Excessive Use of Rubber Bullets and Tear Gas
Annual Demonstration Prohibited by Security Forces
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
Ref: 06121700
A demonstration, organized annually by the Victims of Tortures Committee, was dispersed today by special security forces using rubber bullets and tear gas. The demonstration takes place every year on the 17th of December, a day many Bahraini’s consider to be a day of remembrance, also known as “martyrs day” due to the fact that two youth were shot on that day in 1994, and this was followed by a series of civilian deaths as a result of torture and police brutality. This day became thereby marked on the Bahraini calendars as a day to remember the people who were killed and tortured by the government during the 90’s, when the governments human rights abuses were at its peak. Now, a decade later, human rights abuses evidently remain a problem. While yesterday the government set up pro government rallies, today it forcibly prohibited the oppositions demonstration.
The BCHR has learnt that since the dispersion, there has been rioting in several villages whereby eye witnessed have seen young boys burning tires in protest. Eye witnesses have also confirmed to the BCHR that riot police are using tear gas in numerous villages.