Bahrainian Crown Prince Declines Royal Wedding Invitation After Accusations Of His Regime’s Brutality

Posted by | April 24, 2011 23:10 | Filed under: Top Stories


Al Jazeera English reports that human rights activists are outraged that Bahrainian Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa is among 40 foreign royals invited to the royal wedding.

Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, told Al Jazeera that protesters were expecting the British to take a “tough stance,” rather than invite those accused of grievous human rights abuses to the high-profile celebrations.

“Calling our crown prince at a time when people are being killed … for demanding their political rights and peacefully protesting, is extremely disappointing,” he said in a phone interview.

“They’re losing the hearts and minds of the people in this region.”

Amnesty International has condemned Bahrain for its crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

Eye-witnesses told Amnesty International that Bahraini riot police and plain-clothed security forces used shotguns, rubber bullets and teargas against demonstrators in Sitra and Ma’ameer. Several ambulance drivers were attacked by riot police with batons as they tried to reach the wounded.

And now it looks as though Al Khalifa is not going to attend the wedding, citing unrest in his country.

Al Khalifa is a member of Bahrain’s Sunni ruling family, which has recently waged a wide-ranging crackdown against Shiite protesters calling for more freedoms, so turning down the invitation “helped to avoid a potentially awkward situation during the April 29 wedding.”

Some of the ruling family’s actions during the last few months would make for some uncomfortable wedding talk.

Bahrain’s rulers have imposed martial law and are backed by a Saudi-led military force to try to quell the uprising. At least 30 people have died in Bahrain since mid-February, including four who died while in official custody, and many well-known activists and lawyers have been imprisoned.

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Copyright 2011 Liberaland
By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.

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