Arrested in Bahrain

The situation in Bahrain is getting worse day by day, and I am very concerned about this.  Of course, Obama and Clinton are basically not doing anything about this situation, even as they fret about a possible massacre in Libya.  In Bahrain, the protesters have stayed peaceful – they have not picked up weapons in response to the violence directed towards them.

Here is some information from The Independent:

Bahrain’s security forces stole ambulances and posed as medics to round up injured protesters during a ferocious crackdown on unarmed demonstrators calling for reform of the monarchy, an investigation by a rights group reveals today. 

The first major report on repression of the medical profession during the country’s crisis details how a doctor was abducted during an operation and injured patients lying in hospital were tortured and threatened with rape. 

The investigation by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) followed a report by The Independent yesterday detailing threats faced by medical staff who treated victims of the repression. More than 30 medics have been taken away by security forces and have had little or no contact with their families. 

Protesters have basically gone home, but they are being arrested at their homes and all signs point to them being tortured while in detention, and some have died in prison.  Even more have just been fired from their jobs.  The Bahrain government made up a list of names, and even private employers were required to fire them.  They are doing what they can to stoke tension between Shia and Sunni citizens.  The Bahrain government seems to be going after doctors and journalist and bloggers and (of course) the leaders of the protests. 

Amnesty International sent out this Press Release:

PRESS RELEASE
April, 21 2011

Bahrain: International pressure needed now to halt spiralling human rights crisis

Bahrain's allies must take stronger action to address the rapidly worsening human rights crisis in the small but strategic Gulf state, Amnesty International said today as it released a new briefing paper on the continuing suppression of peaceful protest.

Bahrain's allies must take stronger action to address the rapidly worsening human rights crisis in the small but strategic Gulf state, Amnesty International said today as it released a new briefing paper on the continuing suppression of peaceful protest.

In Bahrain: A Human Rights Crisis, Amnesty International calls on governments with close ties to Bahrain to press for an end to the crackdown on those calling for change.

"North American and European governments, so vocal recently in espousing the cause of human rights in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt, need also to speak out loudly about what is going on in Bahrain" said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East and North Africa.

"To avoid the charge of double standards, they must be much more robust in pressing the Bahraini authorities to uphold their international human rights obligations."

I will be calling on Obama and Clinton and my Representative and Senators (and sending them postcards) to speak out publicly about this situation, although I doubt they will listen.  They are complete hypocrites, and this situation really shows that they do not care about democracy, human rights or the welfare of people in foreign countries.  The idea that Obama and Clinton are bombing Libya for “humanitarian” reasons is bullshit through and through.

Here is a video of the people who have been arrested and have not been heard from: