State condemns Bahrain's crackdown on political demonstrations

The Persian Gulf kingdom, which is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been rocked by protests since the government quashed an Arab Spring-inspired uprising in February and March of last year, leaving more than 80 people dead. Bahrain has since established a commission of inquiry that faulted the government for systematic torture and made several recommendations to alleviate tensions.

The latest measure also threatens legal action against protest supporters amid intensifying complaints of discrimination against the Sunni-ruled country's Shiite majority. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid bin Abdulla al-Khalifa justified the decision by accusing protesters of fomenting violence and disrupting the economy.

Al-Khalifa on Wednesday called the ban “temporary.”


The Obama administration has been criticized for not supporting the pro-democracy movement in Bahrain, as it has in other Arab Spring countries. Republican candidate Mitt Romney has declined to challenge President Obama on the issue. 




The human-rights group Amnesty International has also weighed in.

