affairs hosted a conference titled, "U.S. Foreign Policy and the Future of Bahrain" at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.  The conference featured speeches by Bahraini political activists on the violations against human rights and a panel of experts that spoke on the current political situation in Bahrain.  The conference began with opening remarks by Ali al-Ahmed, the director of the Institute for Gulf ...

According to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, on Sunday authorities detained two foreign journalists. Nabeel Rajab, President of the Center, said, "members of the international media are being targeted for conveying to the rest of the world the truth about the widescale human rights abuses that are taking place in Bahrain." Bahraini activist Maryam alKhawajah reports that "there are continuous daily protests which are attacked violently by the security forces, and ...

Aaron David Miller argues that the U.S. has never been in a place where it's Arab allies have come "undone" in an article entitled, "For America, an Arab Winter" published in The Wilson Quarterly. Since the uprisings, the administration's response has resulted in "contradictions and anomalies." Miller provides examples including, the administration calling for Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi's resignation, but not doing the same for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. In Bahrain, Yemen ...

Human Rights Watch released a report yesterday documenting the human rights crisis in Bahrain. In it's on-the-ground research, HRW found that since protests began in mid-February, the government has carried out a "punitive and vindictive campaign of violent repression against its own citizens." The abuses include "widespread arbitrary arrests and incommunicado detention, torture, and unfair military court trials, as well as summary dismissals of workers accused of sympathizing with the ...

Barbara Surk argues in the Associated Press that the approach of Bahrain's rulers to the National Dialogue depends on "how far Saudi Arabia is willing to allow concessions," since "for the powerful Saudi royal family and its Gulf partners, Bahrain represents a line that cannot be crossed." Marina Ottoway, director of the Middle East Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, notes that the dialogue is meant to "defuse criticism of the ...

As the National Dialogue began on Saturday, about 500 protesters marched from surrounding Shiite villages towards the capital. Upset with the opposition al-Wefaq party's decision to participate in the dialogue and the recent sentencing of activists, they shouted: "no dialogue without the downfall of the regime." After clashing with police, the mostly young protesters were dispersed with teargas and rubber bullets. The youth movement has refused to participate in the dialogue. In the ...

On Saturday, sources reported that the Bahraini government is bringing in Yemeni citizens to work in the military and security forces.  Large numbers of Yemen's youth applied through the office of the "Kingdom Medium" in the capital of Sana'a in front of the Saudi embassy.  According to sources, a large number of unemployed youth registered for the military of Bahrain after the scale of gold and other livestock, possessions decreased. ...