NOVANEWS
According to a Bahraini rights group, security forces have detained about 80 leading activists this week to avoid anti-government protest rallies taking place during the upcoming F1 race scheduled to be held from April 20-22.
Bahrainis, however, have vowed to stage “Days of Rage” during the sporting event.
Bahraini protesters have repeatedly called for the cancellation of the race over Manama’s brutal crackdown on demonstrations, saying that the return of F1 gives a symbolic stamp of approval to the Al Khalifa regime.
Last year the FIA cancelled the F1 race in Bahrain over nationwide anti-government protests and the suppression that ensued.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has announced the situation in Bahrain has not improved since last year and that human rights are still being violated. It also said that Formula 1 risks being used as a political tool by allowing next weekend’s race to go ahead.
“No-one should be under any illusions that the country’s human rights crisis is over,” Amnesty said on Tuesday.
Bahrainis have been staging demonstrations since mid-February 2011, demanding political reform and a constitutional monarchy, a demand that later changed to an outright call for the ouster of the ruling Al Khalifa family following its brutal crackdown on popular protests.
Scores of people have also been killed and many others have been injured in the Saudi-backed crackdown on peaceful protesters in Bahrain.
Bahraini demonstrators hold King Hamad Al Khalifa responsible for the killings during the popular uprising in the country.
