Bahraini security disperse solidarity sit-in with detainees

The Bahraini security forces used force to prevent a sit-in started on Thursday evening demanding the release of three detainees arrested on charges of installing a bulletin board site provoking hatred against the regime.

The security forces in Manama released several persons arrested during dispersing the sit in. In a statement the security forces justified its interference to that its organizers did not follow needed legal measures.

These forces detained several persons including the main figure in the case Ali Abdul Imam ( 27 year old) by the beginning of the current month under the pretext of running a website on the Internet viewed as criticizing the government and the royal family and publishing false news that might endanger the state security. Accusations with penalties might reach 20 years imprisonment.

Journalists Sans Frontier organization, which is concerned with the freedom of the press, and has Paris as a headquarters called for releasing Abdul Imam. In a statement it said that jailing any persons because of his press career or because of an article on the Internet can not be accepted at any condition.

The government of the Kingdom of Bahrain banned the site, which is a forum used by users in publishing view points criticizing the government and the royal family. This site often changes its address on the Web to avoid measures taken by the Bahrain company for telecommunications to ban access to it.

Worthy mentioning that Bahrain has introduced certain political reforms but the opposition which is led by Shiite demands more rights.