Bahraini Figure Censures West Double Standards
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Nabeel Rajab, a Bahraini political activist and the founder of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said that business interests are more valuable than democracy and human rights to the country’s Western allies.
“When I was in prison, the British embassy in Bahrain telephoned my lawyer and asked him if I would keep quiet if I was released which proves that Britain does not want to hear about human rights violations in my country,” Rajab wrote in an article published by the Huffington Post.
“The reason for that is simple: Bahrain is buying Britain's silence with arms sales. In 2013, (Bahraini) King Hamad personally visited Prime Minister (David) Cameron in Downing Street to discuss the sale of war jets to Bahrain,” he added.
Rajab was jailed in 2012 on charges of organizing and taking part in anti-regime demonstrations in Bahrain.
Following his release, Rajab said the human rights situation in Bahrain had deteriorated during his term in prison as the Manama regime continues to target activists and human rights advocates.
UK-based Amnesty International as well as US-based Human Rights First had earlier urged the Bahraini regime to free Rajab.
Last year, the activist appealed to be released after serving three-quarters of his jail sentence, but his request was rejected by the court.
Over the past years, Bahrain’s human rights record has come under scrutiny over its handling of the anti-regime demonstrations across the country.
Since mid-February 2011, thousands of anti-regime protesters have held numerous demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the ruling Al Khalifa family to relinquish power.
Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested in the Manama regime’s ongoing crackdown on peaceful demonstrations.