Three more killed by riot police

Three more people died last night in Bahrain after riot police stormed the camp where protesters where spending the night. Five protesters have now been killed in Bahrain since 14 February.

Isa Abdulhasan (60), Mahmood Maki ‘Ali (23) and ‘Ali Mansoor Ahmed Khudair (52) died in the early hours of today after riot police used what appears to have been severely excessive force to disperse protesters camping at the Pearl Roundabout in Manama, the capital of Bahrain.. Eyewitnesses told Amnesty International that the riot police stormed the area at around 2 am with no prior warning. Men, women and children have been camping at the roundabout since peaceful protests calling for political reform started on 14 February, the ‘Day of Rage’.

The riot police used tear gas, batons, rubber bullets and pellet guns to disperse the crowds. An eyewitness said that one battalion of the riot police was shooting from a bridge over the roundabout while another battalion was shooting from the opposite side, while the crowd was trying to seek refuge. Another eyewitness said: "The protesters are being attacked! Women and children are running around screaming and there is no where to run. Riot police are everywhere and are attacking from every corner. Many are wounded. There is a panic and chaos at the roundabout. Everyone is running and screaming."

According to eyewitnesses, the security forces were blocking ambulances' access to the Pearl Roundabout and paramedic staff from the hospital were scared to access the area for fear of being attacked. The protesters marched from the roundabout to the hospital with those injured to protect them.

Crowds gathered at the hospital to donate blood and human rights activists were present at the hospital in the morning. Some people have reportedly been arrested this morning in relation to the protests and activists fear the number of arrests might increase in the hours and days.

Previously, ‘Ali ‘Abdulhadi Mushaima’ was shot, reportedly with live ammunition, at a demonstration on 14 February in al-Daih village, in the north of Bahrain. Fadhel ‘Ali Matrook, was injured by shotgun pellets while joining a funeral procession for ‘Ali ‘Abdulhadi Mushaima’ on 15 February and later died in hospital.

Additional Information

The ‘Day of Rage’ protests were called for on several websites, Facebook and Twitter. The protests were organized to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the endorsement of Bahrain’s National Action Charter. Inspired by the protests in Tunisia and Egypt, the protesters have been demanding more freedom, the release of all political prisoners, a new constitution and an elected government. The largest Shi’a political group, al-Wefaq, reportedly suspended its participation in parliament on the 15th of February in protest at the death of the two protestors and the methods used by the police.

Article 3 of the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 34/169 of 17 December 1979, states: “… the use of force by law enforcement officials should be exceptional; while it implies that law enforcement officials may be authorized to use force as is reasonably necessary under the circumstances for the prevention of crime or in effecting or assisting in the lawful arrest of offenders or suspected offenders, no force going beyond that may be used”.