Some 41 prisoners released in Bahrain

The Bahraini authorities have released some 41 prisoners who were arrested during anti-government protest acts. A Bahraini governmental official told reporters that those prisoners were released on Tuesday and the a new shift will be released within the coming two days.

Bahraini dailies published pictures of the released people with their families. Last Sunday, the ruler of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa al-Khaleifa, issued "a pardoning for 321 prisoners, 41 political prisoners and 12 persons who were expelled, but later asked forgiven and pledged to behave properly."

Meanwhile, Amnesty International said in a message addressed to Sheikh Hamad that the pardoning was "a positive step towards correction." The organization expressed hope that additional similar measures will be taken to "strengthen the position of human rights in Bahrain," but, on the other hand, "the organization regretted that there are still persons who are detained without trials or any accusations addressed to them."

Hundreds were arrested in Bahrain, which is the main banking and financial center in the Gulf, since the beginning of objections raised by groups of Shiites in December, 1994 demanding political reforms.

So far some 30 persons were killed. The pardon was issued following the termination of the "official mourning period" which lasted for three months over the death of the ruler of Bahrain, Sheikh Issa Bin Salman al-Khaleifa, who died on March 6.