Shia protests Live Blog

4 weeks 2 days ago - Bahrain

 

About 15,000 people turned up for the funeral of Salah Abbas Habib, the Bahraini youth killed a day before Formula One Grand Prix, a witness has told Reuters news agency.

After the ceremony, hundreds of protesters threw petrol bombs and stones at a police station in the district of al-Bilad al-Qadeem in the capital Manama. Police fired teargas and sound grenades.

His brother told Reuters before the funeral that a coroner's report had concluded that Habib died of birdshot wounds to the chest and abdomen.

 

Tags Formula One, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa King of Bahrain, Salah Abbas Habib, Shia protests
4 weeks 3 days ago - Bahrain

Bahrain said on Monday it is probing a deported British TV crew's allegations their driver was assaulted as the journalists covered protests surrounding the kingdom's Formula One race at the weekend.

In a message posted on micro-blogging website Twitter, the interior ministry said: "investigation launched into allegations by deported UK journalists about attack on driver".

Tags Channel 4, Formula 1, Jonathan Miller, Shia protests
4 weeks 3 days ago - Bahrain

Bahrain's highest appeals court on Monday postponed for a week the final verdict in the case of 21 democracy activists convicted of plotting to overthrow the kingdom's rulers.

The court set the next hearing for April 30 amid claims by the family of hunger striker Abdulhadi al-Khawaja that his health is in sharp decline nearly 11 weeks into his protest.

Bahrain officials insist al-Khawaja faces no immediate medical risks.

On Sunday, a representative from Bahrain's public prosecution said Khawaja's doctors assured him that the Shia activist "is in good and stable health and is getting all necessary medical care".

The postponement came amid escalating tensions in the Sunni-ruled kingdom after a week of near-daily anti-government protests that coincided with Sunday's controversial Formula One Grand Prix race.

Witnesses said the courthouse was cordoned off by security forces as the postponement was announced in an effort by the government to prevent a planned protest by the largest Shia opposition group, Al-Wefaq.

Tags Abdulhadi al Khawaja, Formula One, Shia protests
4 weeks 3 days ago - Bahrain

A team of journalists for Britain's Channel 4 News was released on Sunday after being detained while covering Bahrain's Grand Prix race, which went ahead after a week of angry protests away from the track, AFP news agency reported.

Foreign affairs correspondent Jonathan Miller wrote on microblogging site Twitter that he and his crew had been released and were being deported, but that his Bahraini driver and an activist who was travelling with them were still being held.

Security forces told the Channel 4 team that the pair would be released soon.

Miller and his team were arrested while reporting from a village in Bahrain after the race, a Channel 4 News spokesman said.

Tags Formula One, Jonathan Miller, Shia protests
4 weeks 5 days ago - Bahrain

Matar Matar, former MP representing the al-Wefaq bloc in Bahrain has tweeted about death of a man.

AmberLyonRT: “@Matar_Matar: Wefaq confirms the death of protester Salah Al Qattan, 37 yr old, killed by #Bahrain police 1 day before #F1”Sat Apr 21 09:45:07 2012
Tags F1, F1 Grand Prix, Shia protests
14 weeks 1 day ago - Bahrain

The Bahraini government has said in a statement it had deported six US citizens for joining the "illegal demonstrations," bringing the number of Americans expelled from Bahrain to eight since the end of last week.

Witnesses said the clashes, which took place in Shia neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the capital Manama, left many people wounded, but most received treatment in private homes.

Tags Shia protests
14 weeks 1 day ago - Bahrain

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has played down the outbreak of fresh unrest in Bahrain, insisting the violence posed no threat to this season's Grand Prix.

Bahraini police fired tear gas and birdshot at pro-democracy protesters in clashes early on Wednesday as the kingdom marked the first anniversary of a Shia-led uprising.

The violence revived memories of last year's unrest, which ultimately led to the cancellation of the 2011 race, which is due to take place this season on April 20-22.

However Ecclestone told UK-based The Guardian newspaper that the clashes were unlikely to lead to another cancellation.

"I expected there was going to be a big uprising, with the anniversary," Ecclestone was quoted as saying.

Tags Bernie Ecclestone, Formula One, Shia protests
14 weeks 2 days ago - Bahrain

Gunmen have "stormed" the home of Bahrain's charge d'affaires in Damascus and stole property, prompting the kingdom to urge Syria to protect its envoys, Bahrain state news agency BNA reported on Tuesday.

The unknown gunmen entered the residence of Salah Abdulrahman al-Ahmad at dawn on Monday "and stole some of his personal possessions," BNA quoted the Gulf kingdom's foreign ministry as saying in a statement.

Ahmad "is in an excellent health condition and is perfectly carrying out his diplomatic work at the Bahraini embassy in Damascus," it added.

Bahrain's foreign ministry responded by "summoning Ms Faiza Iskandar, Syria's charge d'affaires in the kingdom and informed her... that Syrian authorities must take quick measures to protect and secure the embassy, as well as Bahraini diplomats in Damascus and their residences," BNA said.

Tags Bahrain envoy, Salah Abdulrahman al Ahmad, Shia protests
14 weeks 2 days ago - Bahrain

It's been one year since anti-government protests started in Bahrain. Nearly 2,000 mainly Shia Muslim workers in both the private and public sector lost their jobs as punishment for their perceived participation in the protests.

Unions say they have not got their jobs back, despite repeated promises from the government.

Human rights groups and activists say more than 60 people have been killed, including four policemen, since the crackdown began on Shia-led protesters.

Al Jazeera’s Charles Stratford reports.

Tags Feb14, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa King of Bahrain, Pearl roundabout, Shia protests
14 weeks 2 days ago - Bahrain

The US has called on all sides in Bahrain to exercise restraint as police clashed with protesters amid demonstrations to mark the first anniversary of the Gulf kingdom's uprising.

"We urge all sides to use restraint and to avoid violence," a senior US official told AFP news agency, asking to remain anonymous.

Washington is calling for all sides "to find a way to enter into a real dialogue about the political future," the official added.

One year after month-long pro-democracy protests, the Gulf kingdom is at a political impasse, with Shia protesters back on the streets despite a deadly crackdown by the ruling Sunni dynasty.

The Shia-led protests are clamoring for a constitutional monarchy in Bahrain, but King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa appears in no mood to make concessions.

Tags Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa King of Bahrain, Shia protests

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