Article – Bahrain Freedom Movement

Bahrain’s Monarchy shows how to survive the Arab Spring

– By Con Coughlin – 13/12/2011

One of the more interesting aspects of the phenomenon known as the Arab Spring is the resilience demonstrated by the Arab monarchies, such as in Bahrain, when confronted by anti-government protests.
Bahrain opposition remains wary of ‘reform’

– By Bill Law BBC News – 13/12/2011

In the wake of a highly publicised meeting between Bahrain’s King Hamad and British Prime Minister David Cameron, critics in the country remain sceptical about reform. Many in the Bahrain opposition see a committee that was set up by the king to oversee recommendations for change as being irrelevant.
A specialist in brutality goes to Bahrain

– 09/12/2011

David Rovics comments on the news that former Miami and Philadelphia police Chief John Timoney will be traveling to Bahrain to train police there. December 6, 2011
Is Bahrain on route to reform?

– By Bill Law BBC News – 09/12/2011

King Hamad of Bahrain seems to be wasting little time in pushing to implement key recommendations of a report into human rights abuses earlier this year.

– by Alaa Shehabi – 08/12/2011

On 23 November 2011, in one of the royalpalaces in Bahrain, a lavish ceremonycommenced with all the pomp of a greatoccasion. In the era of the so-called ArabSpring, this should have been an occasion toannounce the handover of power to the people,akin to the Hong Kong handover ceremony in1997. This, however, was a ceremony for thehandover of a human rights report written bythe Bahrain Independent Commission ofInquiry (BICI), a government-appointedcommission with the nominal mandate ofinvestigating the government’s crimes—hardlya thing to celebrate. It must have been awkwardbecause most of the perpetrators accussed ofcarrying out these crimes were sitting rightthere.
Bahrain hires John Yates, former Met officer, to oversee reform

– By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent – 03/12/2011

Mr Yates has been asked to overhaul the controversial service with John Timoney, a former head of Miami police, to ensure its procedures meet international human rights standards.
Bahrain medics face new charges of supplying weapons to protesters

– guardian.co.uk, Monday 28 November 2011 19.17 GMT – 28/11/2011

Prosecutors claim guns, swords, knives and chains produced in court are proof despite findings of independent inquiry Bahraini medical staff accused of trying to overthrow the government of the Gulf state earlier this year, and who had hoped charges against them might now be dropped, faced new accusations in a court hearing.
Egypt protesters in standoff with military rulers – live updates

– 23/11/2011

• Military’s concessions rejected by protesters in Tahrir Sq • Yemen’s president Saleh in Saudi to sign away power • Bahrain poised for report on handling of the uprising • Pressure mounts on Syria as killings continue
Security Sectors in the Gulf: Immune to the Arab Awakening?

– Emile Hokayem – 18/11/2011

The behavior of security forces during the Arab Awakening has shaped the evolution of each uprising; unsurprisingly then, the long-term transitions also depend on their political systems’ capacity to rein in and reform the security sectors—the military, internal security apparatuses, and paramilitary forces—that have grown too big, too powerful, too brutal, or too autonomous. And while opportunities for security reform exist in transitioning countries, regimes that have withstood the political tremors are learning other lessons from the uprisings.
Investing in the Arab Spring: The Gulf

– Sebastian Walsh – 18/11/2011

Despite simmering discontent in Bahrain, fund managers are increasingly bullish about the Gulf as the region’s banks finish cleaning up their balance sheets amid signs that the woes of the real estate sector are nearing their end.

– By Brian Dooley Director, Human Rights Defenders Program – 18/11/2011

As human rights abuses persist in Bahrain, human rights defenders on the ground there are forced to take their fight for political freedom to other mediums, including Twitter. They work in the shadows, but their message is resonating around the world and drawing attention to the Bahraini government’s abuses.
Bahrain background briefing

– Melanie Dinjaski – 17/11/2011

Relationship with the West The US and it’s allies have had a cooperative relationship with Bahrain due to the strategic significance of its location in the Persian Gulf. Housing several military posts on the island nation, it is a key stepping block for US interests in tackling terrorism in the Middle East and the ongoing turmoil in Iran, a country of which Bahrain used to be a province.
Harper inconsistent on rights in the case of Bahrain

– Eva Sajoo – 16/11/2011

When Prime Minister Stephen Harper returned from the recent Commonwealth Summit in Perth, Australia, he cast human rights as the defining issue for member nations — even threatening to boycott the next meeting in Sri Lanka if the subject is not forthrightly discussed.
Bahrain TV station struggles as signal blocked

– By Simon Atkinson – 15/11/2011

Rim Abdolah delivers her news bulletin with admirable gusto for a woman who knows hardly any of the target audience is watching. The Lualua TV presenter has been with the station since its launch in July. Aimed at people in Bahrain, it carries news and talk shows about the country.

Killing the Messenger: Bahrain’s Brutal Crackdown

– By Courtney C. Radsch and Jennifer Gulbrandson – 10/11/2011

Amid the political convulsions wracking the Middle East, few prolonged protests have been as ignored by the West, particularly the United States, as those in the tiny Gulf monarchy of Bahrain. Despite the regime’s brutality, which has targeted peaceful protesters, human rights activists and medical personnel,
Bahrain royal accused in $6m UK corruption case

– By Elizabeth Broomhall Monday, 31 October 2011 8:03 AM – 31/10/2011

A member of Bahrain’s royal family has been named as a co-conspirator in a UK fraud probe into deals made by a London-based businessman man between Alcoa, the US aluminium group, and state-backed Bahrain Aluminium (Alba), it was reported Sunday.
Report: Arab Spring upheaval cost $55bn

– By Peter Biles BBC world affairs correspondent – 14/10/2011

The popular protests this year in North Africa and the Middle East – known as the Arab Spring – have cost the region more than $50bn, a new report says.
Senators Want Proposed Arms Sale to Bahrain Postponed

– By ADAM ENTOUS – 13/10/2011

WASHINGTON — A group of U.S. senators appealed to the Obama administration Wednesday to postpone a proposed arms sale to Bahrain to protest the monarchy’s crackdown on protesters.
Bahraini medics tell of torture ahead of retrial

– By Richard Hall – 10/10/2011

Bahraini medical workers who were handed lengthy jail terms for their alleged support of pro-democracy protests hope they will get a fair trial now they have had their sentences overturned.

– 05/08/2011

Mr. Obama, Closely observing how pro-democracy youth in Tunisia, Egypt and other Arab countries have led the revolutions and toppled two strong US allies dictators, the youth in Bahrain have formed the *February 14th Youth Coalition* to lead and represent a peaceful pro-democracy revolution that aims to create a real democratic system, where all people, Sunnis or Shiia are equal.