Bahrain

WASHINGTON

OP-ED: Ian Henderson and Repression in Bahrain: A Forty-Year Legacy

By Emile Nakhleh
Ian Henderson’s death announcement Apr. 15 in Bahrain brings to an end the life of a British expatriate who was the architect and supervisor of the harsh internal security policies of the al-Khalifa ruling family since the early days of independence over 40 years ago.

OP-ED: Genuine Constitutional Monarchy Is the Only Way Out for Al Khalifa

By Emile Nakhleh
As the Bahraini and international media continue to dissect the meaning of Crown Prince Salman’s appointment as first deputy prime minister, powerful factions within the ruling Al-Khalifa family must be pondering the future of their rule.

U.S. Urged to Lean Harder on Bahrain’s Ruling Family

By Jim Lobe
On the eve of the second anniversary of the uprising in Bahrain, the administration of President Barack Obama is being urged to press the royal family to make genuine compromises with the predominantly Shi’a opposition.

OP-ED: Obama and Bahrain: How to Save Al-Khalifa Rule

By Emile Nakhleh
Despite the start of a government-inspired dialogue with the opposition Sunday, the Bahraini government continues to jail dissidents, arrest demonstrators, and use a rigged judicial system to convict them.

Rights Groups Slam Bahraini Court Ruling

By Lindsey Walker and Malgorzata Stawecka
Human rights groups reacted with condemnation following a ruling by Bahrain’s highest court Monday rejecting the last appeals and upholding the convictions of nine medics for their role in the 2011 uprising in the capital  Manama.

Child Abuse on the Rise in Bahrain

By Suad Hamada
A thirty-four-year-old Bahraini teacher, whose son was abused five years ago, has hitherto refused to tell anyone the story, afraid that she will be blamed for failing to protect her child who is now eight years old.

OP-ED: Bahraini Repression Amidst a Failing Strategy

By Emile Nakhleh
This week’s decision by the Bahraini court of appeals to uphold the prison terms against Bahraini opposition activists is a travesty of justice and an indication that Bahraini repression continues unabated.

U.S.: Rights Activists Call on U.S. to Revise Bahrain Policy

By Jim Lobe
Human rights activists are calling on the administration of President Barack Obama to radically revise its policy toward Bahrain in light of the decision by an appeals court in the kingdom this week to confirm harsh prison sentences against 13 opposition activists.

U.S. Breaks Silence on Bahrain Crackdown

By Zoha Arshad
The U.S. State Department released a statement Friday urging the Bahraini government to reconsider a ruling that sentenced the director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, to a three-year jail term for organising opposition rallies.

OP-ED: Arab Autocrats Aiding Resurgence of Terrorism

By Emile Nakhleh
The rising spectre of terrorism in Syria shows that by clinging to power and refusing to implement meaningful reforms, Arab autocrats in Syria, Bahrain, and elsewhere are indirectly contributing to the resurgence of terrorism in their societies.

U.S. Arms Sale Sends Wrong Signal to Bahrain, Groups Say

By Jim Lobe
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is sending the wrong signal to the government of Bahrain in proceeding with a partial sale of new arms to Manama, according to human rights activists and some lawmakers here.
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin had strong words for the veto-wielding Western powers, although analysts point out Russia is hardly blameless. Credit: UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras

Security Council Remains Grounded by Political Manipulation

By Thalif Deen
When Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin briefed reporters recently, he offered some biting criticisms of the growing political manipulation of the most powerful body at the United Nations: the 15-member Security Council.