Hundreds of mourners gathered in Bahrain for the funeral of a young protester killed by a police vehicle as security forces dispersed demonstrators rallying against the nation’s rulers near a United States naval base.
The violence on Saturday occurred just days before an international panel is due to release a highly anticipated report on the country’s trend of violence that has killed more than 30 people since February.
Bahrain has seen months of anti-government protests and subsequent crackdowns in the strategically important Gulf country. The unrest began when the country’s Shia majority started campaigning for greater rights and freedoms.
Hundreds of protesters, opposition leaders and Shia professionals, such as lawyers, doctors and nurses, have been detained and tried on anti-state charges in a special security court since the beginning of protests ignited by uprisings sweeping the Arab world.
Security forces have clashed with protesters almost daily since authorities launched a crackdown in March.
Ongoing protests
Despite the state’s stern response, critics of the government have continued to publicly mark their dissent. A march in the village of Aali on Friday afternoon is only one of the >>>
