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Middle East
Crackdown reins in Bahrain activists
Massive pro-democracy protests reduced to small skirmishes with security forces in predominantly Shia villages.
Last Modified: 06 May 2011 08:29

[The video above contains graphic images.]

The once massive pro-democracy protests in Bahrain have been reduced to small clashes between youth and police in predominantly Shia Muslim areas.

Security forces have launched a crackdown on protesters marked by beatings and sweeping arrests. Nearly 1,000 demonstrators have been imprisoned, among them doctors, artists and lawyers.

The UN High Commissioner for Human rights Navi Pillay says severe torture is being used against prisoners, and he is calling on the Bahraini government to stop intimidating and harassing human rights defenders and political activists.

May Welsh reports.
Source:
Aljazeera
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