Obama Urged to Support Bahrain’s Peaceful Protestors

Washington, DC – As forces from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates arrive in Bahrain in the face of renewed protests calling for democratic reform, Human Rights First is urging the Obama Administration to continue to speak out in defense of the rights of peaceful protestors by calling on Bahrain’s leaders to refrain from using violence and intimidation tactics. In a statement issued today, Human Rights First’s Brian Dooley stated: “Protestors in Bahrain are no less entitled to peacefully demonstrate than are those in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya or Yemen. The Obama Administration must make clear that no matter where oppression rears its ugly head, the United States unequivocally supports the rights of people to peacefully dissent and make public calls for reform. This administration must not allow strategic alliances and economic ties to determine how vigorously it will support these rights.”