News / Middle East

Bahrainis Set to Bury Activist Killed in Crackdown

Cars drive past barricades set up by Bahraini demonstrators at a Shiite neighborhood in Manama on March 17, 2011
Cars drive past barricades set up by Bahraini demonstrators at a Shiite neighborhood in Manama on March 17, 2011
TEXT SIZE - +

Hundreds of Bahrainis gathered Friday to bury a protester killed in a violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrators.

Mourners of youth activist Ahmed Farhan waited in the village of Sitra, south of Manama, for authorities to release his body.  The French news agency reports that authorities have not yet allowed Farhan's body to be removed from Manama's main hospital.  

At least five people were killed Wednesday when security forces swept through Manama's main square, which has been a rallying point for protesters.

Bahrain's opposition has promised to keep up peaceful protests despite the government's use of force.

The government declared a three-month state of emergency this week to try to end the protests. And Bahraini authorities have arrested at least six opposition leaders on charges that include communicating with foreign countries.  

King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa authorized about 1,000 Saudi soldiers and 500 United Arab Emirates' police to enter Bahrain Monday, in an effort to protect government buildings after groups of protesters paralyzed the capital's financial district.

Bahrain's majority Shi'ite population is demanding political reforms from the minority Sunni government.

The ruling al-Khalifa family has offered to hold a talks with opposition groups. But some protesters are demanding more power for parliament and that the royal family be ousted.

Some information for this report was provided by  AFP and Reuters.

 

Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter
and discuss them on our Facebook page.

You May Like

India, China Pledge to Overcome Border Tensions

Indian prime minister and Chinese premier attempt to move past tense standoff in the Himalayas during Delhi talks More

Burmese President Opens US Visit with VOA Town Hall Meeting

Ahead of his meeting with President Obama Monday, Thein Sein answered questions on human rights and economic development in his country More

Video Washington Week: Focus on Burma, US Government Scandals

President Thein Sein visits the White House on Monday, Congressional probes of multiple scandals are continuing More

This forum has been closed.
Comments
     
There are no comments in this forum. Be first and add one

Featured Videos

Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Your JavaScript is turned off or you have an old version of Adobe's Flash Player. Get the latest Flash player.
Video

Video Boston Bomber Spent 6 Months in Russia’s Most Violent Republic

The news of the Boston Marathon bombings circled the globe, and resonated here in Dagestan, a majority Muslim republic in Russia, on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Last year, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the older of two brothers suspected of the bombings and a long-time Boston resident, returned to Dagestan, where he had lived for a year during his youth. Dagestan was the land of his maternal ancestors. But in the last two years, this republic of 3 million people has gained notoriety as the region with the highest level of political and religious violence in all of Russia. VOA's James Brooke reports from Makhachkala, Russia.